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Answers to Correspondents, 3c.— Pages 2, 18, 22,
32, 43, 52, 63, 72, 82, 92, 102, 115, 122, 132, 142,
Lis 162, 172, 183, 192,.202, 213, 223, 239, 246 255.
‘ Architecture. — Robertson’s Improvements in

‘Architecture, page 67; Progress in Architecture,
‘117; Striking ‘Arches, 165, "215; Shop Front Ar-
chitecture, 230.

' Building.—Masonry, pages 3, 19, 28; New Du-
_ ties on Timber, 5;, Mortar, 49, 156, 162; Returned
Shop Fronts, 59; Brickwork Bonds, 66; Slab
Huts, 77; Artificial Stone, 97; Roof Coverings,
98; Moving Houses, 107; Coverings of Theatres
‘in ‘the Olden Time, 122; Ancient versus Modern
Chimney- -pots, 137; Groined Arches, 197.

| Chronotypist. —Pages 8, 20, 30, 40, 46, 60, 79,
90; 100, 109, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 169, 180,
190, 200, 209, 220, 230, 240, 250.
Costume. —Shoes, pages 45, 65, 135.

| Correspondence. —Candlesticks of the Twelfth
‘Century, page 18; Antique Lamps, 25; Alge-
| braicaF Solution, 25 ; Sensitive Paper, 65 ;, An-
‘cient Drinking Cups, 105 ;_ Architectural Eshi
es 136 ; Improved Scribing Gauge, 20

Drawing.—Perspective, page 196, 205; Light
and Shade, 236.

Decoration. — Gilding as applied in Decora-
| \tion, page 7; Imitation of Damask for Walls, 27;
Imitation Morocco Leather for Walls, 64; Interior
Decoration, 80; Walker’s Method of Decorating
Articles of Harthenware or China, 85; Decora-
tions in Tempera, 86 ; Chinese Ornament, 88;
Ornaments for Oaken Doors, 108; Cologne Ca-
|thedral, 182; Baptismal Fonts, 193, 225; on Or-
naments, 219; Selection of Ornaments for Fur-
niture, 238; Lecture on Ornamental Art, 254.

Editorial Articles—French and English Arti-
sans, page 1; Railway Sleepers, 2; The London
Art-Union, il; The School of. Design, 22; Bri-
tish Art, 31; Rural Architecture, 41; The Rights
of Labour, 51; ; Mr. Vernon’s Gift to the Nation,

1; Art Expositions, 71; Ugliness and Mon-|
strosity in Art, 81; Appreciation im Art, 91;
The Duty on Bricks, 91; Enthusiasm and Dis-
cretion, 101; Lowell, ni Government, School
of Design, 121; The Exhibition at the London,
Mechanics’ Institution, 121; Copyright of De-
signs, 122; Protection from Fire, 131; The New-
castle School of Design, 141; Exhibition of Mr.)
Mulready’s Pictures at the Society of Arts,.151;)
The London Art-Union, and the Board of Trade,
161; Influence of Intellectual Progress, 171; The!
Steam Engine and Civilisation, 172; Architec-

tural Incongruities, 181; Mr. Vernon's Pictures, |

191; Working Men’s ‘Associations, 192; Artistic
Ambition, 201 ; Government School of Design,
202; The Public Health Bill, 211; The Regent-
street Quadrant, 212; The National Gallery, 212;
Projecting Shop Fronts, 913; Habitations of
tne Poor, No. I.,. 221; A Hint to Picture Dealers, |
222. Exhibition for Minor Works of Art, 222;.

Simplicity, 293; Habitations of the Poor, No. IL.,

231; The Sculptors’ and Ornamental Stone: Car-
vers’ Society, 232; Country Caleb Quotem’s, 233; |

A Word with our Readers, 241; Papier Mache
Manufacture in Birmingham,, OA.

Illustrated Gilossary, §c.—Letter D, pages 4, 14,'}
24, 34, 44, 54, 64, 74, 84; Letter HK, pages 84, 95,' |

104, 114, 124, 134, 144, 154, 164; Letter F, pages,
174, 184, 195, 204, 214, 224, 234, 245, 251.

Mechanical Arts. —On the Use of Ivory for’
Turning, pages 16, 36; Manufacture of Shell
Cameos, 38 ; Locomotive Boilers, 47, 58 ; Pottery
and Porcelain, 50; Carving, 52 ; Manufacture of
Blacklead Pencils, 78; J enning’s Patent Joints,
&e., 103; Pier and Chimney Glass Frames, 158 ;
Arts of Ancient Egypt, 202 ; Chinese Carving,
224; English Ornamental [ron Work, 252.

Miscellaneous Articles.—Perpetual Motion, page| | '

20; Workmen Abroad and at Home, 21 ; Wright’s
Oven, 35; Busse’s Terresin Sleepers, 42; Dr.
Faraday’s Lectures, 43; Chinese Junk, 55 ;

INDEX.

Method of Detecting Aduiteration in Oils, 57 ;

The Daguerreotype, 68, 73,119; The Religion
|jof Beauty, 68 ; Mr. Burchetts’ Lecture on Free-
hand Drawing, 76 ; Distribution of Prizes at the
Society of Arts, 78; Jenning’s Patent Joints,
103 ; Anti-inflammable Substances, 108 ; Chlo-
rine Gas as a Disinfectant, 118; The Rights of
Labour and Relief, 123 ; Vauxhall Gardens, 125 ;
Isometrical Perspective, 121; Nottingham
School of Design, 136; Art in the Middle
Ages and its Progress Downward, 138 ;
Marble Quarries of Carravia, 149; Cornish
Steam-Engines, 147; Bridge across the Danube,
144; Cremorne Gardens, 145; Society of Arts’
Prize List, 175; The Green Vaults at Dresden,
173; The Indian Rubber Tree, 189; The Con-
way Tubular Bridge, 188; Iodine, 182; Her
Majesty’s Theatre, 193; Baptismal Fonts, 193;
Ancient Babylon, 207; The High Level Bridge,
228; The Smoke Nuisance, 226; The Sector,
237; Arabesques, 247; Combination of Coloured
Woods in Furniture, 248; Doors, 248; Arts and
Trades, 249.

Paragraphs.—National Economic Gas Burner,
page 2; ‘The New Duties on Timber, 5; Free
Exhibition of British Manufactures, 10; Trac-
tion, 33 ; Macadamised Roads, 37 ; Angles, 37 ;
The Electric Telegraph, 45; Patents, 67; Iron
Ore, 251 ; Portland Prison, 254.

Painting. — To preserve Woodwork, page 3;
Theory of Painting, 5; New Water Colour
Society, 7; Medieval Painting of Roofs and
Ceilings, 10; Glass Painting, 13; Enamel,
Ancient and’ Modern, 17 ; The Free Exhibition
of Modern Art, 22; Exhibition of the Royal
Academy, 23 ; Imitation of Dama er wi:
j275 Enamel, 29, 152,168; Vermilion, 29, 152, 168;
‘Perspective, 34 ; Old Water Colour Society, 39 ;
Factitious Dragon’s Blood, 44 ; Oil Colour Cakes,
46; Flexible Paint for Canvas, 47 ; Painter’s
Cream, 56; Colossal Portrait, 58 ; Laws of Art,
60 ; Colouring of Gothic Decorations, 66 ; Adul-
teration of Carmine, 66 ; Megylph, 66 ; Touches
of Light, 67 ; John of Fiesole, 70; Representa-
tion in Art, 70; Black Pigment, 79; Fish Oil
Paints, 89 ; On the Materials employed in House-
painting, 99; Tranquilising Effect of Pictures,
107; Green Bronze Liquids, 113 ; To Bronze with
Oil Colour, 115 ; A New Mineral Useful in the
Arts, 119; Notes upon Glass Painting, 133; Lapis
Lazuli, 135, 145 ; Modern French Artists, 153 ;
The Vernon Gallery, 179 ; Injurious Effects of
Black Paint, 189 ; Glass Painting in Birming-
ham, 210; Encaustic Painting, 215; British
Museum Print Room, 253.

Reviews.—Barritt’s Analysis of Gothic Orna-
ments, page 25; Hay’s Laws of Harmonious
Colouring, 33; An Essay on the Roman De-
narius, 63 ; Hours for the Working Classes, 106;
Instructions in Drawing, 166 ; Cholera Investi-
gated, 255.

Receipts.—To Transfer Engravings to Plaster
Casts, page 6; To Gild or Silver Leather, 8; |}
Test for Nitric Acid, 22; To Dissolve Indian |}
Rubber, 22; To Crystallise Glass Windows, 29;
Tracing Paper, 29; To Remove Grease Spots
from Drawings, 30; To Dye Horn, 32; To
Restore Burned Steel, 32; Marking Ink, 33;
Metallic Sand, 39; Crucibles, 40; Gilded Thread,
41; Zincing, 42; Cement for joining Broken
Marble, 44; Speculum Metal, 44; to Etch Ala-
baster, 45; Glass Grinder’s Cement, 50;
Painter’s Cream, 56 ; Burnishing Gilded Picture
Frames, 59.; Amalgam, 59; Anastatic Painting,
62; To Destroy the Elasticity of Indian Rubber,
66 ; Electro-Bronzing, 75 ; German Silver, 79 ; |}
Composition for Plasterer’s Work, 82 ; Congreve
or Lucifer Matches, 83 ; To Lay Sheet Lead, |}
84; To Clean Articles of Gold, 85 ; To Remove ||
Iron Moulds from Marble, 86; To take Ink
Stains out of Mahogany, 88; To separate the
Metallic Portion from either Gold or Silver Lace,
89 ; To Produce Niella-Metallic Ornaments, 89 ;
To Polish Varnish, 90; Water Gilding
upon Silver, 90; to Colour Paperhangings by
means of Nitrate of Silver, 92; To Soften Ivory, ||
93; To Stain Musical Instruments formed of
Wood, 96; To take a Plaster of Paris Cast from
a Person’s Face, 97; Stencilling, 98; To make
Invisible Gold Ink, 102; Japanning, 103; Artist’s
Mill Board, 105; To Clean and. Restore Cane-
bottomed Chairs, &c., 110; Lacquering, 112;
To take Plaster Casts of Foliage, 115; Oil of
Brick, 116; Solder for Gold, 116; To make}
Crayons for Drawing on Glass, 117; To Make
Works in Tortoiseshells, 118; To Erase Crayon
Marks, 120; Gutta Percha a Fixture for Draw-
ings, 129; Asphalte, 133; Copying Maps, Plans,
&e., 150; To Fix Pencil and Chalk Drawings,
149 ; To Stain Ivory Yellow, 147; Marbling
Paper and Book Edges, 142; Malleable Iron
Castings, 160; To Smoothen and Polish Ivory,
159; Etching upon Glass, 157; Oil for Chrono-
meters, 170; To Imitate Amboyna Wood by
Painting, 180; Steel, 174; To take Stains out of
Statuary Marble, 197; Brass Letters on Glass,
218; Method of Welding Iron, Steel,'and Sheet
Tron, 235. ;

A DESIGN FOR A CENTRE-PIECE.
No. 51.—Vol. III. ba iid.
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WEEKLY RECORD

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LUN

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OMING
events cast their shadows before—the ad-
vice given by the Provisional Government
of France to the artisans of that country
should not remain unnoticed and unprofited by
by the working men of England.

‘A deputation of the employés in various

offices waited on the Provisional Government,
to beg that an appeal should be made to the

OF POPULAR SCIENCE.

reigners, that the foreigners in the public
administrations should be dismissed, that bu-
reaux de placement should be immediately
abolished, and that they should be authorised
to found a society. M. Marrasr replied :—
‘**The Government cannot interfere in private
affairs ; every citizen is, in particular, free to
have near him those who merit his confidence.
The principles of the Republic did not apply
merely to such a territory; they embrace the
alliance of nations, like the fraternity of
citizens of the same country. One of these
principles is liberty, and you would injure it
by obliging a citizen to choose the men who
are to surround him in one place rather than
another. The Provisional Government, there-
fore, can only express wishes, and hope that
masters will obey sentiments of patriotism. Any
direct intervention of the Government is not
possible. By the simple fact of the proclamation
of the Republic you are authorised to constitute
a society which should be charged to receive, to
recommend, and to place citizens; by this simple
measure you would have no need of the interven-
tion of the Government to abolish the bureaux de
placement, for it is evident that applications
would be made to you in preference. Constitute,
therefore, an association, which shall both protect
your interests and afford easy means of obtaining
information as to the persons whom it is desired
to employ.’ ”’

For nearly thirty years, England, besides her
extensive importation of foreign goods, has
been nearly overran by foreign artisans, who
have entered her workshops—divided her
wealth—and eaten the bread supplied at her
hands, while many a starving Englishman, able
and willing to work, has rotted in a jail, or
drawn his expiring breath in an union work-
house—

That last sad home, where Mis’ry, loath to gaze,
Reflecting, wav’ring, but by hunger spelled,
Turns her sad footsteps, enters, and th’ final phase
Of life creeps on, until by Death she’s felled.

It is a sad picture to reflect upon, but it is in
our. power to prevent its repetition, even if we
cannot obliterate it from our remembrance ;—

patriotism of employers not to employ fo-|the advice of the Provisional Government of

aa SS IS tS SS TES EET

2 THE DECORATOR’S

France is, we believe, open to all the world—| 2
has, with great liberality, dedicated his plan to||
the service of the public—at the same time||

let the artisans of England adopt it; they have
now a precedent.

| Before we conclude, we beg to offer to the
notice of our readers the following extract from
Micnener’s ‘ History of the French Revolu-
tion’’—leaving them to form their own con-
clusions :—

| “The mixture of two kinds of men [English
jand French] so dissimilar in our public works
is a great injustice, inasmuch as the excessive
and confined specialty of the Englishman [his
inferiority as a man] tells in his favour as a
‘superiority.

“It is as absurd as cruel to place a French-

man under the orders of a foreigner who knows
little or nothing of ourlanguage, and to whom
he can neither explain himself nor complain.
“Tt isimmoral to place a.sober man under
the direction of a thing brutalised by gin.
‘Several of them are never free from intoxica-
ition.
‘* But impious, thrice impious, is it'to behold
a Frenchman in France under the rod of an
Englishman—the son of the Grand Army
under a serf whose’ father made nothing but:
calico, or something still more trivial.”’

“The German: is.a formula, the Englishman
aitool. But we can say to the Frenchman,
|‘ Thou art stillaman! ”’

Railway Sleepers.

Woopen sleepers forrailways, it is well known,,
‘possess many disadvantages—they become
quickly rotten, and at the best can never sus-
tain for any great length of time much friction
awa heavy loads, without either’ being split,
erushed, or contracted, each. of these. circum-
stances: presenting’ great. danger to railway
passengers from the increased liability to acci-
dents. We hail, therefore, with gratification,
an invention of Mr. Frepreric: Bussx’s; which,
if itfulfil the description given of it, must,
when brought into practical use, prove in_
valuable..

The principle of the invention consists’ in’

seasoned wood, air-tight, in'a substance which
j|isnot affected by the influences of wet and
air, and which Mr.. Busse denominates ‘“ter-
resin.” The result of this proceeding is—as
established by practical experience on the
Leipsic and Dresden, and the Dresden and
Silesia: lines—that'the wood will not be des-

troyed at all, oratleast, will last considerably:

onger than usual.

Onees of Arts, John-street, Adelphi.

inclosing a frame of perfectly dry, well-| |

ASSISTANT.

The inventor has taken out no patent; but

hoping that’ boards of directors and engineers

employing it, will grant him or his asignees,
‘Messrs. Johnson, Cammell and Co., Sheffield,
‘threepence. for each laid. sleeper.

We are
afraid, however, that Mr. Busse will meet but! |,
with very few in England who will so far re-||
cognise the validity of a moral licenseas to he||
inclined to pay him aught but moral three-
pences. Meanwhile we may remark that|}
specimens of the sleepers are to be seen at the i
offices. of the above-named, firm; at. the||
“Cyclops” Steel Works, Sheffield; and at 19,||
Great George-street, Westminster, London.

Go Correspondents, &te.

__—

J. S.’—See No. 17, Vol. L.

“« Leo.’ —We will attend to your suggestion
shortly ;—thanks for the extract. |

““C, L. Jones.” —Inquire at the office of the

“P,P, P.”—Such a one-sided view of the||
matter would be inadmissible to our columns. il)
“4 Subscriber.’—Parian marble—not Sienna. |

“ FB. E.”—We shall at all times be glad to re-
ceive the contributions mentioned in your note.
The one sent is now in the engraver’s hands and
shall be inserted next week.

Recewed.— G. M. A.;” “* Tyro;” “ Regio-
montanus ;” “ R. C.”

“ Timon.”—If you use your eyes you will find |
them all in their proper places,—as to the arrang-
ment it is as easy for reference as any other.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Invention, §c., to be addressed to “ the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.

Narrowat Economic Gas Burner.—We beg
to. direct the attention of our readers to a very
simple and efficacious gas-burner™ Ye
Pauband Co., of 12; Leather-lane, Holborn, and:

bearing, the above title. Having had ome in|}.
use for some time at our office, we can bear
testimony ‘to its utility and economy ; and con-
sider that we are conferring a favour upon such
of our readers as employ gas by directing their} |
attention ‘to it: For engravers, artists, &c., it
must’ prove invaluable, as, besides’ producing 2/)
light‘nearly equal to: that of day; it is perfectly}

shadowless.’ Rt i

sMasonrp.
Watirc.—In stone walling the bedding joints
are msually horizontal, and this should always,
indeed, be so when the top of the wall is termi-
mated horizontally. In building bridges, and
jinthe masonry of fence walls upon inclined
jsurfaces, the bedding joints may follow the
‘general direction of the work. The footings
jjof stone walls should be constructed with
|stones as large as may be, squared and of
‘jequal thickmess in the same course, and care
|'should ‘be had to place the broadest bed down-
wards. The vertical joints of an upper course
‘are mever to be allowed to fall over those below,
‘that is, they must be made as itis called to
'|Oneak joont. If the walls of the superstructure
be thin, the stones composing the foundation
may be disposed ‘so that their length may reach
across each course from one side of the wall to
‘ithe other. When the wallsare thick, and there
is difficulty in procuring stones long enough to
reach across the foundations, every second
stone im the course may beawhole stone in
breadth, and each interval may consist of two
| stones of equal breadth, that is, placing header
‘and stretcher alternately. If those stones
‘cannot conveniently be had, from one side of
ithe wall lay aheader and stretcher alternately,
and from the other side another series of
\stones:in the same manner, so that the length
of cach header may be two-thirds, and the
breadth of each stretcher one-third of the
breadth of the wall, and so that the back of
each header may come in contact with the back
of an opposite stretcher, and the side of that
header may come in contact with the side of
the header adjoining the said stretcher. In
foundations of some breadth, for which stones
cannot be procured of alength equal to two-
thirds the breadth of*the foundation, the works
should be built so that the upright joints of
any course may fall on the middle of the length
of the stones in the course below, and so that
the back of each stone in any course may fall
on the solid of a stone or stones in the lower
course. The foundation should consist of
several courses,\each decreasing in breadth as
they rise by sets off on each side of three or
four inches in ordinary cases. The number of
courses is necessarily regulated by the weight
of the wall and by the size of the stones
whereof these foundations or- footings are
composed. A wall which consists of unhewn
stone is called arubble wall, whether or not
mortar isused. ‘This species of workis of two
kinds, coursed and uncoursed. Inthe former,
the stones are gauged and dressed by the ham-
mer, and thrown into different heaps, each
containing stones of the same thickness. The
masonry is then laid in horizontal courses, but
not always confined to the same thickness.

‘The uncoursed rubble wall is formed by laying |

the stones in the wall as they come to hand,
without gauging or sorting, being prepared
only by knocking off the sharp angles
with the thick’end of the scabbling ham-
mer. Walls are most commonly built with
an ashlar facing, and backed with brick

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT:

\or rubble work.

which does not occur in the north and other

|parts, where stone is cheap and common.
Walls faced with ashlar and backed with brick

or uncoursed rubble are liable to become con-
vex on the outside from the greater number of

joints, and, consequently, from the greater|'

quantity of mortar placed in each joint, as the
shrinking of the mortar will be in proportion
to the quantity; and therefore sucha wall is
inferior to one wherein the facing and backing
are of the same kind, and built with equal
care, even supposing both sides to be of un-
coursed rubble, than which there is no worse
description of walling. Where a wall consists
of an ashlar facing outside, and the inside is
coursed rubble, the courses at the back should

| be as high as possible, and the beds should con-

tain very little mortar. In Scotland, where
there is abundance of stone, and where the
ashlar faces are exceedingly well executed,
they generally back with uncoursed rubble;
in the north of England, where they are not
quite so particular with their ashlar facings,
they are much more particular in coursing the
backings. Course rubble and brick backings
admit of an easy introduction of bond timber.
In good masonry, however, wooden bonds
should not be continued in length; and they
often weaken the masonry when used in great
quantity, making the wall liable to bend where
they are inserted. Indeed, it is better to intro-
duce only such small pieces, and with the
fibres of the wood perpendicular to the face of

the wall, as are required for the fastenings of

battens and dressings. Jn ashlar facing, the
stones usually rise from twenty-eight to thirty

inches in length, twelve inches in height, and)
Although)
the upper and lower beds of an ashlar, as well)

eight or nine inches in thickness.

as the vertical joints, should be at right angles

to the face of the stone, and the face, bed, and)
vertical joints at right angles to the beds in|
ashlar facing; yet, when the stones run nearly||
of the same thickness, itis of some advantage,|

in respect of bond, that the back of the stone

be inclined to the face, and that all the backs)
thus inclined should run in the same direction ;/}
because a small degree of lap is thus obtained),
in the setting of the next course; whereas, if)

the backs are parallel to the front, no lap can

take place when the stones run of an equal)
depth in the thickness of the wall.
over, advantageous to select the stones so that}
a thicker one and a thinner one may follow))
The disposition of,
the stones in the next superior course should)
follow the same order as in the inferior course,|

each other alternately.

ete Wan don, where stone!
is dear, the backing is generally of brick-work;}| |

It is, more-)

and every vertical joint should fall as nearly
as possible in the middle of the stone below.

[To be continued.]

To Preserve Woopwork.—Boiled oil and

finely-powdered charcoal; mix to the consis-||

tence of a paint, and give the wood two or
three coats with this composition. Well
adapted for water-spouts, casks, &c.

An Elustrated Glossary of Cechnical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
EIntertor MBecorvation, Ke.

—_—_—

[Continued from page 221, Vol. II.]

Demostuenes, LANTHORN oF (in architec-
ture), a building in Athens, vulgarly and erro-
neously called by this name from a false tradi-
tion, that the celebrated orator, Demosthenes,
was accustomed)to retire thither in order to ex-
ercise himself without interruption in the art of

declamation. Its real name is, however, the| upper part. The architrave, divided into three
Choragic Monument ‘of lLysicrates. It is| faciz, bears a Greek inscription in three lines

placed upon araised surbase, built cf large
freestones, to which the ascent is by four steps.

PORNO

ASIII

Above this surbase rises a circular building,
composed of six Corinthian columns, the inter-
jcolumniations being filled up by a partition, |-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

formed by pieces of marble; above the
columns is placed a cupola, in the middle of
which is raised a flower, the leaves spreading
three different ways, and, no doubt, the tripod
was placed upon this which Lysicrates re-
ceived when he was choragus. The columns
project more than half their diameter from the
marble facing which forms the partition be-
tween them. The bases are Attic, the capitals
beautifully composed and wrought with ex-
treme elegance, differing in many particulars
of detail from any other known ancient speci-
men. The slabs of marble which occupy the
intercolumniations are plain, with the excep-
tion of a tripod in relief, which ornaments the

to the following purport: ‘‘ Lysicrates Ky-
kyna, the son of Lysitheides, was choragus.
The tribe of Akamantis obtained the victory
in the chorus of boys. Theon was the per-
former on the flute. Lysides, an Athenian,
was the teacher of the chorus. Evenetus
Archon.” The frieze of this exquisite monu-
ment of Attic taste is enriched with bassi re-
lievi, beautifully sculptured. They represent
the adventures of Bacchus with the Tyrrhe-
nian pirates.

Device (in heraldry), a name common to all
figures, ciphers, characters, rebuses, mottoes,
&c., which by these allusions to the names of
persons or families, denote their qualities, no-
bility, or the like. Device, in another sense,
is of a much older standing than heraldry

anne
/ oe

M
Ry

fh i Mi)

itself, being that which gave the first rise to

armories; thus, the Eagle was the device of

the Roman empire, S.P.Q.R. was the :device

of the Roman people, and still continues to be

ee they call the escutcheon of the city of
ome.

[To be continued:]

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Worrespondence.

—

Method of Hanging Doors.

Sir,—In page 220 of your second volume,
‘°C. J. M.” wishes to know how he can hang a
door with common hinges, the door having a
ten-inch capon the top edge. I have here ex-
plained the matter in as concise and practical
a manner as possible ; wishing it may be of ser-
vice to your readers, you will, I hope, do me
the favour to insert it in your valuable publica-
tion.
J. WHITAKER.
Stockport, April 12th, 1848.

Construction :—First lay down the cap full
size, then mark upon it the position of the door
and hinge, as in the following sketch; then
take the distance c p and set it from ptoa;
then with the centre c of the hinge, pin, and
|\radius c a, describe the arcat. The inside

1
|
]
}
1
1
1
l
|

-
a
12
CAP 19ui ©

joint ought to be made as at s,—if made
at wu it would: be liable to be broken off.
—The dotted lines show another method :—
With the radius c p describe the circle GFE;
make p £ and p F each equal to one-eighth of
the circumference of the whole circle; then
from c draw lines through & 3 r a;—if the cap
be then cut as shown in the drawing, the door
will open square.

Tue New Dortiss on Timser.—By the
Act 9 and 10 Vic., chap. 23, it is enacted
that “‘from and after the 6th April, 1848, all
timber or wood not being deals, battens,
boards, staves, handspikes, oars, lathwood, or
otherwise dressed (except hewn), and net
being timber or wood. otherwise charged
with duty, ke charged for the load of 50 cubic
feet the sum of 15s.; and deals, ’ battens,
boards, or other timber, or wood, sawn, or
split, and not otherwise charged with duty,
for the load of 50 cubic feet, £1.”

a
uv

~The Theory of Painting;
DEDUCED FROM THE ‘DISCOURSES’? OF SIR
JOSHUA REYNOLDS.

[Continued from page 232, Vol. II.]

Tuus, though to the principal group a second
or third be added, and a second and third mass
of light, care must be taken that these subordi-
nate actions and lights, neither each in par-
ticular, nor all together, come into any degree
of competition with the principal: they should
merely make a part of that whole which would
be imperfect without them. To every kind of
painting this rule may be applied. Even in
portraits, the grace, and, we may add, the like-
ness, consists more in taking the general air,
than in observing the exact similitude of every
feature.

Thus, figures must have a ground whereon
to stand: They must be clothed; there must
be a back-ground; there must be light and
shadow; but none of these ought to appear to
have taken up any part of the artist's attention.
They should beso managed as not even to
catch that of the spectator. We know well
enough, when we analyse a piece, the diffi-
culty and the subtlety with which an artist ad-
justs the back-ground, drapery, and masses of,
light; we know that a considerable part of the
grace and effect of his picture depends upon
them; but this art is so much concealed, even
to a judicious eye, that no remains of any of
these subordinate parts occur. to the memory
when the picture is not present.

The great end of the artis to strike the ima-
gination. The painter, therefore, is to make
no ostentation of the means by which this is
done; the: spectator is only to feel the result
in his bosom. ‘An inferior artist is unwilling
that any part of his industry should be lost
upon the spectator. He takes as much: pains
to discover, as the greater artist. does to con-
ceal, the marks’ of his subordinate assiduity.
In works of the lower kind, everything appears
studied and encumbered ; it is all boastful art
and open affectation. The: ignorant often
part from such pictures with wonder in their
mouths and indifference in their hearts.

But it is not enough .in invention that the
artist should restrain and keep under all the
inferior parts of his subject; he must some-
times deviate from vulgar and Strict historical
truth, in pursuing the grandeur of his design.

How much the great style exacts. from its
proffessors to conceive and represent their
subjects in a poetical manner, not confined to
mere matter of fact, may be seen in the Car-
toons of Raffaélle. » In all the pictures in which
that painter has represented the apostles, he
has drawn them with.great nobleness; he has
given them as much dignity as the human
figure is capable of receiving ; yet we are ex-
pressly told in scripture they had no.such re-
spectable appearence; and of St. Paul in parti-
cular, we are told by himself that his bodily
presence was mean. Alexander is said to
have been of a low stature; a painter ought
not so'to represent him. Agesilaus was low,

lame, and of a mean appearance: none of these
defects ought to appear in a piece of which he
is the hero. In conformity to custom, I call
this part of the art History-Painting : it ought
to be called Poetical, as in reality it is.

All this is not falsifying any fact; it is taking
‘an allowed poetical licence: A painter of
portraits retains the individual likeness; a
pamter of history shows the man by showing
his actions. A painter must compensate the
natural deficiencies of his art. He cannot,
like the poet or historian, expatiate, and im-
‘press the mind with great veneration for the
character of the hero or saint he represents,
‘though he lets as know, at the same time,
that the saint was deformed, or the hero lame.
| The painter hasno other means of giving an
idea of the dignity of the mind, but by that ex-
ternal appearance which grandeur of thought
does generally, though not always, impress on
the countenance; and by that correspondence of
figure to sentiment and situation, which all
‘men‘wish, but cannot ‘command. The painter
who may in'this one particular attain with ease
what others desire in vain, ought to :give all
that he possibly can, since there are so many
circumstances of true greatness that he cannot
‘give at all. He icannot make his hero talk
dike a great man; he must make him look like
jone. For which reason, he ought} to be well
‘Studied in the analysis of those circumstances
fe constitute dignity of appeanance in real
ife.

As in invention, so likewise in expression, care
‘toust be taken not torun into particularities.
Those expressions alone should be given to the
figures which their respective situation gene-
rally produce. Nor is this enough; each per-
son ‘should also have that expression which
jmen of his rank generally exhibit. The joy or
the grief of a character of dignity is not to be
expressed in the same manner as a ‘similar
‘passion in a‘vulgar face. Upon this principle,
‘Bernini, perhaps, ‘may be .subject to censure.
This sculptor, in many respects admirable, has
given avery mean expression to his statue of

throw the stone from the sling; and: in order

made him biting his under-lip. This expression
is far from being general, and still further
from being dignified. He might have’ seen it
‘man instance or two, and he mistook accident
for generality.

Wath respect to colouring, though it may
appear at first apart of painting merely me-
chanical, yet it still has its rules, and:those
‘gtounded upon that presiding, principle which
regulates both the great iand \the little in the
study of a painter. By this, the first effect
| of the picture is produced ; and. as this is per-
formed, the spectator, as he walks the gallery,
will»stop, orspass along. To give a general
air of grandeur at first view, all trifling, .or
|artful play ‘of: little lights, or :an.attention to a
|| wariety of tints, is to be;avoided; a quietness
|,and »simplicity’ must reign over the whole
jwork; to which a breadth of uniform and
ismple colour will very much contribute:
| Grandeur of effect is produced by two. different
\ways, which» seem ‘entirely opposed to each

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

David, who is represented .as just going to.

ito give it the expression of energy, he has

other. One is, -by reducing colours to little
more than chiaro-oscuro, which was often the
practice of the Bologrian schools; and the
other, by making colours very distinct and
forcible, such as we see in those of Rome and
Florence ; but still; the presiding principle of;
both those manners is simplicity. Certainly,
nothing can be more simple than monotony;
and the distinct blue, red, and yellow colours
which are seen in the draperies of the Roman
and Florentine schools, though they have not
that kind of harmony which is produced by a’
variety of broken and :transparent. colours,
have that effect of grandeur which was in-|)
tended. Perhaps these distinct colours strike
the mind more forcibly, from there not being
any great union between them; as martial
music, which is intended to rouse the
nobler passions, has its effect from the sudden
and strongly marked transitions from one
note to another, which that style of music
requires; whilst in that which is intended to
move the softer passions, the notes imper-
ceptibly melt into one another.

Jn the same manner as the historical painter}
never enters into the detail of colours, so neither
does he debase his conceptions with minute) }
attention. to the discriminations of drapery.
Itis the inferior style that marks the variety)
of stuffs. With him, the clothing is neither
woollen, nor linen, silk, satin, nor velvet; it is
drapery; itis nothing more. The art of dis-
posing the foldings of drapery makes a very
considerable part-of the painters study. To
make it merely natural is a mechanical ope-
ration, to which neither genius nor taste is re-
quired; whereas, it requirs the nicest judg-
ment to dispose the drapery, so that the folds
have an easy communication and gracefully
follow each other, with such natual negligence
as to look like the effect of chance, and at the
same time show the figure under it to the ut-
most advantage.

Carlo Maratti was of opinion, that the dis-
position of drapery was a more difficult art
than even that of drawing the human figure ;
that a student might be more easily taught the
latter than the former; as the rules of drapery,
he’ said, could not be so well ascertained as
those for delineating a correet form. This,
perhaps, is a proof how willingly we favour our
own peculiar excellence. Carlo Maratti is
said to have valued himself particularly upon)
his skill in this part of ‘his art; yet in him the)
disposition appears’so ostentatiously artificial, |
that he is inferior to Raffaélle even in that
which gave him his best claim to reputation.

LE PT

[To be continued.

To Transrer Encravanes, To Pa
Casts.—Cover the plate with ink,.and.polish’
its;surface in the usual way; then puta wall of,
paper round, it, and when completed, pour in |)
some finely-powdered plaster of Paris mixed
in water; jerk the plate repeatedly, to allow
the air hubblesto: fly upwards, and Jet it stand
one hour, then. take the cast off the plate, and
avery perfect impression will be ithe mesult...

Hater-colour ° Society.

Coxsmenani ‘apprehensions had beer enter-
tained that the exhibition of the ‘‘new’’ society
this year would evince something of a falling
( Some two or three of the best:members
had-gone over to the “old”’ society, and it was
feared that’ they would leave'a gap not easy to
|be supplied. Fortunately those’ fears have not
\been’ realised, and the ““new’” society comes
forward with an exhibition even above the
usual level.

|, For this happy result the: society is. greatly
lindebted to two artists. .A’ young’ gentleman
Inamed Vacher, who only commenced his: pub
lic’ career’ last’ season, and then was: not re-
markably conspicuous, has’ this year'produced
\alarge drawing, or rather combination of draw-
lings, which is'the object of general admiration.
The three compartments of his: work represent
| Venice under the three different influences of
‘morning, noon, and evening, and the various
effects under these: influences: are produced
with wonderful truth and. delicacy:) The:as-
semblage of gay multitudes and gaudy vessels
about‘ and’ upon’ the smooth waters admits:of
|the most brilliant combinations of colour; but
the artist has’ not produced gaiety at. the
expenseof good taste, and the propriety of tone
is among thebest' qualities of the work. His
sky is exquisitely finished, the blending tints
of the morning view" being especially beautiful,
while the’ minute details of the work. are exe-
cuted with the greatest care, and with as much
distinctness as is consistent with a regard. to
the general effect.

’ The other artist’ to whom the society: is
especially indebted is) Miss: Sarah Setchell,
who, after’ having achieved a great success
|some years ago by her well-known ‘‘ Moment-
jous Question,’” seemed to: have» retired from
|public: observation. Her drawing this year,
jhas'reference to the song “:And.ye shall walk
im silk: attire,” ‘and represents the vain endea-
your of an old maidito imduce’a heart-stricken
young damsel to change her love; is quite in
the style of her previous work, being remark-
able for simplicity of composition, exquisite
propriety of tone, and the intensest expression
in the principal’ figure, who, moreover, hasi a
strong resemblance to her’ predecessor.
one respect’ this drawing, is’ superior to the
“* Momentous Question,” a fault: in which: was
ac disproportion’ between: the: two: principal
figures. '

| The: permanent leading artists of the society
have not, as a whole,.equalled: their former
productions.. Mr. Wehnert has: certainly: not
done: anything toi be: compared with his fine,
earnest ‘““ Captive,” though his drawing: of
““Murillo’s Slave at Work” is:amw effective'com-
| position, with brilliant: and well balanced co-
louring: In a pretty, graceful group of a pea-
sant: boy carrying’a young girl om his shoulders,
this artist:departs:from: his usual class.of sub-
Jects. Mr. Haghe, who adheres to the plan: of
||/producing by water: those effects: which are
jusually confined tovthe other vehicle, and who
has done'so much : imimitation of Rubens; has

eS AR NR

THE! DECORATOR’s | ASSISTANT!

| who comes out with some effect in the absence

In}

'given several large drawings: remarkable for;
‘depth and for skillin the distribution of colours,
‘but they are not equal to'some of his earlier
and-very brilliant productions. ‘The ‘ Capu-
ichin Monks,” which, depends for its effect. on!
‘the: peculiar light of a lantern ona mass. of;
‘warm browns, is a highly finished. work, and’
‘catches the eye in a moment, but perhaps this)
is somewhat of a. trick of art... Mr. Henry
‘Warren remains exactly the same. as ever:
His “Return from: Mecca’? is distinguished by
‘the largeness of. an insufficiently filled surface,
‘high finish of detail, great delicacy of colour-
‘ing, and general feebleness.. Mr. Absolon, an
excellent delineator of old peasant life, with
‘its gaieties and picturesque amusements, is this!
year a bountiful contributor. Mr.Aaron Penley,
less striking than usual in the landscape depart-
‘ment, has: wandered from his course;to give in|
a couple of pictures. the story of. a convict, |
‘which he tells somewhat in Mr. Wehnert’s|
manner, with a certain, feeling for expression,
\A tendency to paint figures. rather than land-
scapes is: a feature'in the leading members of
the ‘“‘ new’’ society, which distinguishes, them,
from the older institution. Miss. F..Corbaux,
applying the miniature style. to ideal figures, |
produces two pretty drawings of Leah and’
Rachel. Mr.. Edward Corbould has, several,
works highly finished, but. not free. from.
feebleness and formality; and several pleasing:
peasant groups. are given by Mr. A., Taylor,

of Mr. Topham. Among the landscape paint=
ers, perhaps. the most remarkable, after Mr,
Vacher, are Messrs. M’Kewan and Bennett,
both of whom paint.in.a bold, vigorous:manner; |
which lifts them: above: the level of, ordinary
convention. The former seems, especially. to.
have taken Mr. David. Coxe,. of the other
society, for his model, the, affinity being, mest
conspicuous in the skies. The pre-eminence in’ |
the fiower department is still occupied by; Mrs, |
Margetts. bated

It is agreat thing to. say of this exhibition,
that. there is scarcely a single work which is
absolutely bad, and. that even the inferior)
drawings are scarcely below a respectable me-
dioerity.

Gilding as Applted tv Becoration.)

We'extract the following:account of this-pro-||
cess from Mr. D. Ri. Hay’s excellent work on)
internal decoration::— ;
“Very fine ochre is ground in: linseed. oil to
an impalpable paste, and then reduced to. athin |
consistency by the addition of more oil, and
placed in a warm temperature for about twelve)
months, in order to render it viscid, and im-
part to it the property of retaining a degree of
tenacity for several: hours after itis dry. This.
is called oil gold size, and with it all the parts
intended to be gilded are painted, and will be
ready toreceive'the gold leaf im from twelve to:
eighteen hours thereafter. * * * ¥)
Gold, leaf, from its: extreme thinness, is very)
difficult to handle, and its proper treatmentiis|)
the result of much practice and great care on|

13
|

the part of the workman. It is received from
the manufacturer

leaves of small books, generally, if not always,
{made from old printed’ paper, each of which
||contains twenty-five leaves, and’ is technically
||called by painters and gilders a ‘ book of gold.’
But the gold-beater always calculates by the
thousand leaves. The leaves of these small
books are rubbed with red chalk, to prevent
the leaves of gold from adhering to: them.
||The tools by which leaf gold is applied by the
||decorator are a cushion, a knife, a tip, some
cotton wool, anda dusting-brush. The cushion
is a small thin ‘board, the upper side of which
is covered first ‘with fine cloth, and next with
thick leather, with -the rough’ side outwards;
one half of the surface of the cushion is sur-
rounded with a screen of parchment about
three inches high, and on the under side of
the board are fixed two pieces of leather, one
to secure the thumb of the workman’s left
hand, upon which, while in use, it rests, and
the other to receive the knife. The knife itself
is about six inches long, quite straight and
having a smooth but not very sharp edge. The
Hp is a thin layer of camel-hair, the ends of
which are fixed between two cards of about
three inches long, leaving about two inches of
the hair free; and a dry painting-brush, called
a ‘ sash-tool,’ answers the purpose of a duster.
The. decorator opens a book, and allows the
leaves of the gold to fall from between those of
the paper, one by one upon the screened half
of the cushion, to the number of about ten or
twelve, less or more, according to the work to
‘be done, but never more than the full
number’ contained in’ one book. He: then
takes. the cushion upon the thumb. of. his
left hand, the: tip between the same thumb
and forefinger, and the knife in his right hand;

gold from the screened end of the cushion and
flattens it on the other end by blowing gently
upon it. He then cuts it with the gold knife
into such pieces as the work requires, takes the
tip between the forefinger and thumb of hls
right hand, placing the knife between those of
the left, and with the former he lifts the pieces
of gold leaf from the cushion and lays them
upon the parts which have been painted with
the gold size. The hair of the tip is made
slightly tenacious by being drawn through the
‘hair of the head, and thus it easily lifts the
gold-leaf from thecushion. This is called ‘ oil
| gilding,’ in:contradistinction to burnished and
‘matt gilding,’ and is the only kind practised
by the house-painter. It is washable, and when
properly done, will last for upwards of a cen-
tury.” a

To Gitp or Sitver Leatner.—Finely-pow-
dered resin, and dust it over the surface of the
leather, then lay on the leaf, and apply (hot)
the letters or impression you wish to transfer ;
lastly, dust’ off the loose metal with a cloth,
The cloths used for this purpose become, in
time, very valuable, and are often sold to the
refiners for from twenty to thirty shillings.

THE © DECORATOR’S © ASSISTANT. ©

in leaves of about’ three|
inches square, which are placed between the]

5th of May next.——The committee-rooms in

‘|/upon the point of the latter he lifts a leaf of

The» Chronotypist.

‘

A subscription’ has been originated by the
Sacred Harmonic Society for the purpose o
erecting a monument to the late eminent
musical composer; Dr. Mendelssohn Bartholdy
—it has already reached the sum of £370.——
The private view of the exhibition of the New
Society of Painters in Water Colours took
place on the 15th inst.——The Second Artists’
Amateur Dramatic performance, in aid of the
Artists’ General Benevolent Institution, is an-
nounced to take place on the 27th inst., at the
St. James’s Theatre.-—The Conway tube,
weighing 1,300 tons, was raised fourteen feet
on the 8th instant. Only ten men’ were- em-:
ployed inthe operation. The rising was at the:
rate of twelve feet per hour..—The Royal
Institution is announced to be opened on the

the new House of Commons, says the Builder,
are, perhaps, in their present state, scarcely
open to criticism; but we may as well, while
they are incomplete, suggest that, in finishing
them, attention should be paid to rendering
them well adapted for the auditory which they
will often contain. At present, with bare, hard
walls, the reverberation of sound in them often
renders the loudest and clearest speakers in-
audibie.——Mr. Ashbury, the eminent rail-
way-carriage builder, of Manchester, has just
patented a wheel, so cleverly constructed, that
should the tire break in a dozen points, it would
be impossible for any portion of it to fly from
the wheel. Were the tire altogether removed,
the wheel would still remain perfectly sound.
By the use, therefore, of this invention, danger
arising from a broken wheel or tire, is impos-
sible-——The second annual dinner of the
Dealers in'the Fine Arts Provident Institution
took place on Thursday evening, the 13th in-
stant, at the Freemasons’ Tavern. Mr. M.
Wilson, M.P., presided on the occasion, and
about 100 gentlemen, interested in the objects
of the institution, were present. The institu-
tion was founded about five years ago, for the
purpose of affording aid, temporary or perma-
nent as required to dealers in works of art, and
their assistants, being members, and to their
widows and children when left destitute. Mr.
Henry Graves, Mr. William Smith, and Mr.
Lambe, the honorary secretary, are among the
most active promoters of the charity, which
during the past year has added £200 and up-
wards to its funded property. Subscriptions to
the amount of £250: have: been announced by
the honorary secretary.——A ‘‘ Copying: Tele-
graph” has been invented by Mr. F. C. Bake-
well, whereby words, traced from the original,
are legibly copied on paper by an instrument
that has no connection with the one to which)

the transmitted message is applied, excepting||
by the voltaic battery.. The letters traced on
the paper appear of apale colour, on a dark
ground, formed by numerous lines drawn close
together. :The communications thus traced,
we understand, may be transmitted at the rate
of five hundred letters of the alphabet per||
minute of ordinary writing; and: were short-

jhand symbols employed the rapidity of trams~
|mission would be quadrupled. When this
|means of correspondence is in operation,
jinstead. of dropping a letter into the post-
joffice box and waiting days for an answer,
|we may apply it to the Copying Telegraph,
thave it. copied at. the distant’ town in a minute
jor less, and receive a reply in: our correspon-
\dent’s handwriting almost as soon as the ink is
|dry with which it was penned. There are
'‘|various means, too, for preserving the secresy
‘of correspondence, the most curious of which
is, that the writing may be rendered nearly in-
visible in all parts but the direction, until. its
delivery to the person for whom it is designed.
——Arrangements are in progress: for raising,
by subscription, a monument to the late Mr.
John Walter, of the Zimes,:‘‘ to-do honour to
his memory; to. stimulate others to a similar
eareer of enlightened enterprise; and to: ori-
ginate an actof public respect and gratitude
to the press of our country.’——At. the
Government, School. of Design, . Somerset
House, Mr..R.-W. Billings delivered a lecture,

tracery. The annual meeting of the sub-
seribers to the Art. Union of .London,. to re-
ceive the report, and» distribute the amount
| subscribed, was held. in Drury-lane. Theatre,
on Tuesday, the 25th instant; H.R. H. the
Duke of Cambridge in the chair——M. Mon-
talari, who has just arrived from Mexico, has
\brought with him to London a large collection
of wax figures representing the citizens and
wild Indians of the country in their correct
eostume—the figures are beautifully executed,
and reflect great credit upon their modeller.
———At the Diorama, a private: view of a new
picture of Mount.A\tna, painted by M. Diosse,
pupil of M. Daguerre,is now open for the
season. It is designed. to show the various
effects of lights and shades by which dioramie
views are distinguished. The Bologne and
Amiens. Railway is now open; and thus is
entirely achieved. one vast highway between
the metropoli of Great Britain and of France
|\|--broken, alone by the water. communication
||between Bologne and Folkestone, which is
|\now, however, efficiently performed. by the su-

|Railway Company.——No fewer than four
hundred and fifty painters) have competed for
the symbolical figure of the French Republic
demanded by the Provisional Government.
The sketches were sent in on the 10th instant;
but as the sculptors and engravers had avlittle
more time given for the preparation of the
jmodelled figure and the medal by which they
are to commemorate the same subject respec-
tively, the public exhibition of the painters’
sketches was. delayed that the whole may be
exhibited together at the close of the present
month.——At a council of the Royal Academy,
held on the 31st of March, the following were
admitted students, namely :—H. Wallis, J. H.
S. Mann, H. Smithers, M. P. Jackson, J. U,
Bouvier, R. T. Holmes, J. Clifton, G. Moult-
ing, H. Hughes, A. W. Cooper, W. M. Egley,
F. Smallfield, W. H. Fuge, A. T. Allom, R.C.
\Dudley, W. Boutcher, O. Hansard, W. Roe,
G, R. Clark, G. P. Boyce, F. Butler. The

THE DECORATOR’S

on the 14th instant, on the subject of Gothic |

||perior steam-packets of the South Eastern:

ASSISTANT.

‘following were admitted to study from: the
\living model, namely:—E. Eagles, G.. Smith,
|E. Hughes, H. Gray, C. Compton, E..J: Phy-
)sick.——It is announced. that:a new: class: is
|about to: be created in the National Institute of},
| Paris, to: bei called the class of Arts: et Méters
| (useful arts and trades)—and to forma division
jof the Academy of Moval and Political Sci-
/enmces.——-The throne newly erected in Canter- ||
| bury Cathedral stands on the:south side of the,
|chomr, at an angle formed by the upper tran-
sept. The design was by Mr. Austen and his
sons, and the carving was: executed partly by;
English workmen and partly by men from|
Belgium and Cologne.. The throne © is
most. beautifully enriched, and it may
be noticed that it bears.a. general resemblance) |
to many of the shrines in Italy, particularly to,
one at Verona. The total height is nearly
40 ft., the width at the base about 8 ft., and the
cost of. its erection about £1,200. -Opposite to,
the throne, a pulpit of stone has been placed ;
this is not a very favourable specimen of art,
but still is superior to the oak box it super-)
seded. A numerously attended meeting of;
gentlemen, chiefly artists, was’ held on Wed-
nesday evening, the 19th instant, at» the: Insti-|
tute of the Fine Arts to consider the propriety,
of adopting a petition for presentation to Par-
liament, praying that no interference be per-
mitted with Mr. Barry’s design for completing’
the Palace at Westminster. Mr. Illidge, who |
presided, explained that: a commission, had
been appointed with a view to make reductions
in the expense of the new palace,—and- he
believed it was preposed to cut down the
height of the Victoria Tower from 220 feet, as;
originally planned, to. 120. The petition,
which was adopted, set forth that: the work in
question is one of great national importance,
and of great influence upon the arts. of the
country as a specimen of the taste and. talent
of the age; and the petitioners think that no
mistaken economy of time or money should be,
allowed to interfere with the genius of the
architect, especially withreference to the Vic-!
toria Tower.——The departmentof the Applied
Sciences of King’s College, London, reopens
on Tuesday,the 2nd of May next.——We have
lately inspected several copies: on a reduced
scale of Danneker’s “ Ariadne” at. Mr. Ten-,
nant’s in the Strand, and must bear testimony)
to their great fidelity to the original and their
perfect execution.——It has been suggested to
us that gutta percha might be very advantage-
ously employed for lithographic printing vol,
lers. —-With reference to a rumour respecting
Cleopatra’s needle, to which we gave insertion |
in our last, the Atheneum remarks as follows :—,
** Once more there is a talk of bringing over
Cleopatra’s Needle :—this, like the Nelson’
Pillar, being one of the periodical topics of the,
press which, as we have already said, supply’
the place of remarkable Vegetables among the;
resources of the penny-a-liner. It might seem,
a work of supererogation tO import ruined/|
columns; but the view, taken by the more |
hopeful is, we believe, that it is easier to bring,
from Egypt a monument already covered with |
hieroglyphics than to make any further attempt |
at sculpturing our cwn. Meantime, the news-

P10

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

paper reporter in changing his object has:not
changed. his manner of treatment. Putting.a
column..for a cucumber, he falls naturally into
the old formula—and proceeds at once.to:give
its:measurement.. ‘It has been: described,’
says the paragraph doing duty» to-day, ‘as
seventy feet in height, 190 tons weight, seven
feet square at the base, andsthe. whole richly
adorned with hieroglyphics upwards Of an inch
in depth. The pedestal is nine.feet square,
and seven in height. —It would be: easier now
to obtain credit, with the lovers of newspaper
marvels, 'to a paragraph which should describe
an esculent of ;the same dimensions than to
one which should venture: to announce the
completion of; the Nelson monument. There
are limits to:the daring, if not to the ingenuity,
of even the penny-a-liner.”’

Mevieval ‘Painting ‘of Roots an
“Galings.

Ir is to be observed, says Mr. Blackburne,
that in the’ open timber roof, the applications
‘appear in many cases,} in some necessarily,
perhaps, from their construction, mainly, on
the principal timbers and mouldings : in others,
the colours: are introduced on every member.
The roof of. Aldenham is a very interesting and
elaborate example of the latter kind.. That of
Impington, ‘St. Mary’s, Cambridgeshire, is of
the former;‘and shows a'simple arrangement of
two columns,:separated by a waving line, the
fillets being white, on the faces of the tie beams,
very affective. The cornice also, which has
an imitative’ battlement, produced: by :the in-
troduction at equal distances simply of spaces
of red: colour; bordered by narrow white edges
or fillets, intended to:indicate the crenelled
portions,.or the naked wood ‘of. its fascia, ‘is
equally sop. bu reomone itn
In the ceiled and in the groined roof, whether
of wood ‘or stone, ‘the panels and )spaces be-
tween the ribs received generally the principal
decoration: the arched ribs:in the: one case,
and moulded. framework inclosing the panels
in the other, being more or less ornamented
in colour and gilding to’ accord. In some: of
the ceiled roofs, the panneled appearance was
| ; Seep as u
igiven solely by painting. This is exemplified
both in the nave: and- transept ceilings in
the Abbey Church :at St. Alban’s, and is a
peculiarity apparent in some of the earliest
examples, namely, those of the transept and the
apse of choir at,Peterborough. In':the tran-
sept at St. Alban’s, the ribs or framework are
imitated by lines of dark brown and- white
colour, with yellow flowers as bosses at.,the
intersections of the squares, separating the
whole: ceiling into two bays. corresponding
with the number of the main arches: of. the
structure, each of these_bays being subdivided
into spaces or pannels alternately painted: with

the Holy Name, and angels ; supporting -the
emblazoned shields of benefactors. The

panneling of the nave ceiling is, produced in
like manner by lines of red, brown, and white
with a kind of purple flower, as a boss, the

square of the panels being cuspated or en-
riched with imitative tracery in red colour, and.
in the.centre the monogram J{}¢ in white, on
a ground of dark brown. Inthe corresponding
ceilings of Peterborough a similar’ practice is
apparent. :

Where the ceiling is not thus imitative, but
of the more*genera! description, decorations
on’ the’ mouldings of the framework are, in
many cases, very profusely introduced, as in
that of the Deanery at Worcester. In others,
however, even under a full enrichment of the
panels, the mouldings frequently appear deco-
rated to'a lesser extent,’ and are occasionally
found altogetherdevoid of coloured ornament.
Both in the‘richer one of: the choir, and the
more simply decorated ceiling of the nave, at
Great Malvern, ‘the mouldings .inclosing the
panels; judging from their present appearance,
seem never'to have been painted, and the same
peculiarity is exhibited in St: Michael’s Church,
Coventry.- In’ the® groined * roof, ' the rib
mouldings -usually show the more enriched
character. The ribs of the groining in the
choir at St. Alban’s are’ covered with colour,
daipered with minute ornaments in gold, &c.,
on ‘the ogees and’ hollows, the ‘beads being
white, banded 'alternatly red and green; and
there are, besides, many other: examples, in
which similar ornaments are introduced to an
equal extent. . at a

Atat

Free Exursition or British Manurac-
TURES’ AT THE- Society or’ Arts.—Charmed
by the sweet'and genial influence of-beauty in
almost endless variety of form, colour and
arrangement,’ thousands of the inhabitants of
the metropolis, ‘its suburbs, and the provinces, |
now ‘eagerly wend their: way to the house of
the Society of Arts, at present consecrated to
the improvement ‘and. advancement of English
art; ‘manufactures,- and ‘commerce, ‘attracted
thither by the’second"annual exposition of the
products of native talent, invention, ingenuity,
and: industry.. Many thanks to the illustrious
president, the'vice-president, ‘and council of
this most valuable institution for their patriotic
and* praiseworthy labours in *converting the
great room of their establishment (of which
the magnificent pictures by Barry are the prin-
ciple adornment) into a shrine of imperishable
‘beauty and loveliness* and dedicating it to the
pure, the right, the good and the beautiful; to
which every admirer of those principles, every
lover of his country and philanthropist ought,
without delay;:(and by frequent: visits), to do
continual homage, and not only that, but by
making -every exertion in his power to induce
all‘others within the sphere of his influence to
follow:so laudable’ an example. The nation
owes a deep ‘and: lasting debt of gratitude to
the members, "friends, and indefatigable secre-
taries of this admirable association, for their
zealous endeavours to promote the onward

progress, prosperity, and welfare of all classes

of the community.

' * “ A thing of beauty is a joy for ever, ,
Its loveliness increases, twill never lose its power.’”
bee —KBEATS.

Fg
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=
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ALPHABET OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY, TAKEN FROM CARDINAL MAZARIN’S BIBLE “IN

THE NATIONAL LIBRARY AT PARIS.
=No. 52.—Vol. Ill. 1}d.

Rae
. i f es M

a $

Saturpay, |

Che Bonvon Act Anion,

HE
general meeting of the Art Union of Lon-
don, which took place on the 25th ult.,
although well attended, ‘“‘the house being
crowded in every part,” and exhibiting all
those outward signs of prosperity, which do
not always, however, afford a reliable token of
success—has not tended to gladden the hearts
of the patrons of the institution.

We present a resumé of the report read to
the subscribers, which will better explain the
present position of the society than all we
|| could write on the subject :—

\| The total amount subscribed up to the pre-

sent meeting is £12,857 5s.—being £5,000 less
than last year’s amount. This falling off is at-
tributed to various concurring causes—the pre-
vailing distress of the country among the rest ;
but the council are inclined to attribute it,
mainly, tothe circumstance of the interference

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

[May 6, 1848.

of the Board of Trade, which has thrown
several difficulties, of no very pleasurable
nature, in their way; and no doubt exerted
considerable influence on the public mind to
the prejudice of the society.

Passing from this subject, to which we will
advert on a future occasion, we now come to
the business of the meeting. We extract from
the report :—

Two hundred and seventy-three works of
art were selected by the prizeholders of last
year, and, with the exception of two from
Westminster Hall, which could not be re-
moved, were exhibited in the Suffolk-street||’
Gallery, by the kind permission of the Society
of British Artists. The collection was open)
for a month—a part of the time during the
evening—and was visited by an immense num-
ber of persons.

The exhibition included the finished picture
by Mr. H.C. Selous, from his prize cartoon,
‘Queen Philippa interceding for the lives of;
the burgesses of Calais.’’ In pursuance of the
original intention to engrave the selected work,
this picture has been put into the hands of Mr.
H. Robinson, to be executed in the mixed
style. It is proposed to distribute impressions
from this plate as prizes in future years.

Since the date of the last report the prints
and outlines due to the subscribers of 1845,
and to the subscribers of 1847, have been de-
livered; so that, at this time, there are no
prints in arrear beyond those of the current)
year.

The council will not shut their eyes to the
fact, that the prints last sent out have not been
wholly satisfactory. It must be remembered that
they are, in this respect, in the hands of the
engravers. It is due to themselves to state, as
regards the engravings for 1847, that the pro-

riety of refusing to distribute the impressions,
from the plates when finished, was seriously,
discussed by the council; but it was thought
that sucha course would be scarcely consistent,
with their duty as trustees.

In respect of the engraving for 1845, the)
council considered that when they had obtained |
one of the best pictures of one of our most
esteemed artists, and had placed it in the hands)
of anengraver of the highest reputation in
England, giving him his own terms and his own
time, that they had taken all the means in
their power to ensure a perfectly satisfactory
result. The engraving for the current year,
‘““The Prisoner of Gisors,”” by Mr. F. Bacon,
after Mr. Wehnert, is at press, and will be
ready for distribution in the autumn. | Very
considerable progress has been made in the
preparation of the illustrated edition of “ L’Al-
legro’”? and ‘Il Penseroso,” also due to the
subscribers of this year, and which promises to
be avery satisfactory production. Some of
the illustrations already completed may be
safely pronounced equal to any similar_ works
ever produced. ‘‘ Sabrina,” engraved by Mr.
Lightfoot, after Mr. Frost, A.R.A., is nearly
completed. It is proposed to appropriate this
plate to the subscribers for the next year, who
will also receive a series of etchings or wood-

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

engravings, not yet decided on. Mr. W. Fin-
den is proceeding with “‘ The Crucifixion,” after
Hilton.

For some ensuing year the council have com-
missioned the execution of several plates on
steel, as an experiment to test the advantage of
such a course, instead of electrotyping one
copper-plate,—the particular print to which
each subscriber will be entitled, to be decided
by lot. The number of plates required would,
ofcourse, depend on the number of. sub-
seribers enrolled. The following pictures are
already in hand :—

| “The Burial of Harold,” by Mr. F. R.
Pickersgill, A.R.A. (which received the first

premium in 1847 from the Royal Commis-

ore of Fine Arts), to be engraved by Mr.
acon :

“Richard Coeur de Lion pardoning God-
frey de Bourdon,’’ by Mr. John Cross (which
also received a premium from the commis-
sioners), to be engraved in line by Mr. Shen-
ton:

‘The Irish Piper,’”’ by Mr. F. Goodall, to be
engraved by Mr. Edward Goodall.

With a view to the encouragement of litho-
graphy, the council have commissioned Mr. H.
Maguire to execute a drawing on stone after a
picture by Mr. John Tenniel, ‘‘St. Cecilia,”’
which has been obtained for that purpose.

The expediency for extending encourage-
ment to mezzotinto engraving has eccupied the
attention of the council on several occasions,
and but for the unnecessary interruption to
which they have been subjected, they would
i\have been prepared to take some steps in
\|respect of it.

The statue by Mr. Calder Marshall, A.R.A.,
“The Dancing, Girl reposing,’’ to the model of
which the society’s premium was awarded, has
been executed in marble, and is now at the
Royal Academy for exhibition. A reduced
copy of ithas been made by Mr. Cheverton
for the purpose of reproducing it in statuary
porcelain. Fifty casts of it in this material
will be allotted to-day.

The statuettes of “ Innocence,’’ executed in.

porcelain, and appropriated last year, are in
course of delivery to the prizeholders.

The casts from the “ First Whisper of Love”
have been distributed.

The bronzes allotted at the same time, “ Iris:
Ascending,” are nearly all in the hands of
their owners,

For the current year it is’ proposed to pro-
duce: in bronze a bust of her Majesty Queen
Victoria, in commemoration of the grant of
the charter. The opinion of his Royal High-
jness Prince: Albert being. taken, the bust by:
|Chantrey, deposited in Windsor Castle, was
adopted as the best, and a cast’ having been
obtained for the society, with her Majesty’s
gracious permission, it was reduced, and will

be executed in bronze forthwith. . Thirty of)
these: busts will form part of the distribution |
‘receipts and disbursements :—’

|to-day.

| are wholly at the mercy of the artists employed.

health and earnest co-operation on the part of,

The council observe with gratification the} |

impulse which has been given to this branch
of art by the operations of the society, as well
as the increased connection between art and
manufactures now becoming everywhere appa-
rent. The shop windows of the metropolis
give striking evidence of the endeavour to con-
nect them, if not in all cases of a successful
result.

The desire of the council to produce a fine |

work in cast iron has been frustrated up to this

time by delay, attributed to misfortune, on||
the part of the sculptor who was commissioned] |

to make a reduced copy of the selected figure,
‘Thalia,’ in the gallery of antiquities at the
British Museum. The model, which was
said to be ready at the date of the last report,
has but just now come into their hands, not-
withstanding repeated efforts on their part to
obtain it earlier. It will be forthwith trans-
mitted to the founders, and the casts will be
forwarded to the prizeholders as speedily as
possible.

A similar delay has occurred in respect of||

the ‘‘Wren’’ and “ Flaxman” medals, dis-
tributed in 1846 and 1847. Unable to obtain
the satisfactory completion of these medals,
they have been compelled to take them from
the artist to whom they had been confided,
and to place them in other hands. The council
regret that those subscribers to whom these
medals, and the statuettes in iron, are due,
should be kept from the possession of them:
it must be seen, however, that in this, as in
other branches of art already alluded to, they

Tn cases where the mind and hand of the man
himself are needed, to calculate exactly the
time of completion, without the certainty of

the artist, is impossible. The council have at
heart only the interest of art. It is only by
their love of the fine arts, and their desire to
advance them in this empire, that they have
been led forso many years, and under consi-
derable difficulties, to devote their earnest exer-
tions in carrying out the objects of the
society. It isnot too much to expect, then,

most earnest co-operation. This co-operation
the council seek anxiously, but, unfortunatly,
do not always find.

The Wren medal has been intrusted for

completion to Mr. Benjamin Wyon, and is||
With the view of|| ©
lessening the cause of complaint on the part/|
of the prizeholders, to whom this, or the Flax-|

being proceeded with.

|that. they should find amongst artists, per-||
sonally so much interestedjin the extension||
of a love of art, the warmest sympathy and the||

man medal, is due, it is arranged that they|| -

shall be allowed: to. take the, Chantrey or Rey-||

nolds’ medal in lieu, should the desire to do so,
A die for a medal, commemorative of Ho-

garth, is in rapid course of execution by Mr.
Leonard Wyon (son of Mr. Wyon of the Mint).

‘Thirty impressions. of this in silver will be

allotted to-day.
We conclude with a broad statement of the

ee eee ae are ee eae TS TTT ee eT a pk se
Sif)
THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT: 13)|

i S| | fi
‘Amount of subscriptions ......£12,857 5 | the practical man and the critic often disagree, |

Set apart for purchase of pictures,

busts, statuettes, models, and

lithographs «..cssesse00: +--+ -£6,090 0 0
Cost of engravings,&c.,ofthe year 3,899 1 8
Expenses andreserve of 2},perct. 2,868 3 4

£12,857 5 0

|The sum of £5,335, set apart, according to
the foregoing statement, for the purchase of
works of art by the prizeholders themselves,
will be thus allotted :—

15 works of..£10 each..--£150

21 eh eeeore 15 see ee mele old

US t hes: dan HOON See 060

. 18 Lidisis BOD) Wehels SiSie 450
14 ‘e@eeereoe 30 ee ee% tee 420

44 eeeaoeoeen 40 eseeoeoces 560
MOcdsttgiiasierrO0) 20.28. 231500

8 ~@ > e008 60 weesetecea 480

(GE ie chek OO a.08 oeuo! 420

6 BSeeveed a ‘80 wre@enqene 480

4 sews eee 100 esavravon eve 400

2 peeoecoove 150 eetsteoeoeaeonsd 300

O71) asi biin. 200) icic4 enerix! 200

3 1 eee reece 300 ee beecoe 800

‘To these are to be added—

30 bronzes of ‘“‘ The Queen,”’

50 statuettes of ‘‘ The Dancing Girl,”’

30 medals commemorative of ‘‘ Hogarth,’’and
300 lithographs of ‘‘ St. Cecilia ;”,—making in

,.the whole 547 works of art.

The total sum appropriated to the purchase
and production of works of art, including the
cost of the engraving and illustrated book is
£9,989.

Co WSorresponvents, Ke.

——=

_ Noticr.—Owing to the great demand for the
\back numbers of the Decorator’s AssisTANT,
several of the early numbers are out of print;
but we hope that it will not influence or prevent
\the other numbers being taken, as those numbers
||which have been sold out are now reprinting.

|| Those subscribers requiring their sets made up will | following them too servilely—copying defects

'|do well to give immediate orders to their booksel-
|lers, as the stock is becoming very scarce.
|| Merropositan Decorations.—Jé is our in-
|\éention shortly to give an Illustrated Description
lof the Decorations at the various Theatres, §c.,
'|showing the Style of Ornament and the manner
||2n which it is introduced.
|| Vol. If. is now ready in beautifully embossed
|searlet cloth, gilt and lettered, uniform with
Vol. I., price 5s., to be had by order of all book-
sellers. Part 12 is ready, price 7d.
|“ Tyro.”—Ornamental design, unlike architec-
|éure, cannot be reduced to any fixed number of
styles. There are, it is true, some peculiar des-
|\erzptions of ornament, such as the ‘‘ Alhambra,”
“° Louis XIV.,”” “ Arabesque,’ §c.; but these
are only singular instances amongst thousands
||that arephenomenons. As to what'styles may be
|\legetimately combined im desiyning, we cannot
! etend to distinguish—it és asubject on which
i

and itis hard_to say whether the critic always||
maintains the best position. With regard to the)
rules for distinguishing the various styles wel
should hardly know how—for the most. part—to|
set about them; we might as well strive to give)
rules for distinguishing the forms produced in the|
kaleidiscope.

c C."—A Tine is one-twelfth part of an|
inch.
© C0C. C."—You must really wait awhile.
We are anxious to please our subscribers as far as
in-us lies; bit we must be allowed to suit our own
convenience a little.

QUERIES.

1. Required—the method of ‘preparing the
paper called “Grecian,” used in Grecian or
Persian painting.

2. Given two sides and the line bisecting the
including angle of atriangle, to determine the
other two sides. :

3. Required—the best receipt for ‘marking ink|
for linen.

4, Required—the proper oils for ‘painting on
silk (such as banners, &c.), and the description of
size employed for laying silver upon the same.

Guass_ Paintinc.—The reviving taste for)
medieval art is rapidly evidencing its growth.|:
A correspondent of the Atheneum in'remarking
upon this, observes that it is no wonder, there-
fore, that glass-painting should of late years
have been cultivated with considerable assi-
duity and success. After being at one time;
supposed to beentirely lost, the processes
requisite for it have either been recovered or
re-invented. Its proper character as decora-
tion is now far better understood than when it}
was attempted to produce pictures with it (as
in St, George’s Chapel, Windsor), and when
the mullions and tracery of windows were
actually cut out in order to fillin the whole}
aperture with a gaudy transparency. That
that mistake we have since corrected by re-
verting to genuine models; but have perhaps
fallen into another—though far less glaring)
—in choosing them too indiscriminately and)

of bad drawing and bad general design—faults)
sanctified in the eyes of a mere archeologist,
but faults only in those of an artist or of a)
man of unprejudiced taste. The real capa-|
bilities of the art have not been sufficiently)
consulted: those who have applied themselves)
to it resting content with striving to come up)
to what are considered the best specimens,|
without aiming at aught further. The very)
desirable ‘“‘something further’? may, however,|
now be aiticipated, by architects themselves)
taking up a branch of art that required to be)
treated with far more regard to architectural)
than to pictorial effect. 1 have just seen some)
windows executed by Mr. E..B. Lamb, fora
small private chapel erected by him in Scot-
land, that appear to mea great improvement
upon the orthodox—thatis, the archzologically)
orthodox—system: of ‘bad. drawing and careless)
V4

composition. |

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

An Llustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used in Architectural and
Interior Decoration, Ke.

[Continued from page 4.]

Drawine Macuine, an instrument of this
nature, of an ingenious construction, has lately
been patented under the title ‘of an improved
machine for tracing or engraving from solid
bodies or subjects in relief,” by Mr. S. Stokes,
carpenter, of Monkwell-street. For the fol-
lowing engraving and details of this invention,
we have to. acknowledge ourselves indebted to
our excellent contemporary, the Patent Jour-
nal. Fig. 1 represents the apparatus in per-
spective, and as adapted for tracing or engrav-
ing ona plate the outline of any group or
figure, which would be of a reduced size from
the original. The framework here shown is
made of wood, the hase consisting of six pieces
of timber of about five inches by three, scant-
ling, bolted together in the form represented
at a a, and having four pieces 6 6 bb mortised
into aa, and meeting ina point at c; it has
also two pieces dd similarly secured; these

as light as possible consistent with the requisite
strength; at the apex of the cones 00 are two
centres, which support a double coned piece p,
one end of which carries an universal joint g,
by which itis attached toa sliding rod, and the||
other end is loaded to a balance weight; the rod
r, to which the tracing blade sis fitted, passes up
the centre of the hollow projection bar 2, bear-
ing in four angular rollers, the peripheries of
which run in grooves formed in the sides of
the rod 7; thusitis free to be readily with-
drawn or compressed without liability of vi-
bration. The whole of this apparatus is moved
with the sliding poppet up and down the trian-
gular upright, by means of a cord or chain
fixed to the top thereof, being. wound round a
barrel actuated by a winch and endless screw}}
t, similar to that usual for adjusting instruments
of this description. The apparatus used for
etching on the plate, and which is attached to
the opposite end of the projection-bar 2, is re-
presented in plan at fig. 2; it consists of a
system of levers, so arranged that the etching|}
point will always be projected in a straight line
from the end of the bar; 2 represents the end|}
of the projection-bar, which at that end is
solid, and loaded to counterbalance the weight
of the other; a plane ~ is fixed at right angles||
to the bar 7, and is stayed by the stretcher v;)}

Fig, le

are connected at the top by a transverse e to | one end of a lever w, is furnished with a roller

which is placed the plate of metal or other
material on which the subject is to be trans-
ferred. From the cap/f is supported an arm
h, which carries, by means of an universal
joint, the hollow projection bar z,so that it
will be free to move in any direction on that
centre, This projection bar is formed hollow
in order to render it light and stiff, the rigidity
being still further increased by means of the
wire stays ££; a triangular bar / is secured in
a vertical position on the base or framework a,
and is further stayed by two struts from behind;
this is fitted with a poppet m, so adjusted as to
slide freely up and down on the triangular bar
/; the poppet m is furnished with two centres,
by which it carries an apparatus consisting of

the cap f; from eis elevated a drawing-board e1, which traverses the plane w ; the other car-
g, firmly secured in a vertical position, against | ries the tracing point 2; this lever is jointed to

two cones 0 o placed together on the same base | another lever y, which moves ona fulcrum 2||
and attached to the trunk uw; the whole of this | fixed to the barz; a boss al, having two pro-
is hollow and made of tin plate, so as to render it | jecting arms or levers b! c! is pivoted between

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Da Ae aaa YN
two centres attached to the side of the barz,;| Gloucestershire, about the same date; they
the long lever bi, is weighted, and the short] were evidently not originally built in the form

one c!, has a cord or chain attached, which is
divided and carried to the fulerum z and the
roller; the force exerted by the weighted lever
will tend to draw the point ¢;, closer tothe ful-
crum 2, and so project the tracing point, which
will, by this combination of levers, always be
constrained to move in a direct line with the
centre of the bar z, and, as represented by the
dotted line x x; the force with which it is pro-
jected will be according to the weight on the
‘arm b!; when it is required to remove the tracing
point x, from the surface of the plate, this is
effected by means of an eccentric gi, which
bears upon the lever y,—this being turned by a
pulley placed on the same spindle, and having
an endless cord or band passing over it, secured
to the opposite end of the projection-bar,
where it turns over asimilar pulley. Thus it
is brought immediately under the command of
the operator, without his leaving the position
where he works the instrument.

Dae or Tacxe (in military architecture), a
description of pistol having a stock but slight-
ly inclining from the straight line of the bar-
rel, first employed during the reign of Edward

Fig. 1.

VI., and continuing, with some slight altera-
tions during those of Henry VJI., VITJ., Queen
Mary, and James I. Fig. 1 represents a por-
tion of adag of the reign of Edward VI.;

Fig. 2.
fig. 2, one of the reign of Elizabeth.

Decimat Scats, scales of this kind are used
by draftsmen, to regulate the dimensions of
their drawings; they are generally of the de-
nomination of quarter inch, in which every
quarter of an inch is divided into ten parts, or
of half inch, &c. so divided. A pair of pro-
portional compasses may be used for the same
purpose, and will always be found more accu-
rate and expeditious.

Deprressep Arcu, is when an arch sinks or
falls in from its original position. The accom-
panying engraving is taken fron Avington
Church, Berkshire, erected 1150; there is also

now in, but asettlement of the work probably
soon after their erection, brought them to their
present irregular shape.

[To be continued. ]

Mopern Art in Iraty.—Mariotti, in his
new work, ‘‘Italy, Past and Present,’’ gives
the following view of the state of art in Italy :—
Painting and sculpture never boasted of greater
activity in Italy than they display at the pre-
sent day. Never were schools of design better
endowed than the Italian academies in every
town and province; never greater encourage-
ment held out to rising talent. The very ma-
terials and implements of his calling are freely
supplied to the beginner by those liberal insti-
tutions. The wonders of taste, both of Pagan
and Christian civilisation, are within his reach.
From the marbles to the naked figures, and
from this again to the classic works of the
great masters, he is made to toil and to plod.
Loud eestatic contemplation begets idolatrous
veneratiou. The youth at the academy have
no eyes or taste of their own. They exhaust
their energies in mere copies. They grow old,
soul and body, in the endless drudgery of
their complicate training. They acquire cor-
rect ideas of design, consummate skill as
colourists ; but they lose all power of creation.

* * * * Atlast the ‘‘ work” is produced.
The exhibition-rooms are crowded to suffoca-
tion. Critics and amateurs in rapture. Town
and country are proud of the achievement of
their valoroso concittadino. What is it? Why,
a Madonna after Correggio, or a Venus after
Titian; a Sacra Famiglia after Rubens, ora
Sybil after Domenichino,—always something
after somebody. They are original pictures,
nevertheless. See, the Madonna holds her
divine infant on the right knee, not on the left,
The Venus isin a supine, not a recumbent
attitude. These trifles, it is grevious to say,
too often constitute originality at an Italian
academy. Thecopyist—unheard-of daring !—
aims at modification and improvement! Re-
production, with slight variations, is dignified

a very remarkable one in Elkstone Church, | into invention.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

©@n the Gse of Thorp for Turning.

[We have already presented some account of
ivory in these pages; but the following, ex-
tracted from the late Mr. C. Holtzapffel’s

elaborate work on ‘‘ Turning and Mechanical
Manipulation” contains so much additional
information that we think it will prove accept-

Jable to our readers in an unabridged form.]

Ivory, the tusk or weapon of defence of the
male elephant, and of which each animal has
two, is placed by the chemists intermediately
between bone and horn, and its mechanical
character corroborate the position. It is ge-
jmerally considered that the male elephant
alone possesses tusks, commercially known as
elephants’ teeth, but this appears questionable,
as by many the female is reported to have
tusks likewise, but of smaller size, and some
consider the latter produce the small solid
tusks called ‘‘ball ivory,’’ used for making
billiard balls.

Ivory has less gelatine than bone; but as
it leaves the animal in a state fit for use, with-
out the necessity for removing any of its compo-
nent parts for its purification ; its elasticity and
strength are not impaired by such abstraction.
Ivory is not therefore so brittle as bone,
neither does it splinter so much when broken,
but its greater ultimate share of animal matter
leaves it more sensible to change of form and
size. Sa
The shape of the tusk is highly favourable to
its use; as it isin general solid for fully half
its length, and of circular or elliptical section,
it is entirely free from the vessels or pores
often-met with in bone, and although distinctly
fibrous, it cannot be torn up in filaments like
horn, nor divided into thin flexible leaves as
for miniatures, otherwise than by the saw.

Tts substance appears very dense, and without
visible pores, as if beautifully cemented by
oil or wax; and notwithstanding that it
possesses so large a share of lime, it admits of
being worked with exquisite smoothness, and is
altogether devoid of the harsh meagre cha-
racter of bone. Itisin all respects the most
suitable material for ornamental turning, as it
is capable of receiving the most delicate lines
and cutting, and the most slender proportions.

The general supply of ivory is obtained
from the two present varieties of the animal,
the Asiatic and the African; they are considered
by physiologists to be distinci species, and to
be unlike the extinct animal from which the
Russians are said to obtain their supply of
this substance; which although described as
fossil ivory, does not appear to have undergone
the conversion commonly implied by the first
part of the name, but to be as suitable to
ordinary use as the ivory recently procured
from the living species. The mammoth teeth
are but rarely exposed for sale in this country,
Tonly learn of two, the one weighed 186lb.,
was 10 feet long, of fine quality, and except the
point which was cracked, was cut into keys for
piano-fortes; the other also was large, but
very much cracked and useless; the sub-

|stance of the ivory between the cracks appears

of the ordinary. character, although the inter-

stices are filled with a dry powder resembling

chalk. Both teeth were solid unto within six
inches of the root.

The hippopotamus or river-horse supplies ‘the
ivory used by the dentists, which is imported
from the East Indies and Africa; the animal, in
addition to twenty grinders, has twelve front
teeth, the whole of which agree in the isub-
stance of the ivory, but not in their size or
arrangement. ‘The six in the upper jaw are
small and placed perpendicularly ; in the lower
jaw of the hippopotamus, the two in the
centre are long, horizontal, and straight, the
two next are similar but shorter; but the two
external semi-circular teeth are those so highly
prized by the dentists on account of their supe-
rior size, and which are those usually referred
to when the ‘‘sea-horse’’ or hippopotamus
tooth is spoken of, although the animal is
a reality an inhabitant of rivers and marshy

aces,

i The circular teeth are covered on their
outer surfaces with a thick coat of enamel,
which entirely resists steel tools, and will even
strike fire with that metal; it is usually re-
moved upon the grindstone in order to arrive
at the beautiful ivory within, which owing to
the peculiarity of its section, is better adapted
for the construction of artificial teeth than the
purposes of turning; the other teeth are
tolerably circular, and fit for the lathe.

The ivory of the hippupotamus is much
harder than that of the elephant, and upwards
of double the value ; in colour it is of a purer
white, with a slight blue cast, and almost free
from grain. The parts rejected by the den-
tists are used for small carved and turned
works.

In texture it seems almost intermediate be-
tween the proper ivory and the pearl shell; as
when itis turned very thin, it has a slightly
curdled, mottled, or damasked appearence,
which is very beautiful; the general substance
is quite transparent, but appearently in-
terpersed with groups of opaque fibres, like
some of the minerals of the chatoyant kind.

The teeth of the walrus, sometimes called
the sea-cow, which hang perpendicularly from
the upper jaw, are also used by the dentist;
the outer part, or the true ivory, nearly re-
sembles the above, but the oval centre has
more the character of coarse bone; it is brown,
and appears quite distinct. The long straight
tusk of the sea-unicorn or narwal, which are
spirally twisted, also yield ivory; but they are
generally preserved as curiosities. These two
are principally obtained from the Hudson’s
Bay Company.

The masticating teeth of some of the large
animals are occasionally used as ivory ; those
of the spermaceti whale are of a flattened oval
section, and resemble ivory in substance; but
they are dark-coloured towards the centre, and
surrounded by an oval band of white ivory:
like that of the aquatic varieties generally,
they are not much used.

The grinders of the elephant, &c., are occa-~
sionally worked; but their triple structure of
plates of the hard enamel, the softer ivory, and

the still softer cement, which do not unite ina
perfect manner, render them uneven in texture.
Owing to the hardness of the plates of enamel,
they are generally worked by the tools of the
lapidary; they are but little used, and when
divided into thin plates they are disposed to
separate, from change of atmosphere, the union
of their respective parts being somewhat im-
perfect. They are made into small ornaments,
Mash sniltes hoses, &c., which are occasion-
ally imported.
' The tusk of the elephant, however, is of far
more importance than all these other kinds of
ivory, and appears to have been extensively
used by the Greeks and Romans. Amongst the
former, Phidias was famous for his statues,
||thrones, and other works of embellishment,
made in ivory combined with gold, an art de-
scribed as the TYoreutic. In reference to the
construction of ivory statues, Monsieur Quatre-
mére de Quincy, in his great work on ancient
sculpture, advances some curious speculations
of their being formed upon centres or cores
of wood, covered with plates of ivory; and
also that that the ancients were enabled to pro-
cure larger elephants’ teeth, or that they pos-
sessed the means of softening and flattening out
those of ordinary size, from which to obtain the
pieces presumed to have been thus employed.
hese questionable suppositions, however,
|particularly the latter, scarcely seemed
called for, as solid blocks of ivory of the sizes
commonly met with, would appear to be suffi-
cient for the construction of colossal figures.
It is much to be regretted that none of these
statues have descended to our times.

One of the constituent parts of ivory being
animal matter, we should naturally expect it
to be less durable than the inorganic materials,
in which many fine specimens of ancient art
still exist in great comparative perfection. At
the present day, Mr. Benjamin Cheverton
copies various works sculptured in marble, &c.
upon a reduced scale in ivory, by means of me-
chanism perfected by himself. His miniature
||busts possess a degree of faithfulness and per-
fection that leave nothing to bedesired. Ivory
appears not to suffer very rapid decay, in the
lengthened deposition in the frozen earth of
Siberia, nor when immersed in water; but
various specimens in the British Museum,
apparently less favourably situated, and in
contact with the air, exhibit the effect of time,
the ivory being decomposed and divided into
flakes and pieces which exhibit its lamellar
structure in a very satisfactory manner.
(North Gallery, Room II., Wall case 2.)

Africa is considered to produce ivory in

transparent ivory is
along the western coast of Africa, within ten
degrees north and south of the equator. On
this coast the ivory is considered to become
more and more inferior in quality and more
broken, (apparently from hostile encounters, )
with the increase of latitude: that from Moga-
dor being perhaps the worst.

| The best white ivory is, for the most part,
the produce of the eastern coast of Africa
(generally, and until recently was imported

THE DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT.

»Good Hope.

much greater abundance’ than Asia, and)
generally of far better quality. The finest
principally collected

17|

almost exclusively from Bombay; of late
years this has been partially collected along
the coast; and on the Island of Madagascar ;
very inferior ivory is, however, sometimes re-
ceived from these localities, and only a small
quantity is now obtained from the Cape of
The Asiatic teeth shipped from
Calcutta, Madras, and part of those from
Bombay, are the produce of India generally ;
they are called Asiatic, East Indian, Siam,
Singapore, and Ceylon teeth, &c. The last two
are described as ivory of a fine grain, with a
“pearly blush’’ appearance, and seldom large.

It appears that many of the better teeth,
and the superior parts of others, are selected
by the natives of India for their own con-
sumption, and for exportation to China, as
numerous hollow pieces, and other portions of
teeth, (the ends of which are generally
covered with wax to protect them from
the air,) are imported along with the entire
teeth; and this selection seems confirmed, as
the ivory obtained from Madagascar direct
oe generally a larger portion of superior
teeth.

Elephants’ teeth differ considerably in their
size, weight, and appearance. The outsides
of the African teeth run though all the trans-
parent tints of light and deep orange, hazel,
and brown, and some are almost black.
Those from Asia are similar, although
generally lighter, and frequently of a kind of
opaque fawn, or stone-colour; they have
seldom the transparent character of the African
teeth; and they commonly abound in cracks of
inconsiderable depth from which the others,
are comparatively free.

Society of Arts.

April 12.—Sir J. P. Boileau, in the chair.—Mr.
D. Wyatt read a paper ‘‘On the Art of Ena-
mel, Ancient and Modern.” After a descrip-
tion of the composition of pure enamel and of
the nature of the pigments usually employed to
colour it, Mr. Wyatt proceeded to enumerate
the six leading varieties which had been
adopted at various periods in the history of the
art to unite the vitreous paste with its metallic
base, endeavouring as far as possible to des-
cribe each genius in the language of some
contemporary authority. The first, or Byzan-
tine process—which obtained throughout the
Eastern Empire from probably the time of
Justinian down to about the year 1300—was il-
lustrated from the particulars furnished by
Theophilus, the celebrated artist-monk of the
eleventh or twelfth century; and its chief pe-
culiarity appeared to have been the formation
of casements, or cavities, for the reception of
the enamel by means of gold filigree. The
second, or early Limoges style—which was so
much practised in that city from probably the
eleventh century until the frightful siege and
massacre by the Black Prince—was described
from a comparison of the notices of Mr. Albert
Way with those of MM. Petit, Dussieux, Pot-

tier, and the Abbé Texier; and would seem to
have substituted for the filigree compartments
of the Byzantine mode excisions formed in the
|\thick copperplate by the graver. The third,
or early Italian mode—practised for probably
some fifty years before the days of Ugolino
Veri, the artist who executed the celebrated
shrine in Orvieto Cathedral, in the year 1338,
jand carried by subsequent goldsmiths and
enamellers down tothe end of the sixteenth
century—was detailed from descriptions given
by Vasari, and Benvenuto Cellini, about the
middle of that century. It appears to have
‘held a midway position between the ancient
\“‘champ levé” or incised and the painted
jenamels afterwards produced; consisting in
jengraving silver after the manner of medallic
relief, and then floating over it with variously
coloured transparent pastes. Benvenuto was said
to have, if not invented, at least been the first to
‘aescribe the improvement that took place about
the beginning of the sixteenth century in the art,
which constituted what Mr. Wyatt called jew-
ellers’ enamel. It consisted in using as a
vehicle with the glass-powder employed to
cover small gold or silver objects in the round
or in the highest relief, water in which pips
of pears had been steeped. This held the
paste in its place until vitrification took place,
and was yet so delicate a cement as in no de-
gree to interfere with the perfect purity of the
enamel. The fifth, or “‘late Limoges”’ variety
was described as having sprung at once, fully
armed from the brain of that Jupiter of ena-
mel workers, Leonard Limousin, under the
auspices of Francis the First; and differed
from its predecessors chiefly in entirely cover-
‘ing the surface of the metal with an opaque
paste, and then painting on that with transpa-
rent colours, regaining the effect of a trans-
\lucent ground by applying silver leaf in par-
ticular situations, fastening it with a glass of
colourless enamel, and then tinting over it.
These peculiarities, as well as the “ peznture
grisatre” and touching with gold, were illus-
trated from the manuscripts published by M.
Maurice Ardent, of Limoges. This style
appears to have dwindled into nonentity under
the hands of the Nouailhers, a family who
lived (they can scarcely be said to have
flourished) during the latter part of the seven-
teenth century. In connection with the detail
of the sixth and last process, the miniature
style, honourable allusion was made to the

connection with Petitot, the principal and best
known of this school of art. The improve-
ments effected in this style would seem to
have been agreat enrichment of the palette
by the addition of new pigments, the power of
multiplying the number of firings, and gra-
duating the succession of tints, their hardness
and fusibility by the addition of fluxes, &c.
Unhappily, the mystery which many selfish
artists have thrown over their modes of pro-
cedure renders them exceedingly difficult to
analyse or describe. Mr. Wyatt then gave a
rapid sketch of the history of the art; and
concluded by expressing an earnest hope that
we may ere long adopt and fully carry out the
old practice of the middle ages,

labours of Sir Theodore de Mayerne and _his|

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

Correspondence.

——

Candlesticks of the Twelfth Century.

Sir,—Various allusions in old writers show
that the use of candles, such as we now under-
stand by that name, is of considerable anti-
quity. They are exhibited in Anglo-Saxon
illuminations at least as far back asthe tenth
century. At an earlier period, the Anglo-
Saxon word ‘‘candel” had probably a more
general signification, and meant anything used
to give light. There are some words used by
the Anglo-Saxon writers which would lead us
to conclude that the earlier candlesticks were
made of wood, probably little more than a
stick, tapering at the upper end toa point, and

this would explain the origin of the older form
of candlesticks, in which, instead of being
placed in a socket, the candle was fixed ona
long spike. It is difficult to say at what period
the candlesticks with sockets first came into
use. The oldest examples known are of the
time of Edward the Third; but the spiked
candlesticks continued to be used, particularly
in churches, long after this period. They are
still used in Catholic countries. The annexed
cut represents a candlestick in the collection of
Colonel Bourgeoir du Catelet. It is made of
copper enamelled.
Your obedient servant,
April 20th, 1848. F. E.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

SHMasgonry.
[Continued from page 3.]

Inievery course of ashlar facing in which the
\backing is brick or rubble, bond, or, as they are
\called in the country, through stones should be
lintroduced, their number being proportioned to
the length of the course; every one of which
|stones, if a superior course, should fallin the
|middle between every two like stones in_the
lcourse below. And this disposition should be
strictly attended to in all long-courses. Some
masons, in carrying up their work, to show that
they have introduced a sufficient number of
\bond stones-into their work, choose their bond
|stones of greater length than the thickness of
the wall, and knock or cut off their ends after-
wards. But this isa bad practice, as the wall
is liable to be shaken by the force used in re-
ducing, by chiselling or otherwise cutting away
the projecting part, and sometimes with the
chance even of splitting the bond stone itself.
In piers, where the jambs are coursed, with.
ashlar in front, every alternate jamb stone.
should go through the wall, with its bed per-
fectly level. If the jamb stones are of one
entire height, as is often the case when archi-
traves are wrought upon them, and also upon
the lintel crowning them, of the stones at the
ends of the courses of the pier which are to
adjoin the architrave jamb, every alternate
stone should be a bond stone; and if the piers
be very narrow between the apertures, no other
bond stones will be necessary in such short
courses. When the piers are wide, the number
of bond stones is to be proportioned to the
space. Bond stones, too, must be particularly
attended to in long courses above and below
windows. They should have their sides paral-
lel, and of course perpendicular to each other,
and their horizontal dimension in the face of
the work should never be less than the vertical
one. The vertical joints, after receding about
three-quarters of an inch from the face of the
work with a close joint, should widen gradually
to the back, so as to form hollow wedge-like
figures for thereception of mortar and packing.
The adjoining stones should have their beds
and vertical joints filled with oil-putty, from
the face to about three-quarters of an inch in-
wards, and the remaining part of the beds
with well-prepared mortar. Putty cement is
very durable, and will remain prominent when
many stones are in a state of dilapidation.
through the action of the atmosphere upon
them. The use of the oil-putty is at first dis-
agreeable, from the oil spreading over the sur-
face of the contiguous stones; but after a time
this unpleasant look disappears, and. the work
seems as though of one piece. All the stones
of an ashlar facing ought to be laid on their
natural beds. From inattention to this cireum-
stance, the stones often flush at the joints; and,
indeed, such a position of the lamina much
sooner admits the destructive action of the air
to take place. Where walls or insulated pil-
lars of very small dimensions are to be carried
up, every stone should be carefully bedded.

19]

level, and be without concavity in the middle.

If the beds should be concave, as soon as the
superimposed weight comes to be borne by the
pier or pillar, the joints will in all probability
begin to flush; and it is moreover better, if it
be possible, to make every course in the
masonry of such a pier or pillar in one stone..,
When: large columns are obtained in a single
block, their effect, from that circumstance
alone, is very striking; but as this is not very
often to be accomplished, the next point is to
have as few and as, small joints as possible ;|
and the different stones, moreover, ought to be}
selected with the view, as much as possible, of’
concealing the joints, by having the blocks as
much of the same colours as possible. It will
immediately, of course, occur to the reader,
that vertical joints in columns are inadmissible.

[To be continued. ]

Mottietyinc Drawines sy Means oF
Litnocraruy.—The art of lithography fur-
nishes the artist with an opportunity of multi-
plying his: drawings without the assistance of
the engraver. The design is drawn in pencil
on the stone and then sprinkled with powdered
black-lead, which is spread over all the surface
by means of a badger’s hair brush. It is then
touched over with a brush and ink, or with the
printing crayon, and thus the depth of tone or
colour required may easily be obtained. The:
printing crayon enables the artist to obtain the
most correct and finished drawings, but it is)
especially in conjunction with the pencil that
its use is so valuable. Coloured lithographic)
stones have added a great charm to the designs|
in which they have been employed. The first}
idea of using them is due to M, Jullien, as by|
his fine plates of figures, they form part of aj
style of drawing with two crayons; but the
‘credit of perfectionating them is due to M.
Lemercier. By diminishing the strength of}
the varnish, and increasing the tone of the)
printing crayon—by printing on several stones
or on one stone of two shades of colour, and)
powdering some parts with prepared colours,|)
very remarkable results are obtained. To M.)
Lemercier we are indebted for several impor-|
tant improvements in the chrome-lithographic],
art. The fine stained glass at the church at
Dreux, which is so well known, shows what),
may be done by the process of M. Lemercier;
who, while diminishing the number of the
stones employed, produces a regularity of tone
and colour until now unattainable. The exe-|
cution is very simple, A grained stone is rub-|)
bed with a tablette or cake of lithographic
crayon, so as to cover it entirely; the colour),
thus obtained is softened down by means of aj
hard brush; it is still further removed with aj)
piece of flannel, and then the design is exe-
cuted by means of the printing crayons, the/)
ink, and the graver; thus several tones or||
depths of colour may be obtained on one}
stone.—From a Report of a Commission of the
Paris Society of Arts. |)

New Uss ror Gutta Percua,—Gutta percha||
is now employed for making constables’ staffs.||

t Perpetual Potion.

By perpetual motion is meant the preserving

would be easy enough. The rise and fall of
the tides might easily be turned to account inj
this way, and a ‘machine properly constructed
for this purpose would move: for ever, or at
least as long as tides lasted, or till it got out of
repair, or its parts came by degrees to decay.
The same may be said of machines set in mo-
tion and kept going by changes of temperature
resulting from the diurnal revolution of the
globe, or of machines moved by electro-mag-
netic forces, and so on. With these, there-
fore, we have nothing todo.

Itis the impossibity of ‘a perpetual motion
per se we shall attempt to prove.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

exhaust the atmosphere; but the exhaustion
must be perfect, and as far as we know or can
hope a perfect vacuum is unattainable. The
second kind is only to be got rid of by polish-
ing the surfaces.that rub against each other,
but the polish must not leave the slightest irre-

for an indefinite period of time of one original | gularity ; it must’be a perfect polish, and who
impulse imparted to any system of machinery.|can prove this ‘has ever been’attained? The
By a perpetual motion is not understood the| third, is of course impossible, because, if you
keeping in motion any machine by the help of| destroy adhesion, you destroy that without
powers already existing as perpetual; ‘this| which no solid or fluid can exist. cra

SALTER LivEsay.

{

The Chronotppist,

Mr. Warrineton has just completed a me-

morial window in St. James’s Church, Bury||

St. Edmund’s, and three windows in the
church at Caversham, near Reading, He has
a triplet also ready for fixing in St. Martin’s

In all machines of the kind alluded to above, | Church, Hereford; and some windows in
two antagonist powers so to say, exist—the|hand for St. Lawrence’s Church, Reading.
original motion and the friction. These two | It is in anticipation by the dean and chapter to
are constantly in operation while the machine | fill with stained glass the great west windows
isin motion, and cease together. If the mo-|of Norwich Cathedral——A new process for

‘|tion has no power of increasing itself by as| burning bricks is said to have been invented :

much as it ‘loses by friction, that friction must| by a Mr. Wm. Swain, of Westonbury, Pem-
in the. end annihilate it. bridge, by means of which a saving of more

Now, in all mechanical problems as found in| than half the usual quantity of fuel will be
the numerous works on the subject, the resul-| effected. The invention is to be patented.——
tant or resolution or product whatever of any | On Tuesday the 18th ult. the first train passed

force or forces is never greater than that which| through the Conway tubular bridge, con-|'
sisting of an engine and tender, and one||

produced it, but always equal to it.
If a body is made to move from one place to| carriage crowded with people. Mr. R. Ste-
another, and by proper arrangements is urged | phenson, in person, with his assistant, Mr. E.
back to where it started from, its motion is not | Clark, were on the engine, with several other
increased unless additional force has‘ been’ gentlemen.
given it during the circvit. If a body by any| provided for the purpose, was used, not the
force is projected upwards, when it falls again | slightest vibration or deflection was perceived ;
to the plane it started from, it has only changed | the train passing and repassing several times.
its direction, it has gained no power. ‘If abody| A train of ballast-waggons, of 106 tons weight,
falls through a given space, and is permitted to | was afterwards run through, and though the
rise again without striking, as in the pendulum, | wind blew a hurricane outside, no symptom of
it does not rise higher than before. From these | any motion could be registered within.——The
and similar examples’ we conclude, it is unrea~-| very great falling off in the glass cutting trade
sonable ever to expect motion will propagate | has been ascribed, first to the terrible railway
itself, and increase under any circumstances.’ | losses among the upper classes two years ago:
Now, motion gived to a ‘machine is limited, | followed up by the commercial p: nic, and
of course, ‘as: to quantity, but the friction is| tremendous losses occasioned by the excessive
unlimited, except by the quantity of motion, or | importation of foreign corn. Rich cu
in other words, friction continues constantly | is an article of luxury, and when the means’ of
diminishing ‘the’ amount of the impulse, and|the consumers of luxuries are crippled they
with untirmg and unceasing energy becomes|must cease to purchase.—-—A soirée of the
itself nothing only when it has stopped every | Stamford ‘Mechanics’ Institute, which’ has
moment. ; OF eB been established a little’ more than twelve
Seeing then this is the law, the incontro-| months, lately took place at the Banqueting
vertible law of nature; the only hope left to the| Room, Stamford Hotel. R. ‘Newcomb, Eéq.,
enthusiast is to annihilate friction itself: this| the proprietor of ‘the Stamford Mercury, in the
will lead to a few observations on the nature { chair.——At the last meeting of the Paris
of this troublesome enemy to motion. It may| Academy of Sciences, M. Chapuis announced
be said to be of three kinds; that of the atmos-| to ‘the assembly that he had discovered a
phere; that arising from irregularity of. sur-| ‘‘ perpetual motion,” in consormity with the
faces rubbing against each other; and that of|laws and powers of ‘nature, having for
adhesion of two surfaces so that it requires a| motive rowers the principal of universal
small but certain force to separate them. The| gravitation with that of electro-magnet-
removal of the first is to remove the cause or lism. ee Ags

Although an accurate instrument,|

A DESIGN FOR CURVILINEAR FOLIAGE.
‘|| No. 53.—Vol, IIT. 1g?

Say Re
ein i

(el ee ee een el ie eee es ee

Saturpay, ]

School of Design.

The

ESIGN
evidently not last legs in
this country, as some people have had the
hardihood to declare—the school at Somerset
House is getting on better than ever. The
||students, it is said, now amount to the number
of 440—which is by far a greater number than
ever before attended since the opening of
the school in 1837.

A yet more promising circumstance, says a
contemporary—as marking emphatically that
the school is gradually adapting itself to that
which was the real object of its institution—is,
that the above number is composed of a larger
proportion than at any former time of young
men practically engaged in manufactures.
The differences of opinion as to the propriety
of here teaching design—which has always
seemed to us a question of means and of rela-
tion—have for the present issued in the esta-
blishment of such a class; to whom Mr. Dycr
has been for some time successfully lecturing.

is on its

It is proposed, we understand, to associate with
him a second master ; who will lecture on the
History of Art in reference to Ornament, while
Mr. Dyce will confine his lectures to the Prin-
ciples of Ornamental Art. Mr. Reparave’s
class has also, we are informed, been found a
valuable addition to the teaching at this insti-
tution. Lord Morreru, we may add, has pro-
cured for the service of the school the loan of
the flower-pieces from the Gallery at Hampton
Court :—and application has been made, which

THE DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT.

|the students.

tof the elements of the science of botany:>

[May 18, 1848.”

it is hoped may be successful, for the use of
plants from the grounds and conservatories at
Kew, which, we are certain, would form an
inestimable boon to the greatest proportion of
Notwithstanding the many
botanical gardens which have lately been
thrown open for the public use, the young be-
ginner has still several very serious obstacles
thrown in his way. Of course it cannot be
expected that he, had he even the whole do-
mains of Fora spread out before him, could)
avail himself of that means of gathering in-
formation were he still destitute of a knowledge

whereas, by having the specimens shown and
explained to him individually, in the school-)
room, by a competent master, the science would |
be soon and easily mastered, and we should in,
time to come, perhaps, be relieved of the pain.|
ful necessity of viewing a species of grafting,
which, however well it may look in nature,
seems to us, somehow or the other, very ridicu-'
lous on the side of atea-pot or the edge of a’
butter-boat.

G@Aorknmen Abroad and at Wome.

——

We extract the following from the Builder :—

It isannounced in respect of the ‘‘ Drawing-|
rooms’ about to be held, that ‘‘ Her Majesty)
the Queen, ever desirous of giving encourage-|
ment to the trade and industry of the United.
Kingdom, and particularly so at this time of
commercial depression, would wish to see them:
in dresses of British Manufacture.” ‘This.
should lead us to doubt the truth of a state-
ment recently forwarded to us, to the effect,
that much of the furniture required for the
new apartments at Buckingham Palace is being
made abroad!——The men in the employ of,
Mr. Thomas Cubitt have resolved, at a general
meeting, ‘‘ that, under existing circumstances,
it is desirable to raise a fund, to be called
©Cubitt’s Workmen’s Philantrophic Fund,’ to
assist those men who formerly worked in the
establishment, but are now out of work.”
Mr. Cubitt was requested to act as treasurer,
and Mr. Dines was appointed secretary. Re-
presentatives of the various trades have been
elected to form a committee, and acode of
rules agreed on. The subscription is to be
made for four Saturdays; and on the first of;
them £91 were raised thus :— Men, including
clerks and foremen, £39 9s. 114.; Mr. Cubitt,
£50 per cent. on the sum raised by the men,
£19 15s.; Mr. Cuthill, £5 per cent., £2; Mrs.
Cubitt, £5; and Mr. J. A. Warre and friends,
£25, £27 were distributed to eighty-two appli-
cants. We hope to see this example followed.

22°

THE DECORATOR’S’

ASSISTANT,

Co Correspondents, Ke.

——

Norice.—Reissue of the Ducorator’s Assts-
TANT.—Preparations are now being made for
publishing a Reissue of this Work from No.1 of
Vol. I. All the Numbers that are out of Print
will be Reprinted, after being subjected to a care-
ful Revision. As this will afford an excellent op-
portunity for new Subscribers about to take in
the Work, either in Parts or Numbers, our
fieaders are earnestly requested to introduce it to
the notice af their Friends —We will endeavour
1o have No. 1 ready for Republication against the
first week in June next.

Cases for Vols. I. and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilé or
marbled, 6d. extra. ;

“* Bruntsfield.”’— You may make glaziers’ putty
by mizing common whiting with linseed oil until rt
acquires the consistence of thick paste.-—With

regard to the plaster casts, you will find some re-
\cetpts in our first and second volumes—we do not

fancy virgin wax as it gets cracked so soon.—For
diminishing or enlarging drawings, §c., employ

ithe ‘‘ pantograph.’ —Wewill give arule for draw-

ing the Lonic volute shorély.

“C.N. C.’—Address a note to Mr. Weale,
Holborn, and he will, no doubt, furnish you with
the names of several.

QUERIES.
5. Required—the method of making sensitive
paper.
6. Required—the best ground for the green
bronze, and also the best for that of a rose-tinted

or copper colour.

Test ror Nirric Actp.—M. Berthemot,
from Berzelius’s An. Rep., states, a few drops
of the suspected liquid are placed in a drachm
of concentrated sulphuric acid: after stirring,
a small piece of brucine is introduced, which,
if nitric acid is present (but not otherwise),
dissolves and produces a red colour that
changes to yellow: 1-10,000th part may be
thus detected.

VENTILATION or Emigrant Suips.—Bad
ventilation in emigrant passage-ships, kills
thousands. It has been suggested that if
means were provided for cooking the food
under deck, and their use made imperative,
the fire would necessarily change the air, and
prove a most powerful disinfecting agent.

To Dissorve Inptan Russer.—A_ corres-
pondent asks how this can be effected. The
usual and cheapest solvents of Indian-rubber
are naptha or turpentine, and these will keep it
in solution so long as they are not exposed to
the air; but, of course, being spirits, on
exposure in small quantities, the spirit leaves
the Indian-rubber. These solutions are used
to cement hose and pipes of leather, &c. If
Indian-rubber be literally melted in an oven,
at about 210 or 220 degrees of heat, it will not
return to a solid state.

The Pree Exhibition of Movern Art,
HYDE-PARK-CORNER.

Tue first glance at this. gallery will assuredly
disappoint the visitor; a feeling which must
arise from the entire absence of due arrange-
ment according to the usually prescribed
method of picture-hanging, and still more from
the imperfect light by which the works are
seen. The latter defect ought to be remedied
before another season.

Of Mr. Lauder’s seven or eight contributions
to this gallery we prefer ‘‘ The Tomb of Shaks-
peare,’ a work of an exceedingly interesting
character, skilfully executed, in which the
figure of Sir Walter Scott is happily intro-
duced.

E. J. Niemann’s ‘‘ Sunset,’”’ and ‘‘ A Study”’
of a landscape with an evening effect, are
works which will add considerably to his repu-
tation. They are painted with great power
and feeling.

H. K. Browne in his “Little Paul’ has
caught the spirit of Dickens’s beautiful but
overdrawn conception. He is sitting in the!
window listening to the deep murmurs of the
ever-rolling sea. The picture is one which
must attract admiration from every lover of
the pure and exquisite in art.

A. Corbould is a name we do not recognise:
that he is no tyro in the art is fully seen in
No. 78, ‘‘Trespassers,”’ representing the garden
in front of an old mansion, into which a horse
and a pony have strayed. We have rarely
seen animals better drawn, or painted with
more brilliancy.

The few works sentin by Mr. Winefield
make us desirous toseemore. No. 74, “‘ Scene
in Bushy-park,”’ is an elegant Watteauish com-
position, replete with cheerfulness and life.

F. Maddox Brown’s “‘ Wyckliffe Reading the
First Translation of the Bible into English”’ is
an extraordinary performance, which should
place the artist in the foremost ranks of his
competitors.

Of the several good landscapes by Mr. Percy
we prefer No. 321, ‘‘ A Mill and Lock on the
Thames.” It is a large performance, executed
with great breadth and powerful colouring,
which latter quality would be improved by
more delicacy in the middle distance. . The
trees also require more distinct markings and
occasional breaks in the masses. No sunshine
could ever penetrate such dense foliage.

We have not space to particularise the draw-
ings or the sculptures, but neither possess
sufficient importance (though some of the for-
mer are creditable productions) to require a
detailed notice. In taking leave of the society
for the present we must declare our cordial
wishes for its success. It has begun well—so
well that we fully expect another year will see

‘a large accession of contributors whom appre-

hensions of the result have hitherto kept back.
It requires no deep spirit of prophecy to pre-||
dict this, if its members prove themselves as
wise as they are energetic, persevering, and, in

most cases, accomplished in the art they pro-
| fess.

|/Tur Academy maintains this year the advance

|/catalogue and its intrinsic merit, is one of the

{jan attitude—communicates itself irresistibly
||to the spectator. This picture has been painted
!\for Prince Albert.
||picture, butit is one of his best—‘‘ The Vintage
\|in the Claret Vineyards on the banks of the

‘|;childhood, will have a personal interest for

||Mulready, will have a constant crowd round

{|cheeks are already smeared with unsuccessful

|Wxhibition of the Mopal Academy.

|wholly unattended by mere physical pain, and:
lwhich has banished all his ambition, while
||those qualities of personal kindness which
. ||rendered his ambition successful still remain,
_ |jis profoundly given, and the concentration of
|\real sympathy from the abbot and every actor

_THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

made in 1847. The beneficial effect of the pub-
lic competition in Westminster Hall continues
distinctly observable in the direction it has
given both to the selection of subjects and
their mode of treatment, and among the most
striking examples in this respect isa picture by

Leicester,” which, both from its order in the

first to command attention. The utter feeble-
ness of the fallen man under a mortal sickness,

in the scene—not one of whom is thinking of

Uwins has only a single

Gironde ;’’ and the peculiar skill of the artist
in conveying, from an all-pervading purity of
feeling, dignity and refinement to simple and

jing cherries into, or rather at, the anxiously-
}/extended mouth of a butcher-boy, whose

actual peasants, is strikingly observable. This
picture is said to have been purchased by Mr.
Vernon with the view of its forming part of his
bequest to the nation. “St. John the Baptist
reproving Herod,’’ by J. R. Herbert, is one
which will command universal study and ad-
miration. The words “It is not lawful for
thee to have thy brother's wife,” fall not only
upon the ears, but into the soul of the King.
The truth is stifled and feared, but it is re-
ceived ; while in Herodias the animal passion,
too big for words, tells at once of its final
mastery over the awakened conscience of her
husband. Above this picture, and from the
wonderful sharpness with which it attracts the
attention to the representation of material ob-
jects, in striking contrast to it, is one of a
eolossal kind, ‘‘ Chivalry,’’ by Maclise. “A

Sketch of my Father,” by Edwin Landseer, an
embodiment of a ripe old age in which every-.
thing is subdued but kindness and faith which

have gained once more all the strength of

ever lover of art. ‘‘ Italian Peasants Prisoners
with Banditti” is faultless in its expression of
the individual emotions of the actors, anda
dramatic interest is cleverly imparted to the
spectator by the appearance of soldiers in the
background, of whom both captors and cap-
tives are wholly ignorant. ‘‘The Butt,” by

it, and will never be forgotten. A lad is shoot-

Cope, “‘ Cardinal Wolsey arriving to die at

| attempts; and so perfect isthe drawing, that

you expect to see the cherry fly off from the
boy’s thumb while looking at it, and almost
feel disposed to wait to see if this time it will
reach its destination. ‘‘ Country Cousins,’’ by
Redgrave, is ‘another picture which will form
part of the collection given by Mr. Vernon to
the nation, and here again we have one of the
most successful examples of the artist’s pecu-
liar style. This subject is less painful than
many of Redgrave’s productions; but the con-
trast of timid worth with the dead narrowness
of worldly assumption is still severely given.
Edwin Landseer shines in his familiar manner
in “‘ Alexander and Diogenes.”’ The cynical
terrier in his tub conveys his moral effectively,
and the bull-dog Alexander and his whole
courtier tribe of hounds and spaniels evidently
recognise the greatness of the philosopher.
‘“* Aaron,” by Etty, shows a singular effect of
colours. The jewels on the breastplate sparkle
each with its own peculiar light. ‘Two pictures
by Leslie, ‘‘Lady Jane Grey,’’ and ‘The
Shell,” are truthful and pleasing, and there is
originality and boldness in the ‘ Doubtful
Document,” by Lear.

In the middle room one of the most attractive
pictures is ‘‘ Euphrosyne,’’ by Frost. The
flesh tints are slightly deficient in warmth, but
for attitude, grace, and contrast of colour, it
commands high admiration. ‘A Summer
Morning,”’ a landscape, by Lee, with cattle, by
Cooper, proves a most happy combination for
the reputation of each artist. Here also isa
touching picture by Edwin Landseer, ‘‘ A Ran-
dom Shot,’”’ a hind dying on a snow-covered
hill, with her calf beside her. The track of
the animal’s bloody steps, and the effect of
sunlight on the snow, possess a magical reality.

In the west room a piece of original humour
of the most genuine kind will be found in the
*“Artist’s Portfolio,’’ by P. Williams. ‘‘ The
Contest of Beauty for the Girdle of Florimel’’
is a graceful composition by F. R. Pickersgill.
“Queen Elizabeth discovers she is no longer
young,’ by Egg, and ‘“‘ Catherine appealing to
Henry VIII., by H. N. O’Neil, are both pic-
tures of a class now deservedly appreciated.
“The Evening Gun,” by Danby, gives the
true sublimity of repose; and, finally, in the
“Eve of the Deluge,” by Linnell, we have one
of the most magnificent effects of a fordboding
sunset ever painted. It is palpably the last
evening of a condemned world.

Turner this year is absent, and it need hardly
be said that the loss is felt. Stanfield has five
pictures, the chief of which, ‘ Amalfi’ will
become universally popular.
ton, and Creswick have also been industrious
contributors, and Roberts has three subjects of
great interest. Portraits are numerous, but,
unfortunately, few of them possess much
interest.

The great charm of the exhibition, on the
whole, is the remarkable number of leading
productions which it presents to us from artists
scarcely beyond the commencement of their
career. It willbe impossible for any one to
come away from the present collection without

Lee, Withering-||

an established confidence in the steady growth
and permanent elevation of British art.

An LHlustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used in Architectural and -
Enteriot Becoration, Ke.

es
[Continued from page 14.}
Dactiniociypx, the inscription of the name
of the artist on a sculptured gem or cameo.

Dacrytos, the shortest measure among the
Greeks, being the fourth part of a palm.

Dacue-a-RoExe, a description of dagger of

the reign of Henry VI.

DacuerreEoTYPE, 2 species of photogenic
drawing, in which the impressions are taken,
by means of the camera obscura, on plates
of silvered copper, invented by M. Daguerre.
The metallic plate is exposed, in a well-closed
box, to the action of the vapour of iodine, by
which means it becomes covered with an ex-
tremely thin layer of ioduret of silver. The
plate thus prepared is placed in the dark cham-
ber of the camera® obscura, in such a position
that the image of the object to be represented
is perfectly clear and distinct upon it. Ina
short time the plate is withdrawn, and is now
exposed at an angle of 45 degrees to the action
of the vapour of mercury, at 60 degrees Reau-
mur, and finally plunged into a solution of
hyposulphate of soda. The picture is then
complete.

Day or Bay (in architecture), one of the
lights or compartments between mullion and
mullion in the great windows of the Gothic
style.

Decameter, a French measure of length
equal to ten metres.

Demi-Hacur or Hacxsut, a sort of pistol.
The accompanying engraving represents the

butt-end of one of the reign of Queen Eliza-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Dears or Deat Boarps, a thin sort of fir
planks, formed by sawing the trunk of a tree
into longitudinal divisions of greater or less
thickness. They are imported from Danizic,
and many other parts of the Baltic, and from
North America. The Russian standard deal
is 12 ft. long, 11 in. wide, and 13 in. thick; the|}
Christian standard deal is 11 ft. long, 9 in. wide, |}
and 13 in. thick; at Dram the length is 10ft.
and the thickness 14 in.

Deracuep (in painting), is said of figures
when they stand free and disengaged from||
each other.

Diaconat, anything in an angular direction,||
a right line as a 6 drawn ‘across an equilateral

B
figure from one angle to another, is by some

called the diameter, by others the diametral,
but generally the diagonal of the figure.

Dos, a sort of iron hook or bar, with a sharp
fang at one end, so formed as to be easily

ca ©

driven into a piece of timber, te drag it by
means of arope, out of the water or ship-|}
board.

Dooks, in Scotland, flat pieces of fwood in-
serted in walls, called in England wooden
bricks.

Dracon, a description of pistol employed in

the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

Drayton’s Process ror Sitverine Grass,
apiece of pure virgin silver is dissolved in
nitric acid, forming nitrate of silver (lunar
caustic),—to this is added the sub carbonate of
ammonia, spirit of wine, and distilled water;
the glass, having been previously well cleaned,|}.
is laid flat in a horizontal position, the above
solution, to which is added a few drops of the
oil of cassia and cloves, is then taken, and,
after being well shaken, poured on the glass.
Precipitation of the silver from the solution in
which it was held suspended immediately com-
mences. A quarter of an hour is generally
sufficient to silver a glass, and at the expiration
of that time the remaining solution is poured
off, and a coating of varnish applied to protect
it from injury.

[To be eontinued.]

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Correspondence.

Antique Lamp.

Srr,—The accompanying drawing represents a
lamp of the 15th or 16th century, in the collec-
tion of M. Dugué, of Paris. Similar lamps of
the same’ classic form, which appears to have
been derived, through a succession of ages, from
the Romans, are still used in some parts of

France. The branch with notches serves to
raise the hinder part of the lamp as the oil
diminishes, so as to throw it forward to the
wick; the one end of the horizontal beam or
rod was generally inserted into the side of a
kind of wooden candlestick.

sae

Method of Dividing a Line into two Parts, so
that the Square of one Part may be double the
Square of the other.

Sir,—In No. 9 of the Decorator’s ASSISTANT

you gave a method of dividing a line into two

parts, so that the square of one part may be
double the square of the other ;—I forward you

a solution of the same algebraically worked.

I am, Sir,
Yours, obediently,

‘ ReEGIoMONTANUS.
Manchester, April 15th, 1848.
Let x and y be the required parts of the line

a; then
«+ty=a(l)
and «2 = 2 y2
ape Vey
this value of x in (1), we have
v2y+y=a
V2y—=a-—y
2y=a—2Qay+y
P+2ay=—a?
y2+2ayt+ a2—2 a2
yte=+V2a=—+aV2
Yi ee
and (1) c=a—y.

Substituting

Rebien.

An Analysis of Gothic. Ornaments, illustrated
by a Series of Designs for the Decoration of
Churches and their Precincts.—By B. Bar-
ret. London: Published by the Author,
21, Pulford-street, Thames Bank; also of
the Publisher of the Decorator’s Assis-
TANT, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

Now that the Gothic style of architecture
has become so popular in England, such works
as the one under notice are of especial impor-
tance both to the architect and decorator. But
Mr. Barrett’s production claims further praise
at our hands, and a more general patronage at
those of our readers. Its merits are not
merely professional, but in an artistic point of;
view they appeal to all who are capable of

WI “vr » G
WN i \ a a \ ~ Say “Uj
HY), i a \) 5 N

appreciating beauty and intrinsic worth ;—this
is high praise, but we are fuliy assured it is no
more than just.. The annexed illustration of
a finial in the perpendicular style is an excel-
lent specimen of the contents of the work, and
we earnestly hope that Mr. Barret will meet
with every encouragement in his praisworthy
attempt to lay before the public spirited graphic
delineations of all that is interesting and useful
in Gothic decoration.

Bricx Conumns, &c.—The proper way to carry
up columns in cement is to cut one course
round, and then to gauge no more cement and
sand than will lay the same. Occasional bond
stones should always be introduced the whole
circumference of the column or size of the
pillar. The scaffolding should be kept clear of
the column.

:26

Hanutacture of Endvian Ink.

—_

Tue best of this’ manufacture shas a shining
black fracture; its body is finely compact, and
homogeneous when rubbed with water. When
dry on the paper it will not yield to the action
‘of water ; yet it will give way at once to that
action, when it has been used and dried on
‘marble or ivory, which proves that the alumed
|paper forms a strong combination with the ink.
| Nothing is positively known of the method
‘of preparing it except what, Duhalde has told
‘usin his “* History of China.’”? The receipt
‘which he has given as taken’ from a Chinese
‘book is as follows :— ,
| The makers of this ink take some of the
‘plants Hohiang and Kansang, the cloves of
‘Tehu-yiatsao-ko, and the juice of ginger;
these are to be clarified, and then evaporated
‘to a thick consistency; ten ounces of this
electuary is then mixed with four ounces of
‘size made from asses’-skin parchment; this
mixture is then incorporated with ten ounces
of smoke-black, and then the whole is wrought
into a fine paste which is put into moulds;
\these are covered up in the ashes, where they
‘Yemain‘a longer or shorter time, according to
ithe season.
| P. Duhalde, being aware that all the plants
‘mentioned in this precess, except the ginger,
are unknown to our botanists, saw at once that
bis receipt would be useless, unless he could
igive. some means of substituting, for the
Chinese plants, those of our own country which
are most analogous to them. He therefore, on
this subject, made diligent: inquiries, the result
lof which he has published; we learn from the
author, that’ the pods called tehw-yia-lsao-ko
‘are produced by a bush or shrub, and re-
semble those of the carob bean, except that
ithey are smaller amd nearly round. The
Chinese plants inclose cells filled with a pulpy
substance of a pungent and unpleasant flavour.
Ho-hiang is,.according tothe Chinese dic-
tionary, an aromatic medicinal plant, to which
are attributed the same qualities, as belong to
the sou ho; another plant from which is ex-
itracted a balm similar to liquid storax.
Finally, the Kan-sung is a plant used in the
/composition of perfumes, and is pleasing to the
\taste.
The processes used in the arts, are always
‘difficult to describe; yet, even though we
ishould be in possession of the plants employed
by the Chinese, it may be doubted whether we
should quite succeed in imitating their ink on
ithe first attempt.
| Their pods, which resemble the carob, ap-
pear to me to belong to the mimosa. The
harshness of their scent is a sufficient indica-
tion that they contain much of the astringent
principle : how is it, then, that their decoction
does not precipitate gelatine? have not these
vegetable juices need of a new clarifying pro-
cess?
P. Duhalde speaks of the alkaline properties
of the ink; how then shall we reconcile that
with the gallic acid contained in juices of the
astringent plants? There must, therefore, be

———

“THE DECORATOR’S . ASSISTANT.

some omission, for the alkaline principle could
not exist, or atleast no one has yet, by any
known means, been able to saturate the acid
contained in the vegetable decoction; and it
may be added, that this Chinese ink may be
dissolved in vinegar, without forming any pre-
cipitate. i 2 Kal

However imperfect this description may be,
it nevertheless points out the way to us, by in-
forming us that the Chinese do not use any
pure size in the manufacture of their ink, but
that they add some vegetable juices, which
give the ink greater brilliancy, and fix it more}
firmly on paper.

In fact, if fine lamp-black be intimately com-
bined with pure gelatine, it produces an ink of;
a fine black tint; but in its fracture it will not
be glossy, neither will it be indelible on paper, ||
like the good Chinese ink, with the disadvan-
tage of being affected by the. frost in winter.

Here then we have obtained two important
points—namely, that it is indispensable that
the ink shall be fluid in winter as well as sum-
mer; and also that it shall resist being washed]
off the paper. The first of these qualities can |
be easily obtained. For the purpose of making
such an alteration in the gelatine as will insure},
its fluidity to equal that of gum, it onlyre-
quires that the ebullition should be carried on
to an elevated temperature, but as the caloric
would in this action form an ammoniacal soap,
which attracts the moisture of the atmosphere,
it would be preferable to employ a process, by
which the starch or gelatine may be changed
into a gummy and_ saccharine substance.
This method consists in boiling this starchy
matter in water, acidulated by sulphuric: acid,
and afterwards saturating the acid with chalk.

To render the ink insoluble on paper, it is
requisite to mix with the animal size some
juices of astringent vegetables, so carefully
combined as not to occasion any precipitate.

The infusion Of nut-galls into a solution of
gelatine, will cause an abundant precipitation,
which will unite in a resinous, elastic, and
brilliant mass. This compound, which is in-
soluble in water, can be dissolvedin ammonia
(hartshorn), and in. a greater quantity of|
gelatine. The ammoniacal solution of this
precipitate is very brown, but transparent;
and when dry it will not dissolve in water.

The resinous matter dissolved in gelatine, is
still soluble in water after it has been dried,
but it dissolves much slower than pure gela-
tine. It is’ therefore, to the action of the
tannin principle on the animal gluten, that we
must ascribe the fixedness of Indian ink}
upon paper. |

The size prepared from parchment made of
asses’ skin 1s considered the best, though it is,
not evident at first sight on what account it
should have the preference so decidedly; and
I must state, that having tried, by way of ex-
periment, to convert asses’ skin into size, by
passing it through lime, I have only at last
succeeded in dissolving it, by steeping it for
several days in lime water.

The Chinese attribute to this animal gluten
some peculiar medicinal qualities, and it may
be that this idea influences them in preparing
it with particular care. I have seen some of

THE DECORATOR’

this size which was very transparent, but I have
not been able to procure a portion, to compare
it with that made from offal of oxen, &c.

The best size is that sort which, when
steeped in water, only swells without dis-
solving; this species is very rarely found for
sale, but in place of it, the Flanders size is the
next best.
| After having steeped this substance for
several hours in water, about three times
its’ weight, which has been acidulated by a
tenth part of sulphuric acid; that part of the
water is to be drawn off which contains the
portion of size which is too solukle, and this
must be replaced by an equal quantity of
water, slightly acidulated. The size is then
to be boiled for an hour or two, and the ebul-
lition brings it to such a condition, that it will
not when cold return to a state of jelly.

The acid should then be saturated with
powdered chalk, with which it is combined by
a little at atime, until the resistance of paper
shows that the saturation is sufficient. The
mixture is then filtered through paper, and
it passes quite transparent.

About one quarter of this size is then to be
taken away, and upon it should be thrown a
solution of the concentrated essence of nut-
galls: the gelatine them precipitates, and be-
the elastic resin-like substance already men-
tioned; this matter is then to be washed in
warm water, and dissolved in clarified size;
it is again filtered, and it is allowed to draw
near to the proper state, for the purpose of
incorporating it with the lamp-black, that too
much time may not be lost, in waiting until
the paste has acquired the proper consistence
requisite for its being moulded.

The astringent principle contained in vege-
table juices will not form a gelatine precipitate,
when the acid contained in it has been saturated.
Nut-galls, or any other vegetable containing
much of the astringent principle, may then be
boiled with magnesia, or lime; and then mixed
with the filtered decoction of the size, there will
not be any precipitation ; and the size thus pre-
pared will be so much less soluble when dry, in
proportion to the quantity it may contain of
the astringent matter.

It is only by cautiously proceeding, that
we can ascertain the most just proportion of
the astringent matter which ought to be com-
bined with the size.

By whatever mode the excipient.is pre-
pared for being mixed with the black pigment,
it} must be equally well clarified, by washing
it in plenty of water, until it leaves no sedi-
ment; whenever this takes place, there is
nothing more required than to concentrate its
substance to the proper degree of consistency,
by evaporation.

It is also by proceeding cautiously, that we
can ascertain the relative proportions of black
and size, since that size may be more or less
strong: but we shall succeed in this object
without difficulty, by making the two fol-
lowing trials :—

With a pencil apply a light wash of ink
upon a slab of porcelain, and with a pen put
some writing on paper; if the ink on the porce-

reer eae cea at

lain shines, this is a proof that it has sufficient

S ASSISTANT.

size init; and if, after itis dry on the paper,
it cannot be washed off by water, it is clear
that there is not too much size in the composi-
tion.

The Chinese use wooden moulds to form
their ink paste, but these moulds may be made
very well of potter’s clay, baked; and when
they have not been half vitrified by the fire,
they will adhere to the tongue, in this state
they absorb a portion of the moisture in the
paste, and this facilitates the discharge of the
moulded ink, in a short time after having been
compressed in the mould; the sticks of ink
are afterwards covered up in the ashes to pre-
vent their becoming split in the drying; and
the moulds: may be dried in the sun, or on a
stove; andif the pores of the latter, after a
long service, should cease to absorb the
humidity, they should be boiled in a wash of
caustic lye, and then dried has usual, or ex-
posed toa red heat.

The quality of the lamp-black has a great
influence upon the quality of the ink. The
black of which the ‘‘ Imperial Ink” is made,
consists of extremely light lamp-black, in the
preparation of which great care is taken. For
this purpose, a metal stove may be employed;

into this stove, a lamp with many burners)

must be placed, and surmounted with a large
plate of iron; the opening of the stove should
be so arranged as to allow the combustion of
the lamp to produce as much smoke as pos-

sible; and for this purpose, various oils and|}

fatty substanges are tried, to ascertain which
will best suit this purpose.

In China, the finest lamp-black is prepared

from the oil of girgelin, which is the oil of
sesame.

M. Proust, in the analysis which he made of
some Chinese ink, of the finest quality, feund
two per cent. of camphor in it. This sub-
stance is also pointed out in areceipt, to be
found in the Chinese Encyclopedia. From
this information, | mixed a little camphor in
the ink which I made, and I soon found the
good of this addition. When the ink in which
it was mixed, was in a state of paste strong
enough to be moulded, I have pressed it
with the fingers slightly touched with oil, and
it did not adhere in the slighest degree; in
this state it took perfectly the impression of
the seal, and this facility of moulding I attri-
bute entirely to the camphor.

Imrration or Damask ror Watts.—Tho-
roughly paint the plaster in four or five coats,
then impress the outline of the pattern upon it
by means of a pounce; cover this over with a
thick substance composed of oil, mastic var-'
nish, bees-wax, sugar of lead, umber or other
colouring pigments, and white lead; then
throw against the wall with some force, and,
while the above substance remains wet, fine pit
or sea sand, prepared by drying and sifting. |
When this has become quite dry, which will be
in the course of a few days, brush off carefully
all the loose sand, leaving only what adheres
to the pattern. When this has been done paint
the whole over with a coat of flatted paint of
the same-colour as the ground work.

27||

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

SMagonry.

[Concluded from page 19.]

Cotumns.—The stones for an intended co-
lumn being procured, and the order in which
they are to be placed upon one another having
been determined, we must correctly ascertain
the exact diameter for the two ends of each of
them. To effect this, draw an elevation of
the column proposed to its full size, divide it
by lines parallel to the base into as many
heights as ‘the column is intended to contain
stones, taking care that none of the heights ex-
ceed the lengths the stones will produce; the
working of the stones to the diameters thus
obtained then becomes easy. The ends of
each stone must first be wrought so as to form
{exactly true and parallel planes. The two
beds of stone, being thus formed, find their
centres, and describe a circle on each of them ;
divide these circles into the same number of
equal parts, which may, for example, amount
to six or eight; draw lines across each end
of the stone, so that they will pass through the
centre and through the opposite divisions of the
sameend. The extremities of these lines are to
regulate the progress of the chisel along the
surface of the stone; and therefore, when
those of one end have been drawn, those of
the other must be made in the same plane, or
opposite to them respectively. The cylindrical
part of the stones must be wrought with the
assistance of a straight edge; but for the swell
of acolumn, a diminishing rule, that is, one
made concave to the line of the column, must
be employed. This diminishing rule will also
serve to plumb the stones in setting them. If
it be made the whole length of the column, the
heights into which the elevation of the column
is divided should be marked upon it, so that it
may be applied to give each stone its proper
curvature. But as the use of a very long di-
minishing rule is inconvenient when the stones
are in many and short lengths, rules or rods
may be employed corresponding in length to
the different heights.

Stairs.—Nothing to perplex will occur in
carrying up stairs which are supported by a
wall at both ends, because the inner ends
of the steps may either terminate in a solid
newel, or be tailed into a wall surrounding an
open newel. Where elegance is not required,
and where the newel does not exceed 2 feet
6 inches, the ends of the steps may be con-
veniently supported by a solid pillar; but
when the newel is thicker, a thin wall sur-
rounding the newel would be cheaper. In
stairs to basement stories, where geometrical
stairs are used above, the steps next to the
newel are generally supported upon a dwarf
wall. In geometrical stairs, the outer end of
each step is fixed in the wall, and one of the
edges of every step supported by the edge of
the step below, and formed with joggled joints,
so that no step can descend in the inclined
direction of the plane nor in a vertical direc-
tion; the sally of every joint forms an exterior
obtuse angle on the lower part of the upper

Sree eee reir EEEENE DI EERE EDIEIEDRIEns

step called a back rebate, and that on the upper
part of the lower step of course an interior one,
and the joint formed of these sallies] is
a joggle, which may be level from the face of,
the risers to about one inch within the joint.
Thus the plane of the tread of each step is
continued one inch within the surface of each
riser; the lower part of the joint is a narrow
surface, perpendicular to the inclined direc-
tion or soffit of the stair at the end next to the
newel. With most sorts of stone, the thickness
of every step at the thinnest place need not ex-
ceed 2 inches for steps of 4 feet in length;
that is, measuring from the interior angle of
every step perpendicular to the rake. The
thickness of steps at the interior angle should
be proportioned to their length; but allowing
that the thickness of the steps at each of the
interior angles is sufficient at 2 inches, then
will the thickness of them at the interior
angles be half the number of inches that the
length of the steps is in feet; for instance,
a step 5 feet long would be 23 inches at that
place. The stone platforms of geometrical
stairs that is, the landings, half paces, and quar-
ter paces, are constructed of one or more stones,
as they can be procured of sufficient size.
When the platform consists of two or more
stones, the first of them is laid on the last ste
that is set, and one end tailed in and wedge
into the wall; the next stone is joggled or
rebated into the one just set, and the end also
fixed into the wall, as tnat and the preceding
steps also are; and every stone in succession,
till the platform is completed. When another:
flight of stepsis required, the last or upper-
most platform becomes the spring stone for the
first step of it, whose joint is to be joggled, as
well as that of each succeeding step, similarly
to those of the first flight. The principle upon
which stone geometrical stairs are constructed
is, that every body must be supported by three
points placed out of a straight line; and there-
fore, that if two edges of a body in different
directions be secured to another body, the two
bodies will be immoveable in respect to each
other. This last case occurs in the geometrical
staircase, one end of each stair stone being
tailed into the wall so as to be incapable of
tilting, and another edge resting either on the
ground itself, or on the edge of the preceding
stair stone or platform as the case may be.
The stones which form a platform are generally
of the same thickness as those forming the
steps.

On the Scientific Operations of Stone Cutting.
—The operations by which the forms of stones
are determined, so as to combine them properly
in the various parts of an edifice, are founded
on strictly geometrical principles, and require
the greatest care and exactness in execution.
It is only by a thorough knowledge of the
nature of these operations that the master
mason is able to cut and carve the parts
which, when joined together, compose the
graceful arch, the light tracery of the Gothic
vault, or the graceful and magnificent dome.
In what follows we propose to confine ourselves,
first, to the leading operations necessary to set
out the simple arch or vault, and the groins
formed by it; second, to the forms produced

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

by vaults with plain and curved surfaces inter-
seeting: third, and lastly, to dome vaulting :
giving such examples as will so initiate the
student that he may, we trust, have little, if
any, difficulty in resolving any case that may
occur.— Gwilt.

ZEnamel,

[Continued from page 113, Vol. II.] -

Rep.—We have no metallic oxide capabie of
giving directly a fused red; that is to say, we
have no metallic calces which, entering into
fusion and combining, under the form of
transparent glass, with fluxes or glass, give
directly ared colour. To obtain this colour,
it must be compounded different ways, as fol-

half (you may, however, take only one part)
of sulphate of iron and of sulphate of alu-
mine, fuse them fogether in their water of crys-
tallisation, and take care to mix them well
together. Continue to heat them to complete
dryness; then increase the fire so as to bring
the mixture to ared heat. The last operation
must be performed in a reverberating furnace.
Keep the mixture red until it has everywhere
assumed a beautifulred colour, which you may
ascertain by taking out a little of it. from time
to time, and suffering it to cool in the air.
You may then see whether the matter is suffi-
ciently red: to judge of this it must be left to
cool, because while hot it appears black. The
red oxides of iron give a red colour; but this
colour is exceedingly fugitive; for as soon as
'|the oxide of iron enters into fusion, the portion
of oxygen, which gives it its red colour, leaves
‘jit, and it becomes black, yellow, or greenish.

To preserve, therefore, the red colour of this
oxide in the fire, it must be prevented from
vitrifying and abandoning its oxygen. I have
tried (says M. Clouet) a variety of different
substances to give it this fixity, but none of

alum and sulphate of iron may be varied. The
more alum you add the paler will be the colour.
Three partsof alum to one of sulphate of iron

ive a colour which approaches a flesh colour.
lt is alum also which gives this colour the pro-
perty of becoming fixed at avery strong heat.

it has much more fixity than the purple, but
not so much as the blue of cobalt. It may be
washed to carry off the superfluous saline mat-
ter, but it may be employed also without edul-
\coration ; in that state it iseyen more fixed
and more beautiful. It does not require much
flux ; the flux which appeared to me to be best
suited to it is composed of alum, minium,
marine salt, and enamel salt. This flux must
be compounded in such a manner as to render
it sufficiently fusible for its objects: from two
or three parts of it are mixed with the colour.
In general three parts of flux are used for one
of colour; but this dose may and ought to be
varied according to the nature of the colour
and the shade of it required. Red calx of
iron alone, when it enters into fusion with
glass, gives a colour which: seems tobe black ;

Pe EE SS eee

but the finest quality is manufactured in China,
lows:—Take two parts, or two parts and a}

lakey or crimson by mixture with lake or car-

varies from 3s.

them succeeded except alum. The doses of |

‘February, 1848, amounted to £808,864; for|
‘embanking and other extras, £378,097.

This colour may be employed on raw enamel; |

infinitely to be preferred to paint, paste, or;

-of rosin, and one of boiled nut oil, and lay on

2s
but if the colour be diluted with a sufficient
quantity of glass, it at last becomes of a trans-
parent yellow. Thus the colour really pro-
duced by calx of iron combined with glass is a
yellow colour, but which being accumulated!
becomes so dark, that itappearsblack. In the
process above given for making the red colour,|
oxide of iron does not fuse; and this is the||
essential point; for if this colour is carried in||
the fire to vitrification, it becomes black or
yellowish, and disappears if the coat be thin,
and the oxide of iron present be only in a|
small quantity.
[To be continued:]

VeERMILLION.—Vermillion is manufactured in!
England, Holland, and other parts of Europe,

which, however is often adulterated before it
reaches the hands of the painter. Field says)
of this colour—“‘It is true that vermillions
have obtained the double disrepute of fading
in a strong light, and of becoming black or
dark by time or impure air; but colours, like
characters, suffer contamination and disrepute!
from bad association; it has happened, accord-,
ingly, that vermillion which has been rendered)

mine, has faded in the light, and that when it
has been toned to the scarlet hue by red. or
orange lead, it has afterwards become blacken-
ed in impure air, &c. Hence the ill-fame of
vermillion both with authors and artists.’’—
Real Chinese vermillion is a permanent and aj
beautiful colour—it is an impalpable powder,
possessing great density and opacity when
mixed as a paint, but from the ease with which
it is adulterated, and the consequent difficulty)
of obtaining it pure in this country, it isrequi-
site to commission it direct from China in order
to insure its being genuine;—it costs in China)
about 4s. 10d. per lb. Its price in this country:
to 6s. per lb.—Practice of

House-painting.
Sratistrcs or THE New Houses or Partia-
mENT.—The original estimate made for the
new Houses of Parliament amounted to the
sum of £707,104; the sum actually paid up to

To Crystatiuise Guass Winpows To Ren-)
DER THEM SemI-Opaque.—Make a hot satu-!
rated solution of Epsom salts, or, still'better, of
sal ammoniac. Wet the glass window with
this solution, laid on equally with a paint
brush. The moisture will almost instantly be
evaporated, and the salt be deposited in a very
beautiful radiated form. This deposition will
admit the light, yet cannot be seen through;
and for rendering windows semi-opaque is)

other materials employed for this purpose.

‘Recirze ror MAKING Tracinc Parer.—The
editor of the Mechanics’ Magazine gives the
following recipe for producing a tracing paper
‘that leaves nothing to be desired.” Mix six
parts (by weight) of spirits of turpentine, one} |

with a brush or sponge. ee

__™ F_eeTET7EOTHTOHTSESESwe--— ees

The Chronotyptst.

——

Sinver medals of the value of 500f. each, have
been awarded by the Paris Society of Arts to
M. B. Everard and M. Poitevin, anda gold
medal of the value of 2,000f: to M. N. St. Vic-
tor, for improvements in photography. Two
silver medals of the value of 250f.:each, three
of 500f. each, and a gold medal of the value of
1,000f. have been also awarded to various com-
petitors for improvements in photography. .
We have been much gratified, says the Critic,
by the inspection of some specimensof stained
glass by Mr. E. B. Lamb, intended for the win-
dows of a private chapel in Scotland, designed.
and erected: by him. Having given his atten-
tion very successfully to a branch of ornamen-
tation now considered almost indispensable for
the Gothic style, Mr. Lamb possesses, as an
able practical architect, a great advantage over
those who are either architects only—and
must, therefore, trust to the taste and intelli-
gence of others for embellishment of the kind
in their buildings—or else are :glass-painters
only, and therefore do not sufficiently under-
stand how to make their work contribute to
general’architectural effect. The windows al-
luded to are unusually tastefully composed
designs, and though rich in brilliant hues are
free from anything like gaudiness. The
colours are so artistically arranged as to display
themselves with peculiar breadth, and mutually
relieve each other—a very important point
in this species of art, which is seldom suffi-
ciently attended to, and sometimes wholly dis-
regarded.—The Electric Telegraph Company
is said to be involved in great pecuniary em-
barrasments, in consequence of the non-success
of the speculation.—The exhibition of the
Old Water-Colour Society was opened to the
public on the Ist instant.——The number of

pictures now exhibiting in the metropolis

amounts to 3,723.——A new stone and marble
hand-saw has been patented by Mr.

Hutchinson, the patentee of the mode
of indurating building materials, lately
noticed in the Dercorator’s —AssISTANT.

The frame is mounted ona pair of grooved
rails, regulated laterally by screws, while the
frame itself can be adjusted vertically, and,
being balanced by a bob-weight and pulley,
can be moved backwards and forwards by hand
more easily and smoothly, and with greater
effect, by a boy of ten years of age, it is al-
leged, than the usual hand-saw can by the
most powerful and experienced workman.
Several saws can be worked and several slabs
cut in parallel lines with the same frame, and
the work is not so liable to be injured by vibra-
tion as with the more expensive steam saw.
Provision is also made for the supply and regu-
lation of water and sand, and the machine ‘is
covered by a portable shed.——M.. Versepuy,
has communicated to the Paris Academy of

Sciences a notice of a method patented by

him, of manufacturing white lead in closed

vessels, whence it is extracted and mixed with
water. Itcannot, consequently, be diffused in

dust through the atmosphere of the work-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 4

shops; the workmen neither touches nor
breathes it; the only contact which occurs,
with some precautions, is to put it in and take
it out of ‘the stove, and thus many of the
dangerous ‘consequences resulting from the
present mode of making white lead: are avoided.
-——A very powerful, ~self-acting, sloting ma-
chine, for fashioning, ‘polishing, and perfecting
the cranks and cross-heads of the largest
marine steam-engines, from the rough block
out of the forge, is in course of erection for
Messrs, Fulton and Neilson, of Lancefield
Forge, near Glasgow. The single casting
which forms the base of this machine weighs
twenty-eight tons, and took four months to
mould. It was executed by Messrs. John
Goldie and Co., of Hayfield. Foundry. Two
hundred men and six‘horses were required to
move it; and fears were entertained that one
of the bridges by which it crossed the Clyde
would not be strong enough for the burden.

Exterman’s Process ror REMOVING THE
Reruse or Larce Towns, &c.—Some time
since, in noticing Mr. Ellerman’s admirable
pamphlet on ‘‘ Sanitary Reform,’’ we expressed
our intention of returning at some future time
to the subject matter of the treatise, a promise
which we now hasten with’ pleasure to fulfil.
Mr. Ellerman’s process consists in the follow-
ing arrangements, which are both simple and
effective :—Each house is to be furnished with
a pipe, of common material, communicating
from the water-closets, sinks, &c., to a large
trunk-pipe, formed of very thick glass (which
experience has proved to be the best for the
purpose, from its non-liability to oxidation, and
the ease with which it may be cleaned), placed
at some distance beneath the roadway, and with
a gradual slope or inclination towards an im-
mense reservoir, situated at the junction of
cross-roads, &c. The-filth of the houses is all
emptied by means of the pipes into this reser-
voir, where it remains until carted away in the
night-time ; it being pumped up into covered
carts by means of an atmospheric apparatus.
Previously to this, however, it is submitted to
a process (Ellerman’s deodorising) which re-
moves all its noxious qualities, while at the
same time it’ does not injure in the least its
value asamanure. Altogether we may des-
cribe Mr. Ellerman’s process to ‘be the most
simple, efficacious, economical, and profitable
one that has hitherto been brought: before the
notice of the public, and our earnest desire is
to see it universally adopted; ) «~

To Remove Grease Spots rrom Drawines.|}
—If a little magnesia (it will be well to try
both the calcined and the carbonate) is pow-
dered over the grease spot,, with a piece of
clean thin blotting paper laid again on that,
and a common laundry iron moderately passed
a few times over it, the grease is often readily
removed. If it does not come out at once, or
if there is a very large spot, it will be well to
shake off the magnesia which cakes with the
heat, sprinkle a fresh quantity over it, nad
pursue the same plan.

(\ ie & :

A DESIGN FOR THE CAP OF A PILASTER—-PERPENDICULAR STYLE.

No. 54.—Vol. II: Q 14d.

{

aamedennts
2 e A}

Saturpay, ]

British Art.

AST, very fast, is art
progressing : — The
number of paintings
now exhibiting in the
metropolis amounts, as

we stated in our last,*
to 3,728. Taken as a sign of the times, this fact
speaks volumes for the industry and perseverance

of our English artists ; and when we come to con-
sider that the average merit of the works is far
beyond mediocrity, it also speaks well for the
rising talent of the age, and affords a convincing
proof that genius, like vegetation, is capable of
springing up on almost any soil so long as

a genial atmosphere is present to encourage its
growth.

For our own part we are inclined to the
opinion that art—notwithstanding all that may
be said to the contrary—was never in a more
prosperous condition in this country than it is
at the present moment.
is plunged in political contention and distress,

* See ‘‘Chronotypist.””

THE DECORATOR’ ASSISTANT.

Although the nation |

[May 20, 1848.

art flags not in its onward progress; and
indeed, taking all circumstances into con-
sideration, it would be surprising if it did. The
English artist is surrounded in his native land
by sufficient materials to guide and cultivate
his taste, without having recourse to the trea-
sures of other lands; and he has now better in-
stitutions than formerly in which to place his
works and bring them prominently before the
eyes of the public. The literature of the fine
arts has also of late years increased in extent
by the addition of the works of Muxter,
Eastiaxke, and a host of others, a bare list of
whom would be sufficient to fill the whole of
our columns, whose labours have placed before
him all that is valuable for his purpose in
ancient and modern history; besides this,
recent discoveries of fresh antiquities, com-
prising many celebrated works of art, all tend
to swell the number of his models—to place a
bridle upon his imagination, and to lead him,
like some faithful guide, through those domains,
which it is necessary that he should traverse
ere he can expect to reach the summit of his
profession.

While on the subject of art and artists, we
may as well mention a project which we have’
had long in consideration, and which we think
would, if carried into practice, prove an ines-,
timable boon to the artistic world generally ;
this is the publication, under patronage of the
proper authorities, of a “ Painter’s Encyclo-
peedia,’”’ in which all the pictures representing
a particular subject should be so placed as to.
afford a ready means of reference and com-
parison. To render our meaning the more
clear, we will suppose the word ‘‘ Landscape”’|
to be illustrated by specimens of the works of,
Il Dosso, Bernassano da Milano, Matthias
Cock, Il Muttano, John Bol, George Haef-
naghel, P. Franceschi, Martin de Vos, Ag.
Caracci, Annibale Caracci, F. d’Angeli, Paul
Brill, Matthew Brill, P. P. Gobbo, 1 Viola, R.
Saveri, J. Mompre, A. Tassi, Rubens, C.. Po-
lembourg, J. Brueghel, Moses, B. Briemburg
J. Asselyn, G. B. Mola, Salvator Rosa, Claude
Lovraine, N. Poussin, G. Poussin, and all the
modern painters of note. Lithography has
now so far advanced as an art, that the plates
might. be printed in colours, so as to afford
perfect fac-similes of the originals.

~ By the adoption of this plan, young artists

means of instruction, which at present it is
utterly out of their power to attain. .

[The initial letter at the head of this article
is taken from a Church Service Book inthe
British’ Museum.—Harl. MS., 2;801.]

Go Porrespondents, Ke.

—_

ADVERTIsEMENIs.—All Advertisements for the

Wrapper of our next Monthly Part must be sent
to our office on or beforethe 3rd of June, in order
ito «sure. insertion.
Cases for Vols. I. and Il. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

Part XIII. is now ready, stitched in a neat
wrapper, price 7d.

| “SF —We shall.be happy, to receive any of
the receipts, S§:c., mentioned in your letter.

| “ Facque.’—To lay down a course of study
thet shall qualify aman for any particular pro-
tession is all times. difficult task; but we will
| endeavour to comply with your request so far as
to state that a civil engincer should be practically
conversant with geometry, algebra, mathematics,
mechanics, natural and experimental philosophy,
geology, mensuration, topography, and also pos-
sess a knowledge of architecture, building,
steam navigation, and chemistry—he should be-
| sides be possessed of a liberal education, and a
mind disposed to reflect and contemplate on all
| things by which he is surrounded—for there is
nothing in which he may not be interested at some
period or the other of his professional career.—
| Thanks for your good wishes and kind recom-
mendation of our work.

_ “ Regiomontanus.’’—You invariably address
| your letters toa Mr. “‘ W. Biggs’’*—there is no
such person at our office, nor wm any way con-
nected with the Decorator’s Assistant. We
wish we could impress it on the minds of our cor-
respondents that letters requiring answer in this
publication should be addressed to no other person.
than.the Editor.

““The Godolphin Arabian.” By M. Sur,

Translated by Henny D. Mites, with a Preface
by: F. Bs Tuomerson.—Z beautiful tale excellently
translated, and published in a very cheap form by
Mr. Dipple, of Holywell-street. It ts, besides,
capitally illustrated.
i Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Invention, §c., to be addressed to‘ the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”

| | QUERIES.

7. Required—the manner in which that appen-
dage to the lathe called the “ oval chuck’’ is made
in its simplest form; and also how the cement is
made such as turners use in fixing their work to
‘the face chuck, so that it adheres without screws
jor other fastening. ‘hy

THE. DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

find the other side.”

‘recovered, but this seems a most questionable

‘treatment is really remarkable; as the frag-'
‘ment broken off from the bar in the spoiled’
‘state, and other from the same bar after part;|

‘the maximum amount of condensation before!

heating, or even the too frequent heating,

8. Required—a method of setting off any dis-

lwould have Afforded to them an excellent £22¢¢ from the periphery. of a circle, which shall)

be equal to the circumference of a smaller circle ;

—for instance, on the periphery of the circle ac
(10 ft. diameter) it is required, from the point c to
set of a distance that shall be equal to a circle of
oft . 6 in. diameter.

Erratum.—The second query, page 13, ante,
should read thus :—*‘ Given, two sides of a tri-
angle, and the line bisecting the included angle, to

To Dye Hory.—Horn is easily dyed by
boiling it in infusions of various coloured in-
gredients, as we see in the horn lanterns made
in China. In Europe it is chiefly coloured of
a rich red-brown, to imitate tortoiseshell, for)
combs and inlaid-work. The usual mode of
effecting this is to mix together pearl-ash,)
guicklime, and litharge, with a sufficient quan-|
tity of water and a little pounded dragon’s|
blood, any boil them together for half-an-hour.| |
The compound is then to be applied hot on the
parts that are required to be coloured, and is to’
remain on the surface till the colour has
struck: on those parts where a deeper tinge is,
required, the composition is to be applied a
second time. ‘The process is nearly the same,
as that employed for giving a brown or black
colour to white hair, and depends on the com-,
bination of the sulphur, (which is an essential
ingredient in albumen,) with the lead dissolved)
in the alkali, and thus introduced into the |
substance of the horn.—Azkin’s Dict.

To Restore Burnep Sreet.—When cast-)
steel has been spoiled by overheating, it may be
partially recovered by four or five reheatings
and quenchings in water, each carried to an!
extent a little less and less than the first excess,
and lastly, the steel must have a good ham-
mering at the ordinary red heat. Some go so
far as to prefer for cutting tools the steel thus’

policy, although the change wrought by: this’

restoration and hardening, will exhibit the
extreme characters of coarse and fine. The
hammering I suspect to be the principle requi-)
site, and in superior tools it should be con-
tinued until the work is nearly cold, to produce,

hardening; but no hammering will restore the’
loss of tenacity consequent upon the over-!

of,

steel, without excess.—Holtxapffel.

=a =]
THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 33) |

The effect _to be produced is that of architec.
tural grandeur, which owes its beauty more to
.the effect of light and shadow than to any ar-

‘rangement of colours; yet they ought not to
|The Laws of Harmonious Colouring, Sc. By | be so entirely free from colour as ‘the'-exterior |
R. Hay. London: W. Blackwood and| of a mansion, but should be in colouring what
[6th Edit. | _ | they are in use—a link between exterior sim-
Titolo uli: ond Ale elaine sieddeae otal dd plicity and interior richness... Staircases and
Dee ne ee Sie ery grantees coun aig nani
Pe ates, a pias ah aaa siiseial the style of their colouring, will much improve
any higner meed of praise than he has already | the effect of the apartments which enter from
received at the hands of our contemporaries | them.—It will be observed, that in the forego-
and the general public :—as an artist he is well| ing observations I have taken notice only of,
oe A as an author Ser cdl SO. di ©} such apartments as are to be found in the town |
has up to the present time published seven als- | or country residences of gentlemen of modern
pein senpeated SEE me Ya Ae [moderate] fortune ; and although the general,
other with the art of decorative painting, each | principles I have endeavoured to elucidate are
perch aasom Haauee ees Ae? equally applicable to the palace and the cot-

fo aRetiet,

wea

Sons.

pun, contemptible as it would be—volumes Or | grand staircases, corridors, saloons, &c., requir-
the sterling qualities ofthe writer’s brain. €|ing in every individual case a peculiar mode of.

book now before us is exactly the one for the | treatment for which it is impossible to lay down)
|practical man—it is full of information on | any general rules.’’

levery subject that could possibly be of interest
to the house-painter ; take for example the fol-
lowing on the application of colour in interior
decoration :—

Morresponvence.

Marking Ink. .

“The st¥le of colouring must depend en-

tirely on the use of the apartment. In adraw-

tage, vet in the higher class of edifices, we find);

|ing-room, vivacity, gaiety, and light cheerful-
ness should characterise the colouring. This
is produced by the introduction of tints of
|brilliant colours, with a considerable degree of
contrast and gilding; but the lightest colours
and strongest contrast should be upon the fur-
|niture, the effect of which will derive additional
value and brilliancy from the walls being kept
in due subordination, although, at the same
|time, partaking of the general liveliness.—The
characteristic colouring of a dining-room
should be warm, rich, and substantial; but
where contrasts are introduced, they should not
be vivid. This style of colouring will be found
|to correspond best with the massive description
of the furniture ;—gilding, unlessin very small
quantities for the sake of relief, or to carry off
the effect of picture-frames, should be avoided.
—Breakfast parlours ought to be painted in a
medial style between that of a drawing-room
and dining-room.—The most appropriate style
of colouring for libraries is rich and grave, and

no higher colouring should be employed than | given in the Pharmaceutical Times.

Sir,—There is a question asked in the No. 52)
of the Decorator respecting marking ink, in

reply to which I have sent the following :— |

Dissolve 1 drm. of nitrate of silver in 2 oz. of|
water. Add to the solution as much liquid am-
monia as will redissolve the precipitated oxide,
with sap-green to colour it, and gum-water suffi-
cient to make the whole quantity amount to one
ounce. ‘Traces written with this liquid should
be first heated before the fire, to expel the ex-
cess of ammonia, and then exposed in the rays
of the sun to blacken. For this liquid, linen
requires no previous preparation. 2nd. Imbue}

the linen first with a solution of carbonate’ of||

soda, dry the spot, and write upon it with a
solution of the nitrate of silver thickened with,
gum, and tinted with sap-green.

I remain, Sir,
Yours obediently,
London, May 4th, 1848.

[The following receipt, by Prof. Soubeiran; is

** Nitrate] |

is necessary to give the effect of grandeur, and| of silver, eight grammes: nitrate of copper,
unite the painting with the richness produced|three grammes; carbonate of soda, four
by the bookbinder’s art. This can scarcely be| grammes; liquor of ammonia, one hundred
done by neutral hues; but care should be taken | grammes. Dissolve, and keep im a well corked
not to disturb the quietness which ought to| bottle. This ink requires no mordaunt.”—
characterise the colouring of all apartments of | Eprror.]

this ‘description by any masses of vivid colour.

—In bedrooms, alight, cleanly, and cheerful

style of colouring is the most.appropriate. A| Tractron.—One hundred pounds force of
greater. degree of contrast may be here ad-| draught, or traction, at four miles per hour,
mitted between the room and its furniture than | draw 15,000lbs. on a canal; 11,000 oma railway,
in any other apartment, as the bed and window | and 1,400 on a turnpike. At ten miles, 2,500
curtains form a sufficient mass to balance’a tint | lbs. on a canal ; 11,000 on a railway, and 1,400)
of equal intensity upon the walls.. There may, | ona turnpike. A horse whose traction is! 83%.
also, for. the same reason, be admitted gayer | lbs. will, in eight hours, at three miles an’ hour,|
and brighter coleurs upon the carpet.—Stair- | draw 240 tons ona canal; 92 on a railway,
eases, lobbies, and vestibules, should all be| and twelve on a turnpike: or,in two hours,
rather of.a cool tone, and the style of ‘the | at*six miles, will draw 30 tons on a canal; 48
colour should be simple and free of contrast. }ona railway, and six on a. turnpike.

@ Tota

(34

THE DECORATOR’S | ASSISTANT.

An Llustratey Glossary of Technical
Terms used in Architectural anv
-Entevior Decoration, Ke.
[Continued from page 24.]
‘ Darr, a small description of arrow, thrown

by hand; or through a tube by means of air.
See Bolt, ‘‘ Appendix” proa. .

Decargonisation (in metallurgy), an
operation performed upon cast iron to convert
it into steel or-soft iron. The articles to be
decarbonised are packed in finely-powdered
hematite, or native oxide of iron, to which
iron filings are often added, and exposed for
‘Some time to a strong red heat, by which the
excess of carbon is abstracted or burned out.
The process somewhat resembles annealing
or cementation.

when their feathers are trimmed at the edges
with a small line of another colour.

Dertaits (of a plan), drawings or: delinea-
Itions for the use of workmen, otherwise called
working drawings.—In the fine arts, the parts
of a work as distinguished from the whole
mass.

DistemPer (in painting), a word derived
from the French Détempre, meaning a prepara-
tion of opaque ‘colours ground in water, and
fixed by the admixture of size, paste, or gum.
Colouring plaster work in distemper differs
from fresco-painting, inasmuch as the latter is
applied while the plaster is quite wet, and is
thereby incorporated with it, whilst the former
is applied whilst the plaster .is quite dry, and
lasts only so long as the animal or vegetable
substance which binds it withstands the action
of the atmosphere, and this is seldom more
than two years, unless when the surface of the
plaster has been rendered impervious to ab-
sorption by one or two coats of paint.—D. R.

ay.

Detrt-Ware is akind of pottery covered
with an enamel or white glazing, which gives
it the appearance and neatness of porcelain.
Some kinds of this enamelled pottery’ differ
much from others, either in sustaining sudden
heat without breaking, or in the beauty and
regularity of their forms, of their enamel, and
of the painting with which they are ornamented.
In general, the fine and beautiful enamelled
ware, which approaches the nearest to porce-
ain in external appearances, is that which least
resists a brisk fire. Again, those which sustain

‘measure, in alcohol.

Decxep (in heraldry), a term applied to birds | _

a sudden heat are coarse, and resemble com-|
mon pottery. This kind of ware has its name)
from Delft, in Holland, where it is made in
large quantities. .

Dracon’s Buoop, a brittle dark red-coloured||

‘resin, imported from the East Indies, the pro-

duct of pterocarpus draco and dracena draco.
It is insoluble in water, but soluble, in a great}}
The solution imparts.a|{
beautiful red stain to hot marble. It dissolves||
in oils, xeactexl f
Drawine Suate, chalk of a grayish-blackj|
colour employed in crayon drawing. et

Dritt, an instrument employed for pene-||
trating various substances, by an action pecu-||
liar to itself. a represents the steel-bow; 8 the||

common cane-bow; c drill and stock; pmus-
ical instrument maker’s drill and stock. See||
also a description of Moseley’s Archimedian
drill stock, page 37, vol. i.

Ducritiry, that property or texture of bodies
which renders it practicable to draw them out}|.
in length, while their thickness is diminished
without any actual fracture of their parts.,
This term is almost exclusively applied to
metals. ;

[To be continued. ]

Perspective.—A landscape in perspective||
should not include more than an angle of sixty ||
degrees, or one-sixth of the horizon. All lines|}
perpendicular to the picture or perspective||
plane, vanish in the point of sight, and the

‘size of objects is therefore inversely as. their

distance.

| GAright’s Cellular Plate Oven,
| 14, GREAT CHARLOTTE STREET,

i BLACKFRIARS ROAD.
|The first in-Great Britain for the Manufaeture
| and Sale of Bread baked by Hot Water
tl akg 4 Circulation. oe
: It has been justly observed, that even at the
present day we are practically unacquainted
with one-half of the qualities and appliances
‘of that mighty wonder-worker, steam; its uses
multiply so fast upon us, that we might well
imagine with the Irishman, that somebody had
cut off the end. Peas
||. The invention now under notice promises

fair to produce a complete revolution
in our culinary operations, and to aid
materially in the improvement of manufac-
| tures, answering all the purposes of steam,
and in many instances, where high tem-
| peratures are required, far surpassing it.

hex ‘ 5 =
t Tite
1 |

, Ale a |

‘Patent Metallic Cellular Plates, through which
‘heat is conveyed in proportion to the require-
‘ments of the articles; thus a temperature of
400 or even 500 degrees is acquired and
‘maintained for any length of time with perfect
uniformity, thereby rendering it suitable to the
‘varied purposes of the baker and confectioner,
with the additional very important advantage,
not possessed by any other oven, of incurring
no loss of time in cleansing or re-heating.

Fig: 1 represents a longitudinal view of
| the oven, the floor and crown of which is

‘plates, two inchesin thickness, having 600 feet
lof .cells, three-quarter inches in diameter,
‘running through them. A _ boiler is placed
‘about ten feet below, where water is heated
and ascends through the flow pipes, displacing
that in the cells, thus keeping up a rapid cir-
‘culation until the required temperature is
‘obtained; the draft is then shut off by a
‘damper. A very slow combustion, with an
‘occasional piece of coke only, just to keep the
jwater moving, is all that is required for the
preservation of a solid heat, and to enable the
\baker to continue his operations without inter-
mission. rr

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

wall,
‘several minor arrangements, which appeared
to us to render it a piece of perfect machinery.

Mio O COO 00005 0001050500 0 0

illo "0 00 0 0 0 6 0 00000000000

formed of peculiarly . constructed metallic |.

35}

The apparatus is supplied by an hydraulic
pump attached, afew strokes of which previous
to commencing the labours of the day, suffices
‘to keep it in working order. A valve and
cistern is placed at the highest point, regulated
by a lever and weight, for the escape of
water and air, to relieve any variations of
pressure. A thermometer also is introduced

by means of a bent tube; the bulb containing
‘the mercury is inserted horizontally into the||

body of the oven, the precise temperature of

‘which is at all times denoted by a scale of

Fahrenheit accompanying, the perpendicular
part of the tube on the exterior of the front
We also noticed a huge filter and

Fig. 2 shows the entrance to the oven, which
it will ‘be perceived closely resembles that of
the one in common use, underneath this is the
proofing or drying-room, where the articles are
deposited upon racks either before or after they
have been submitted to the baking process.

On paying a visit to the establishment a few

Fig, 1,

The oven is formed of Brown and Co.’s/| days since, we were struck with the applica-
bility of the system to the short-time move-

‘l i

PROOFING OR DRYING ROOM.

Fig. 2.

dO _.THE DECORATOR’S ~ ASSISTANT. |
PT
ment, now so popular with the journeymen| called spills, are employed for the handles of
jbakers; we were informed the patent oven|penknives, and many other little objects;
will bake in a’superior manner in twelve hours| the scraps are burned in retorts for the manu-
jas much as can be done in twenty-four, upon | facture of ivory black, for making «*ink for
|the old principle. By the introduction, there-| copper plate printers, and other uses; and the)
|fore, of this admirable system, night-work| clean ‘sawdust and Shavings. are used for
jmay be abolished, and that neglected and| making jelly.
jinjured class of men rescued from their} ahr
|degraded and servile condition.

The above is in constant operation, and cer-
|tainly deserves the attention of all persons
interested in baking, whether for trade or
|domestic purposes, as well for its utility and
economy as for its cleanliness and the dispatch
with which it performs its necessary duties;
and judging from the specimens of bread, bis-
cuits, &c., exhibited for sale in the window, we
must pronounce it a most perfect system.

Those amateurs, who may he desirous to!
produce either one large specimen of ivory!
work, or several pieces forming .a set, as- of,
chessmen, &c., endeavour if. possible to make
the whole of the work from. one tooth; as
although the colour of ivory may be considered,
as yellowish white, and therefore, like writing’
paper, pretty much alike, such is not the ease,
and it is often extremely difficult, or almost
impossible, to match pieces from two different.
teeth, so that the colour, transparency, and.
fibre, shall exactly agree.

re ee ene

|
{

On the se of Roorp for Curing.

[Concluded from page 17.]

Tue choice of ivory in the tooth is admitted
by the most experienced to be very uncertain ;
of course, for the purpose of turning, a
solid cone would be the most economical
figure, but as that form is not met with,
we must be satisfied with the nearest
approach that we can find to it, and
|select the tooth as nearly straight, solid, and
round as possible, provided the other prog-
nostics are equally favourable.

The African ivory, when in the most per-
|fect condition, should appear when recently
jcut of a mellow, warm, transparent tint, almost
as if soaked in oil, and with very little ap-
{pearance of grain or fibre; it is then called
transparent or green ivory, from association
with green timber; the oil dries up consider-
jably by exposure, and leaves the material of -a
|delicate, and generally permanent tint, a few
shades darker than writing paper.

The Asiatic is of amore opaque dead white
|character, apparently from containing less oil,
jand on being opened it more resembles the
ultimate character of the African, but it is the
more disposed of the two to become discoloured
or yellow. The African ivory is generally
closer in texture, harder under the tools, and
polishes better than the Asiatic, and_ its
compactness also prevents it from so readily
absorbing oil, or the colouring matter of stains
when intentionally applied.

Preparation of Ivory, §¢.—On account of the
great value of ivory, it requires considerable
judgment in its preparation, from the three
circumstances of the form of the tusk ; first, its
being curved in the direction of its length ;
secondly, hollow for about half that extent,
and gradually taper from the solid state to a thin
feather edge at the root; and thirdly, elliptical
orirregularin section. These three peculiarities
give rise, to as many separate. considerations
in cutting up the tooth with the requisite eco-
nomy, as the only waste should .be that
arising from the passage of the thin blade. of
the saw: even the outside strips of the rind,

one respect it exceeds them, as ivory alters in|

former change wood is comparatively free.'|

but these would only produce a sensible effec _|

Ivory requires a similar drying, or seasoning?
to that recommended for wood; as when the.

pieces cut out of the tooth are too suddenly
‘exposed to the hot dry air, they crack and

. - |
warp after the same manner, and the risk is

the greater the larger the pieces; and on this
account ornaments turned out of ivory or wood, ||
especially those composed of many parts, should |
not be placed upon those chimney-pieces which, ||
from their size, are so close to the fire as to
become heated thereby in any sensible degree.
Notwithstanding the difference between the,
component parts of wood and ivory, and that
the latter does not absorb water in any mate-|
rial degree, it is subject to the changes of size
dnd figure experienced by the woods, and in|

length as well as width, whereas from the

The change, however, is very much less in the.
direction of the length than the width; this is’
particularly experienced in billiard balls, which
soon exhibit a difference in the two diameters,
if the air of the apartmeut in which they are
used, differ materially from that in which the |
ivory had been previously kept. The balls
are usually roughly turned to the circle for some.
months before they are used, to allow the
material to become thoroughly dry before
being turned truly spherical; and in some of
the clubs they even take the precaution of
keeping the rough balls in their own billiard-|
room for a period, to expose them to the iden-|
tical atmosphere in which they will be used. ||
Ivory agrees likewise with wood, in shrinking
unequally upon the radius and tangent when’
cut out of quarterings; on this account, bil-
liard balls are always made out of teeth only |
so much larger than them, as the thickness on

the coat or bark, and which sized teeth procure.
an advanced price.

It may be asked, what means there are of
bleeching ivory which has become discoloured, |
I regret to add that I am wumacquainted with)
any of value. It is recommended in various.
popular works. to scrub the ivory with Trent)
sand and water, and similar gritty materials;|

by the removal of the external surface of th®
material, which would be fatal to objects: del.

eately carved, or those worked with the cutting
instruments applied to the lathe.

Perhaps it may be truly advanced that ivory
‘suffers the least change of colour when it is ex-
“Posed to the light, and. closely covered ‘with a
‘glass shade. It assumes its most nearly white
condition when the oil with which it is natu-
rally combined is recently evaporated; and
itis the custom in some thin work, as the keys
lof piano-fortes, &c., to hasten this period, by
‘placing them for a few hours in an oven
jheated in a very moderate degree, although

pieces to shrink before they are glued upon
-||the wooden bodies of the keys. Some persons
boil the transparent ivory in pearl-ash and
water to whiten it; this appear to act by the
superficial extraction of the oily matter as in
bone, although it is very much better not to re-
‘sort to the practice, which is only employed
ito render that ivory which is partly opaque
and partly transparent, of more uniform ap-
pearance.

It is imagined by some that ivory may be
‘softened so.as to admit of being moulded like
horn or tortoiseshell, its different analysis
contradicts this expectation ; in thick pieces it
suffers no change in boiling water, although
thin shavings give off their jelly, which sub-
‘stance is occasionally prepared from them;
‘truly the caustic alkali will act upon ivory
‘as well as upon most animal substances, yet
‘it only does so by decomposing it; ivory, ex-
| posed to the alkalies, first becomes unctuous or
| Or saponaceous on its outer surface, then soft
| if in thin plates, and it may be ultimately
||dissulved provided the alkali be concentrated ;
||/but it cannot in either case be made to resume
||its first condition.

Ivory is not in all cases used in solid pieces,
to which the foregoing remarks principally
apply ; but itis frequently cut into thin leaves
and glued upon fabrics of wood, for the manu-
factor of small ornamental boxes, and works
of various kinds, after the manner of the
|/veneers of wood, or the plates of tortoiseshell ;
itis also used in buhl works, combined with
ebony, &c.

Such thin plates are usually cut out of the
solid block, with a fine feather edge veneer
saw, parallel with the axis of the tooth: but
the mode introduced in Russia for cutting
veneers spirally from a cylindrical block of
wood, with a knife of equal length, (as if the
jveneer were uncoiled like a piece of silk or
‘cloth from a roller,) has been latterly ap-
plied to the preparation of ivory into similar
veneers, converting the cylinder of ivory into
jone ribbon, probably by the action of a. reci-
procating saw. Monsieur H. Pape, of Paris,
piano-forte manufacturer, has taken out
patents for this method of cutting ivory spirally
into sheets. .A specimen, 17 in. by 38 in., and
about one-thirtieth of an inch thick, glued
upon a board, may be seen at the Polytechnic
‘Exhibition in Regent Street, and M. Pape
advertises to supply sheets as large as 30 by
|150 in. He has veneered a pianoforte en-
||tirely with ivory.

the more immediate object is to cause the |

The ivory thus divided must be necessarily
very thin to be sufficiently pliant ; and as ivory],
is admitted to be more transparent than
writing paper of the equal thickness, this in-
troduction promises to be of more use for the
artists in water colours than for veneering, as
from their tranparency such thin leaves are
apt to show the colours of the wood or glue;
on this account the ivory for vencering should
not be extremely thin; and the woods and
glue’ should be selected of very light
colours.

Whate-jish glue, or “‘ Diamond cement,’’ as it
is sometimes called, which is very often used
for ivory-work, both in attaching ivory to ivory,
and ivory to wood, is made of isinglass,
(which is prepared from the sound or swimming
bladder of the sturgeon,) dissolved in diluted
spirits of wine, or more usually in common
gin. The two are mixed in a bottle corked
and gently simmered in a vessel containing
boiling water; in about an hour the isinglass
will be dissolved and ready for use; when cold,
it should be an epaque, milk-white, hard jelly;
it is remelted by immersion in warm water,
but the cork should be at the time loosened;
it may be found necessary, after a time, to add
a little spirit to replace that lost by evaporation.
When the isinglass is dissolved in water
alone, itsoon decomposes.

Factitous ivory, and also factitious tortoise-
shell, have been prepared in France in thin)
plates of veneers. I have procured some)
pieces about a foot square, of the so called
ivory ; it looks exactly like a dull opaque cement,
the tortoiseshell like a piece of stained horn;)
neither of them at all approach the beauty of;
the true substances.

Macapamisep Roap.—Stones for roads are
broken to six ounces, but rounded pebbles do
not imbed. Ten inches depth of well-con-
solidated materials are sufficient, whatever the
substratum, and better soft than hard or rocky.
Five tons of sized stones over a morass last as
long as seven on a hard bottom.—M‘ Adam.

AnciLes.—Seven or elght degrees is the
greatest angle for carriages, fifteen degrees for
beasts of burden; and thirty-five degrees can-
not be ascended by aman without steps, and
even with steps fourty-four degrees is very
difficult.—Saussure.

Redgrave’s trial fresco of ‘“‘ Catherine Doug-
las barring the door with her arm,’’ has been!
made the subject of a paper-hanging for
rooms.

At Seacombe, a No.1 pilot boat, built of
gutta percha, has been shipped. It it 174 feet
long, and though nearly filled with water, and
having four men on its gunwale, kept its buo-.
aney. Jt weighs 190lbs., and sustains a
pressure of 15 cwt. It not only ‘answers the.
purpose of a pilot boat, but is also convertible
into a life boat. |

—

oi PAanutacture of Shell Gameos.*
|

‘Tue ancients formed cameos by engraving
figures, in low relief on different kinds of sili-
‘cious stones, generally selecting for their pure
‘pose{those which had layers of different colours,
'so that the figures, or the different parts of the
‘same figures, were of divers colours. Such
‘eameos are now made in Southern Europe, and
also in France, where this art has lately been
attempted to be revived; but the hardness of
the materials requires so much labour to be
employed in the fabrication that the cameo dur
‘(the name given to this imitation in France) is
too expensive to come into general use. Many
attempts have been made here, andin other
parts, to introduce substitutes for the ancient
cameos, such as different kinds of porcelain
and glass. Their great inferiority has, however,
‘caused them to be neglected, and the best and
now most usual substitutes are the shells of
molluscous animals; several kinds of these
animals afford the necessary varieties of colour,
and are at the same time sufficiently soft to be
worked on with ease, and hard enough to resist
/wear, and to last for a long period of time. It
Was formerly the custom, especially in Holland,
‘to use for this purpose the pearly nautilus, and
‘several kinds of turbines or wreath shells,
which have an opaque white external coat over
‘an internal pearly one. ‘These have now
almost entirely gone out of fashion, and are
rarely to be met with, except in the eabinets
of the curious; but they must have been much
‘esteemed formerly, for Seba and Rumphius
figure many specimens which were contained
in their collections. The shells now used are
'those of the Flesh-eating Univalve (Gastero-
poda ptenobranchiata zoophaga) which are pecu-
iar for being all formed of three layers of
calcareous matter, each layer being composed
of three perpendicular laminz, placed side by
‘side; the laminze composing the central layer
being placed at right angles with one of the
‘mner and outer ones; the inner and outer
being placed longitudinally with regard to the
axis of the line of the shells, while the inner
laminz are placed across the axis, and con-
centrically with the edge of the mouth
of the cone of the shell. This structure,
as proved in the paper. before referred to,
gives great strength to the shell, and thus
affords more protection to the animal; it
also furnishes the cameo-cutter with the means
of giving a particular surface to his work; for
a good workman always carefully puts his
work on the shell in such a manner that the
direction. of the lamina of the central ccat is
longitudinal to the axis of his figure. In
cameos the central layer forms the body of the
'bas'relief, the inner lamina being the ground,
and the outer one the third or superficial colour
which is sometimes used to. give a varied ap-
pearance to the surface of the figures.. The
cameo-cutter selects for his purpose, first, the
shells of this kind which have the three coats

* From the Tranactions of the Society of Arts for 1846-7.
(See also page 177, vol. 1.) -

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

or layers composed of different colours, as
these afford him the means of relieving his
work; and, secondly, those: which have the
three layers strongly adherent together; for
if they separate, his Jabour would be lost.
The kinds now employed, and which experi-
ence has taught them are best for their pur-
pose, are—the bull’s mouth, Cassis rufum—
which has a red inner coat, or what is called,
a sardonyx ground; the black helmet, Cassis
Madayascariensis, which has a blackish inner
coat, or what is called, an onyx ground; the
horned helmet, Cassis cornutum, with a yellow
ground; the queen conch, Strombus gigas, with
a pink ground. . The bull’s mouth and the
black helmet are the best shells; as the horned
helmet is apt to separate from the ground, or
“‘ double,’”’ as the French workmen call it; and
the last, or queen conch, has the two colours
seldom distinctly marked from each other, and
the pink of the ground colour easily flies by
exposure to the light. The red colour of the
bull’s mouth only extends a slight distance in
the mouth of the shell, becoming paler as it
proceeds backwards, as may be observed by
the pale side which is generally to be observed
in each red-grounded cameo. ‘The dark colour
extends further in the black and yellow kind ;
hence the bull’s mouth affords only a single
cameo large enough to make brooches, and
several small pieces for shirt studs; and the
black helmet yields on an average about five
brooches, and several pieces for studs; and the
queen conch only one good piece. The manu-
facture of shell cameos has been carried on in
Rome for upwards of forty years; it was confined
to Italy until the last twenty years, at which pe-
riod an Italian commenced the making of them
in Paris. Little progress was, however, made
until the last ten or twelve years; but, at the
present time, a much greater number are made
in Paris than in Italy. About 300 persons
are now employed in Paris in this branch
of trade, earning wages which vary from three
to twenty-five francs per day, according to
their talent and skill. Thirty years ago, very
few cameos were made from any but black
helmet, and the number of shells then used
amounted to about 300 annually, nearly the
whole of which were sent from England, being
all that were then imported. At that period,
the average price of each shell in Rome was
thirty shillings. Not more than a hundred of
the bull’s mouth, sufficiently thick for the pur-
pose of cutting, could be annually obtained,
and their average price in Rome was ten shil-
lings. To show the rapid increase of this
trade, the number used in France last year was
nearly as follows :—

Aver. Price. s. d. Value.

Bull’s Mouth ... 80,000 ...... 2 francs, nearly 1 8 ...66,400
Black Helmets... 8,000 .. >» 5 0... 1,920
Horned Helmets 500 ...... Bre De Ose 60
Queen Conch ... 12,000. ...... 13 So PLA 2 sc omaaiaz ioe
——— ee

100,500 shells. Sterling, £9,105

Of the bull’s mouth half are received from the
island of Bourbon, to which they are brought
from Madagascar; and the other half are the
produce of the island of Ceylon, part of which
are received from the English dealers, and
some, vid Calcutta, are imported direct fo

‘ported to America and the British Colonies.

| the latter.

Havre ; hence, though originalty from Ceylon,
they are called by the French cameo-cutters,
‘Calcutta ‘shells;’’ no shell of the kind is,
‘however, found. in the fresh water rivers of
‘that city. The black helmets are supplied
‘entirely from England, being the produce of

| Jamaica, Nassau, and New Providence. They

‘are not found in Madagascar, though natu-
ralists have fora long period called them the
‘Madagascar helmet, by which name they are
known to the cutters. The average value of
‘the larger cameos made in Paris will be about
five francs each, making, in the whole,a sum
‘of £32,000 sterling ; and the small cameos may
amount to £8,000; forming a total of abont
£40,000 for the’ last year. In England not
‘more than six persons, are employed in this
trade. Nearly half of the cameos made in
France are sent to England; many of themare
mounted as brooches in Birmingham, and ex-

‘This trade has materially increased since the
‘reducticn of the import duty on cameos, which
was, until lately, twenty per cent on the value,
‘and is now only five per cent.

Mertatuic Sanp.—This sand is produced by
grinding copper slag by means of powerful ma-
chinery, and consists of iron, zinc, arsenic, and
silica, the iron predominating ; the slag is pro-
eured in abundance in Swansea. In chemical
‘analysis, it is very similar to the pozzolano, and
‘in point of durability is found to be equal to
With blue lias lime, which is used
for hydraulic works, the metallic sand readily
enters into combination; and these having
been used together for external works, exposed
ito all the changes of the atmosphere, have
‘proved the indurating qualities of the metallic
‘sand, after an experience of eight years.
‘Specimens were laid on the table :—I1st, brick-
work of a fresh-water tank, which had been
erected six years, was removed by a pickaxe,
the bricks yielding to the strokes of the axe, but
'the cement remaining solid; 2nd, imitations of
marble executed by a painter on the face of
\stuecoed work, formed of metallic cement, in
‘conjunction with common chalk, lime, and
‘putty, and afterwards polished; 3rd, a speci-
jmen of fresco painting also executed on a face
‘similar to the above; 4th, a vase, the figures
on which retain their original sharpness,
although it has been exposed to the atmos-
phere for many years.—Dyer.

Borany.—The Horticultural Society’s garden
at Turnham-green, five miles from London,
containing fifty acres, may now be viewed by:
parties free of expense by a member’s order.
These may be obtained also of the Messrs.
Loddiges, of the London Arboretum, Hackney,
and of the Editorof the Gardener’s Gazette, at
the office of that paper, Charles-street, Covent-
garden. Respectable persons desirous of
visiting these most delightful grounds may;
apply to the above through a post-paid letter,
enclosing a stamped envelope, and an order of
‘admittance will be returned them at the earliest

convenience of those gentlemen, ~

. (PHE.. DECORATOR’S,

“ASSISTANT.
WAater-colour Society...)

——

In noticing a collection, comprehending 346)
productions, the majority of them the works. of|
tried men, it is most unsatisfactory that we can-
not record advance. The exceptions to the
general tameness are few.

The President, Mr. Copley Fielding, is con-
spicuous in ‘‘ Mont Blanc from Sallenche, after
a sketch by G. S. Nicholson, Esq.” (No. 162).
The subject is one possessing all the ele-
ments of a grand combination—the majestic
mountain whose summit is covered with eternal
snow, forming a valuable apex to the whole.
The lowness given to the horizon, while it
confers altitude on the main feature, make)
Mr. Fielding’s merit the greater in having,
expressed between it and the foreground so
much of space and distance. This is aided) by
the variations in the colour; the foreground
being one of great richness, and the lofty trees
coming in at the left-hand corner combining
with those seattered about on the right in most
useful directions of line and mass.

“Storm on the Coast of Mull, with a view
of Ben-Morein the distance; taken from near
the Isle of Staffa”’ (120), is one of those grand
effects which Mr. Fielding knows so well how
to produce, where wind and water are at
strife.

The few and small drawings which Mr. Cat-
termole offers, only inerease our desire for
something of more import from his pencil,
There is always a charm in what he does. If
he benot adelineator of actualities, he is.a poet.
He has the suggestive faculty strong within’
him; and this it is that has often carried his
generalisations into vagueness. His works
this year, however, would seem to indicate
that he has now hit the happy medium. In
the “* Refectory—Grace’’ (259) heis sufficiently
definite; and has attributed to the various
personages assembled in the interior the due
variety of action and gradation, sentiment and
and feeling—as expressed in the forms of head!
and hand and limb and drapery. The proper
minutiz are all given with full attention to the
requirements of the scene. As regards the
expression’ appropriate to the ceremony in
progress, this picture is a high manifestation
of what Mr. Cattermole can do if he puts him-
self out. It is also very rich in colour and in
masterly handling. pea

Mr. Alfred Fripp’s principal drawing here
is a ‘f Pilgrim at Glonmacnoise approaching the}
Altar-site” (193); and awell-intentioned design
it,is,—bvt not carried out in detail with due
‘attention to nature and to taste. There is
careful working, but the care is of execu-
tion and detail. The picture -is. careful)
in the minute elaboration of heads and)
hands and feet—but not in the sense’ of
truth-in good average form, or in the local
colour or shadows of the flesh. Dg GS) wy"

Mr. De Wint has two oblong ‘view of Not-

tingham (28)—broad and simple and daylight-|| —

looking in’ its effect—and Lincoln. (147)—the}
cathedral and city being seen in the distance. |
Mr. Topham, has sent two drawings-'One

eet

| \for gas.

* Rory O’More’—=“ Arrah, Kathleen; my dar-
lint, you’ve teazed me enough.’”’ In many
respects this is an advance on the artist’s
former works. In ‘‘Near Capel. Cirig, North
Wales’’ (100)—where peasants with a calf are
crossing -a bridge—Mr..Topham displays his
powers as a painter of external nature to great
advantage.—Athenawm. - this

The Chronotppist.

Ir is intended to have the, spire of . Salisbury
cathedral church newly pointed in the . course
of the ensuing summer.’ We are told that a
perlod of nineteen years has elapsed since any
similar repairs were made.——A rich mine of

United States, at the foot of the Monadnock
mountain. ~ It brings about seventy-five dollars
per ton. The mine was purchased.for the sum
of fifty dollars.—Mr. Bryson has proposed a

ing of oil, sulphur, and vulcanised caoutchouc,
which he considers to possess properties supe-
rior to any, now in use.-——The Dover Refuge

| Harbour has been commenced.——The greatest

numbet of letters or signs which have yet been

leonveyed by telegraph in’ the United States is
istated to have been 25,000 in 1h. 30 m., being

at the rate of 277 and a fraction .per minute,
while in England Mr. Bain has accomplished

|1,000 per minute.——A scheme has just been

put forth relating to aérial nayigation, which
has one merit—that it. is a complete novelty,
and can be compared -in no respects to its pre-

is to be composed ofa stout horizontal frame
formed of faggots of bamboo, containing within
itself a long silk balloon tapering to a point at
each end. On each side of the frame are two
pairs of boxes, made of sheet iron, supplied
with moveable lids, which are connected with
the main rods of four wings. The wings are to
\be formed of long and narrow silk planes or
feathers, one to be circular in form, twenty
feet in diameter, and .so connected with the
frame by joints and springs, as tomake the up-
ward movement in an oblique direction, while
in the downward action the whole under surface
will be exposed to the resistance of the air.
On ‘the under surface of the whale-like balloon
is to bea car twenty-five feet long; and at one
extremity a conic shield is to guard the balloon
from injury; while at the. other a rudder or
tail, twenty-seven feet long, is to direct its
flight, It will be asked, what is the moving
power? ‘The-answer will be heard with sur-
prise : the’ successive explosions of a mixture
of gas and air in the boxes at the rovt of the
wings, by which means they.will be made to
flap about twelve times a minute! -The bal-
loon, says the -inventor, is not to be depended
upon for its. assistance; itis a mere. reservoir
The explosion is to be effected in the
four, boxes by the electric spark. The inventor
eatculates.on thus attaining a power equal to

(88) is an illustration of Lover’s ballad of

black lead has been opened in Jeffrey, N.H.,

composition for lubricating machinery, consist-

decessors of any kind. ,The proposed machine:

made entirely of

saline fluxes longer than any other, and is

THE DECORATORS: ASSISTANT.

eighty. horses! The. weight is _ placed. at
2,000lbs.. The velocity he prudently declines
to conjecture. ‘‘ Judging from the analogy of
our model aéronauts”’ [the birds] ‘‘ we may ex-
pect a rate of progress almost unknown on
earth.’’—— An American has invented a process
by which glass is made to perfectly resemble
and;answer all purposes of marble, and: that,
too, at fifty per cent. less than the cost of the
real marble.——Alternate, plates of zinc and
cast iron have been discovered, by Dr. Ailam,
of Maynooth, to constitute a cheap and effective
galvanic battery. .The difference is at £40 to
£2,000... This battery is three times as power-
ful as any other now in .operation.——The
issue of orders for the admission of the public
to ;view, the state appartments in Windsor
Castle isresumed. ©

Crucisites.—In the manufacture, of various
kinds of, pottery employed in the chemical
laboratory, and especially, in regard to cruci-
bles, many difficulties occur; and many requi-
sites are necessary which cannot be united in
the same vessel. To the late Mr. Wedgwood
we are mdebted for vast improvement in this as
well as in other branches of the art. Crucibles
composed. of one part of pure clay mixed with
about -three parts of coarse and pure sand,
slowly dried and annealed, resist a very high
temperature without fusion, and generally re-
tain metallic.substances ; but where the metals
are suffered to oxidise, there are few which do
not. act upon any earthern vessel, and some
cause its rapid fusion, as the oxide-f lead, bis-
muth, &c. Where saline fluxes are used, the
best crucibles will always suffer, but. platinum
may often be employed in these cases, and the
chemist is thus enabled to combat.many diffi-
culties which were nearly insurmountable be-
fore that metal was thus applied. Whenever
siliceous and aluminous earths are blended, as
in the mixture of clay and sand, the compound||
softens, and the .vessel. loses it shape when
exposed to a long-continued white heat, and
this is the case with the Hessian crucibles.
The most refractory of all vessels are those
clay—coarsely , powdered
burned clay being , used as a substitute for the
sand. Such a compound resists the action of

. «

therefore used for the pots in, glass furnaces.
A Hessian crucible lined with pure clay is ren-| |
dered more retentive; and a thin china cup,
or‘other dense: porcelain, resists the action of
saline matters in fusion for a considerable time.
Plumbago is a very good material for crucibles
and applicable to many purposes; when mixed
with clay it forms a very difficultly-fusible
compound, and is. protected from the action of
the air.at, high temperature: itis well calen-
lated for small table furnaces. Wrought iron,
and the best cast iron crucibles, are used. for
the.fusion of several metallic substances which
meltat a bright red heat.. The latter are ysed
in the Mint for the fusion of silver ; the geld is
melted in black lead or plumbago pots. —
Brande’s “‘ Manual of Chemistry.”

peat os ag

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SKETCHES FROM NATURE.—No. I.

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THE LABURNAM. p

No. 55.—Vol. III. Ae aueh: 1M,

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Rural Architecture.

jornamental taste of the age is not con-
fined to the metropolis
suburban rambles often,
come across some very pretty specimens of
rural architecture; but while we feel inclined

alone —in_ our

we now-a-days,

to praise the meritorious spirit to which they
owe their origin, we cannot, at the same time,
shut our eyes to many defects which such
ledifices most glaringly exhibit. It is not our
‘intention on the present occasion to compose
an elaborate list of grievances, and to bring to
light minute errors which it would require a
‘microscopal eye to discover; our object is
to instruct rather than to censure, and, where
possible, to correct rather than to condemn.
| It seems to be the prevailing taste of the archi-
tects of the present day to concentrate even to
the point of absurdity; and, accordingly, we
find Lilliputian residences, comparatively
speaking, adorned with all the sombre
massiveness and heavy grandeur of the
eastellated edifice;—thus, the plan of a
mansion designed cover a hundred
square yards of ground is unthinkingly adopted
with regard to one designed to cover, perhaps,
iscarcely'as many feet. This exposes a sad
want of judgment. Such buildings can
| never look well to the eye, nor pleasing to the
imagination of the spectator; but, like some
dwarf attired in the garments of a giant, only
produce a ridiculous effect. These remarks

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

[May 27, 1848. -

we believe to be just, and we doubt not but
‘hat few will be found opposed to our opinion.
An edifice constructed faithfully according to
the pure and simple principle of any style of;
architecture is always to be commended; but
when we find a six-roomed house constructed
as a castle, with battlements and turrets, it
positively becomes too bad to let pass un-)
noticed.

Again, with regard to the chimney-pots, we,
cannot atall see what there is to be ashamed of
in them, and why they should be uniformly
converted into such odd-looking unmeaning|

masses. Everybody is aware that they are very,
useful if not necessary appendages to a house, |
unless the inmate chooses to be smoked out,—.
then why are they constructed as turrets? It
certainly seems more odd to see smoke issuing
from a sort of dwarf sentry-box, than a
genuine old English chimney-pot, which has sO,
long presided over our fireside.

Another objection which we have to urge is;
one against the preposterous manner in which
hall-doors are often placed—sometimes at an
immense distance above the level of the foot-
path. The reason for this we know not, ex-
cept it is for the saving of a slight expense in
digging the foundation deeper, and which is by
no means adequate to the inconvenience thus

created.

One more stricture and we have done —It
is no uncommon circumstance to see houses.
erected in the Elizabethan style, furnished
with railings ornamented either with the
acanthus or gothic foliage; such patchwork as.
this is abominable in the extreme—it is not
variety but contrast, and that not of the best.
description. The fact is that such matters as,
this generally escape the notice of the archi-
tect, and the error is only left to be detected by)
the critic.

Hoping that these few desultory remarks
may meet with some degree of attention, and,
that our advice may be instrumental in creat-
ing something like congruity, we for the pre-
sent, lay down our pen.

Gitpep Tureap.—“ Gold thread” is merely
a thread of yellow silk covered with a very thin

flatted wire of gold, by means of a properly||

arranged revolving wheel.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

Gusse’s Tervesin SDleepers.

_—

Havine lately noticed this invention, we now
proceed to present an account of it in Mr}
Busse’s own words :—

‘“My sleepers are manufactured by hand,
just on the spot where they are wanted. They
are easy to make, are cheap and solid, and
promise a duration for a period of time not to
be calculated; supposing only thirty years, it
greatly exceeds that of wooden ‘sleepers. I
have cast sleepers, according to my invention,
8 ft. long, 14 in. broad atthe base, at an out-
lay amounting toless than 1 Prussian dollar
(gs.) the piece. The yet good pieces out
of the old worn sleepers may advantageously
be cut for frame top pieces. The me-
thod after which I build and compose
the said sleepers is as follows:—I take
two pieces of wood, dried to the highest
degree by artificial heat in a stove. Imme-
diately after drying, I dip those pieces in a
boiling compound of 10lbs. of brimstone and
100lbs. of coal tar, to which IT add 80lbs. of
very fine powder of caustic lime. This done,
T scratch or take off with a knife the super-
fluous compound, leaving only a thin coating
on the wood. The pieces of wood thus pre-
pared are now brought anywhere along the
line of the railway where coarse gravel is to be
found, it may be taken out of the soil or from
ariver. The latter is to be preferred, con-
taining less earthy matter. The gravel mixed
with fine or coarse sand or small stones—the
latter tillto an inch diameter—ought to be dried
or rather heated before used. The wooden
frame is placed, the top side to the bottom,
in a conical iron or wooden mould—the latter
material is to be preferred—which is to be
filled up with the compound which I call
“terresin,’ and which is prepared as follows :—
Itake an iron vessel, large enough to hold a
quantity of terresin, sufficient to cast three
sleepers: I melt 10lbs. of brimstone, add 75lbs.
of stiff coal-tar, and mix it by stirring with it
100lbs. of fine powder of well dried, fresh-
burnt, caustic lime, which is slaked in the air
or with a little water. Where powdered chalk
or plaster are cheaper, these materials may be
used as well. The exact quantity of lime,
chalk, or plaster for a given quantity of brim-
stone and eoal-tar is dependent upon the
quality of the said materials, and the choice of
the right proportion must be left to the
best judgment of the manager. In case
the tar should not be of good quality, a
little resin and grease may be added. To
this compound add, always stirring and
turning the mass over a gentle fire, 10 to
12 cubic feet of that before mentioned dried and
heated gravel, and fill or rather ram the thick
hot compound into the moulds’in which the
frames are placed. The moulds must before-
hand be well coated with clay, and afterwards
sifted over with fine ash, to prevent the com-
pound adhering to the mould. Before the
compound is cooled it is:advisable to pierce

one or two holes through the top part of the
sleepers, vertically to the bottom, with an iron
bar. By these means the sleepers and rails
may be levelled or balanced as accurately as
possible, by pressing dry sand into the holes,
which will leave the sleepers spreading under
the bottom part. The sleeper being:completely
cooled, it is taken out by overturning the}
mould. The ‘top pieces, where the rail or
chair is'to be serewed (which is by far the
better process) ormailed down, must be left free
from the compound, and are only coated with
the thin hot compound, ‘without the gravel,
which may be repeated after having fastened
the chair, to secure the top pieces against the
influence of airand water.

‘‘ By this contrivance we get a very cheap
sleeper, as hard.as stone, and extremely heavy
—400lbs.—without losing the elasticity which
is wanted fo a certain degree, and allows,
what is a matter of importance, that the rails
or chairs are situated directly on:wood. Here
I feel obliged to-remark that we have found it
in Germany a good practice to swpport\the
sleepers only on the twoextremities, leaving the
gravel or-sand loosely underneath the»middle
part, an experience undoubtedly made like-
wise in England. Itis amatter of importance
that any kind of wood may be employed, and
that the construction of the frame and the
size of the sleepers may be altered according
to circumstances. The sleepers may be made
much wider witb a proportionate small increase
of expense. The thin terresin, without gravel,
can be used with great advantage to cover the
wooden sleepers already laying, which after
that preparation will last longer. In case of
using the terresin for this purpose, I expect
a commission of £1 for every 1,000 pieces thus
covered, and if it is employed for covering
roofs, bridges, viaducts, houses, pavements,
floors, &c. 2d. for the square yard. For those
different purposes it 1s advisable to add about
3 to 10 per cent. of animal grease, tallow, train
oil &c. For floors, pavement, &c. the same
compound is used as for sleepers, without any
grease,

‘““ Regarding the resistance against pressure,
itis to he observed that sleepers on the Leipsic
and Dresden Railway have undergone, without
the least alteration, the pressure of the heaviest
trains, with 20-ton locomotives. Their firmness
and compactness is beyond all doubt, and
their cohesion so great, that it was only with
great difficulty that a sleeper of this kind could
be broken up with iron chisels and hammers.

“T should be extremely pleased if Boards
of directors and engineers would give the in-
vention a fair chance, by trying 200 or 300
sleepers.”

Zincinc.—Copper- and brass vessels may be! |
covered with a firmly adherent layer of pure
zine, by boiling them in contact with a solution
of chloride of zinc—pure zinc turnings being
at thesame time present in considerable excess.
The same object may be obtained by means of,
zine and a solution of sal ammoniac or caustic
pottassa.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT:

Go Porresponvents, Ke.

eee

AvvERTIsEMEN'TS:—All Advertisements for the
Wrapper of our next Monthly Part must be sent
to our office on or before the 3rd of June, in order
to insure insertion.

Cases for Vols. I. and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

Part XIII. is now ready, stitched in a neat
wrapper, price 7d.

“ Marcus.’’—Apply to the Secretary of the
Decorative Art Society.

“ E. O.”—We are very much obliged for the
extract—it shall be made use of. We shall al-
ways be happy to hear from you.

“An Inquirer.’—West, optician,
Strand.

““ Claude Lorraine.” —We endeavour to be as
punctual as we can in replying to our correspon-
dents; but they increase so fast that we cannot
answer them all the same week in which they
arrive. The Decorator’s Assistant always
goes to press on the Monday, so as to be ready for
publication on the Wednesday, which will suffi-
ciently explain the reason why we cannot answer
letters received on the Tuesday in the current
week's. number.

Received.—“ A Painter,” ‘‘ Morton,” “F.L.”
** A Subscriber,’ “‘ T. B.”’

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “‘ the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”

West

Royal Lnstitution.

DR. FARADAY’S LECTURES.

Dr. Farapay commenced his annual course of
lectures on the 6th instant, to a numerous and
fashionable audience. The subject for the
present year is ‘‘On the Allied Phenomena of
the Chemical and Electrical Forces,’’ wherein
he will pursue the investigation into the connec-
tion of all the physical forces which he entered
on last year. The lecture on Saturday was
devoted to preliminary explantion and illus-
trations of chemical force, in which was shown
the distinction between the actions of particles
of the same substances on each other, which
constitutes mechanical force, and the mutual
actions of the particles of different substances,
wherein the science of chemistry depends.
While making this distinction, Dr. Faraday
pointed out the close assimilation of the two
forces, and howintimately their phenomena are
connected.. Mechanical force produces mole-
cular action, and the aggregation of particles—
of. two drops of water on a rose-leaf, for
example—is the result of chemical action; the

same in kind, though different in degree, as
decomposition and combustion. Numerous
experiments were performed, with Dr. Fara-|'
day’s usual skill in manipulation, to exemplify)
different kinds of chemical action, beginning
with the feeblest, and proceeding to the most/|
energetic. The contraction of the volume of
given quantities of spirits of wine and water,
when mixed, was shown, by putting the two]
fluids into a glass vessel so constructed that
they were kept separate until inverted, and
when the mixture took place, the vessel, which
was previously quite full, exhibited an empty
space. The decomposition of zether by nitric
acid, resulting’ in the evolution of an in-
flammable gas, was contrasted with the
opposite effect of producing a solid white
substance, by mingling together ammo-
niacal gas and muriatic acid gas and by
the solidification of limpid solutions of
muriate of lime and carbonate of potass.
Dr. Faraday particularly impressed on _ his
auditors that the results of chemical actions
are not mixtures, but that they form com-
pounds distinct from, and often possess proper-
ties directly opposite to those of the combined
substances. Notwithstanding these changes,
however, and the apparent annihilation of the
component parts by the process of chemical
action, one of the most important facts which
chemistry teaches is, that matter is indestructi-
ble. Lavoiser, by employing the balance in
chemical investigations, was enabled to prove
that, even during combustion, there is no par-
ticle of the original matter destroyed, nor is it
even changed. The products of combustion
are found to weigh exactly the sameas the com-
bustible and the gas with which it unites during
the process, and the original elements may be
reproduced unchanged. As an easy illustra-
tiom of the apparent destruction of a substance
by chemical combination, and its subsequent
restoration. Dr. Faraday adduced the combin-
ation of iodine with zinc. A small quantity of
iodine was heated ina glass flask, when the
beautiful violet-coloured vapour peculiar to
that substance was copiously emitted. A little
zine and spirit of wine were then added, and,
after the combination, all the properties of the
iodine seemed to be lost, and was heated with-
out the emisson of the least vapour. The ad-
dition of sulphuric acid, however, liberated the
iodine, and then its violet-coloured vapour
again filled the flask. Thus, as Dr. Faraday
observed, the particles of iodine which had
been floating umnperceived on the water
since the creation of the world, after
having been extracted from the sea-weed
by the chemist, and placed on the lec-
ture table, were again lost to sense in com-
bination with zinc, amd were once more
restored by chemical ageney. As there is no
destruction nor creation of matter’ by chemical
action, so also there’ is no destruction nor
creation of power, though some: philosphers
still cling to the notion that: the excitement of
electricity forms: an- exception to this law of
nature. The consideration of the development
of electricity in the voltaic battery, by chemi-
cal force, was, however, reserved for the next
lecture.

44. THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

3. Elizabethan.

(Ves co'@

An Hlustratey Glossary of Technical
Terms used in Architectural and
Entertor Becoration, Ke.

[Continued from page 34.]

Druipicat OrnAMENTsS, these were orna-
ments worn by the Druids, or priests of the

ancient Britons, symbolical of their mystic

° ° : |
ie! We will conclude these specimens next

week. |

Decokation, Stytes or, we here append |
specimens of such styles of ornament as have [To be continued.]
become established by long usuage :—

1. Alhambra.

ry Factitious Dracon’s Broop. — Shell-lac’)

4lbs.; melt, remove from the fire, and add)
Canada balsam, 5 oz., and coarsely powdered |
gum benzoin, 20z.; when well mixed, stir in’
red Sander’s wood and Venetian red (both in|}
fine powder), of each 1lb.; blend well toge-
ther, and form into sticks. The above pre-.
paration may be distinguished from genuine
dragon’s blood by its partial solubility in)
alcohol. It makes, however, a very fine-
coloured powder, but for varnishes is better)
without the Venetian red. oid)

V 4 | , cn) :
T by ) LZ

Ali Vr i

2. French.

' Cement ror Jorninc Broken Marsie.—
Melt yellow resin, or equal parts of yellow
resin and bees’-wax; then stir in half as much
finely-powdered plaster of Paris. Apply hot,|

5 previously warming the pieces.

een _Specutum Merat.—Copper, 64 parts; pure,

Z ns Taine tin, 29 ditto. Melt the metals separately under

eee - |a little black flux; incorporate thoroughly by

oy, x3 stirring with a wooden spatula, then run the

SRK | metal into the moulds, so that the face of the

( \ S intended mirror may be downwards; cool
slowly.

'‘&c.) of papyrus linen, &c.

leopard (fig. 7).

THE DECORATOR’S

Shoes.

-_—

Ir is difficult to determine the period at which
shoes were first worn; the earliest notice of
them occurs in Genesis, c,14, v.23, ‘‘ I will not

jtake from a thread, even to afshoe-latchet’’ (B.C.
1913) ; andin Lzodus, c. 3, v. 5, ** Put thy

shoes from off thy feet”’ (B.C. 1490). Shoes ap-

pear to have been made by the Egyptians at a|_

very early date (as discovered in mummies,
The shoes, or san-
dals of the ancient Romans, were originally of
rude, untanned leather, the favourite colour

jbeing red. The shoes most worn by the Ro-

maus were the “‘ calceus’’ (fig. 1), which covered
the whole foot, something like our present
shoes, and the ‘‘ solea’’ or slipper (fig. 2), which
covered only the sole of the foot, and was fas-
tened above with leathern thongs. The mili-
tary shoe (fig. 3) was termed the ‘“‘ caliga,”’ and
to the circumstance of Caius Cesar wearing
these when a child—being born in a camp and

‘reared amongst the soldiers—is owing his sur-
name of Caligula.
40, the shoes of the wealthier classes were
beautifully enriched with precious stones, the
patricians wearing ivory crescents on the instep
ito distinguish them from the lower ranks of

At this date, about A.D.

the people. The actors at this time had a thick

soled boot invented denominaied ‘‘cothurnus”
‘or ‘‘ buskin”’ (fig. 4).

From the time of William the Conqueror to
the twelfth century, the shoes were much after
the form of fig. 5. The effigy of King John

‘represents him as wearing black boots, ap-

proaching the pointed form, and golden spurs,
tied with coloured ribands (fig. 6). On the
effigy of Henry III., in Westminster . Abbey,
the boots are very beautiful, being embroidered
in squares, each of which contains a lion or a
The hose of noblemen in the

ASSISTANT.

fourteenth century were richly ornamented in
gold and various coloured silks (fig. 8). A!
very fine specimen of the embroidery worn on}
the shoes is seen on the monument of Edward|
III. (died 1377) in-Westminster Abbey (fig. 9),/
and on those of his William of Hatfield, seen
on his effigy in York Cathedral (fig. 10). |

W.T. R.

[To be continued.] f

|
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|
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|

Tue Execrric Terecrapu.—tlectricity is
traceable to the electron of the Greeks; and
some four-and-twenty centuries ago, the roving
old bachelor Thales, whilst strolling along the
sea-shore, may have picked up a piece of |
amber, and from it produced the first electric
power ; though it is hard to associate the philo-|
sopher with a spark. Nevertheless, the glass}
tube and silk handkerchief phenomena!
belong to the moderns. Franklin identi-
fied lightning with electricity about a hun-}
dred years since; but the adaption of this
mysterious power—the writing on the line—to'
the conveniences of every-day life, betongs to:
vur own century, nay, almost to the present,
decade.—London Anecdotes, Vol. I., The Hlec-
tric Telegraph.

To Ercu Atapaster.—Cover erery part of |
the surface of the model or cast, except the
portion to be etched, with a mixture of one
part of white wax dissolved in four parts of
oil of turpentine, thickened with finely pow-.
dered white lead. When this coating has set:
immerse the article in pure water, and allow it!
to remain from twenty to fifty hours, according,
to the effect intended to be produced. Then,
take it out, remove the superfluous water, wash|
off the varnish with oil of turpentine, and
carefully brush the etched parts over with pow-
dered gypsum.

A6 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Varnishes.

[Continued from page 107, Vol. II.]

71. Brunswick Black.

Foreign asphaltum, forty-five pounds; drying
oil, six gallons; litharge, six pounds. Boil for
two hours; then add dark gum amber (fused),
eight pounds; hot linseed oil, two gallons.
Boil for two hours longer, or till a little of the
mass when cooled may be rolled into pills,
then withdraw the heat, and afterwards thin
down with twenty-five gallons of oil of tur-
pentine. [Used for iron-work, &c.]

72. Italian Varnish.

Canada balsam and clear white resin, of each
six ounces; oil of turpentine, one quart,
dissolve. [Used for prints, &c.]

78. Lacquers.

a. Seed-lac, three ounces; tumeric, one
ounce; dragon’s blood, a quarter of an ounce;
alcohol, one pint. Digest for a week, frequently
shaking,—-decant and filter. [Deep gold
coloured. | F

6. Ground tumeric, one pound; gamboge,
one ounce and a half; gum sandarach, three
pounds and a half; shell-lac, three quarters of
a pound; all in powder; rectified spirit of
wine, two gallons. Dissolve, strain, and add
one pint of turpentine varnish. [Gold co-
loured. ]

c. Spanish annotto, three pounds; dragon’s
blood, one pound; gum _ sandarach, three
pounds and a quarter; rectified spirit, two
gallons; turpentine varnish, one quart. Dis-
solve and mix as the last. [Red coloured.]

d. Gamboge, cut small, one ounce; Cape
aloes, ditto, three ounces; pale shell-lac, one
pound; rectified spirit, two gallons. Dissolve
and mix as 6. [Pale brass coloured. ]

e. Seed-lac, dragon’s blood, annotto, and
gamboge, of each a quarter of a pound; saf-
fron, one ounce; rectified spirit of wine, five
quarts. Dissolve and mix as 6b.

[Lacquers are used upon polished metals and
wood to impart the appearance of gold. As
they are wanted of different depths and shades
of colour, it is best to keep a concentrated
solution of each colouring ingredient ready, so
that it may at any time be added to produce
any desired tint. ]

74. Superior Green Transparent Varnish.
The beautiful transparent green varnish em-
||ployed to give a fine glittering colour to gilt, or
other decorated works, may be prepared as
follows :—Grind a small quantity of Chinese
blue with about double the quantity of finely-
powdered chromate of potash, and a sufficient
quantity of copal varnish thinned with tur-
pentine. The mixture requires the most
elaborate grinding, or incorporating, otherwise
it will not be transparent, and therefore useless
for the purpose to which it is intended. The
“tone” of the colour may be varied by an
alteration in the proportion of the ingredients..

A preponderance of chromate of potash causes
a yellowish shade in the green, as might have
been expected, and vice versé with the blue
under the same circumstances. This coloured
varnish will produce a very striking effect in
japanned goods, paper-hangings, &c., and can
be made at a very cheap rate.

[To be continued. ]

The Obhronotypist.

In Paris, a report made by the Director of
the National Museums has revealed the!
existence in the Louvre of a number of,
concealed repositories filled with objects of art,
of various kinds, thrown together in waste
confusion. A commission has been appointed
to examine these treasures.—A Commission of
Reform, composed of artists, has been likewise
instituted in the same capital to examine into,
the constitution and condition of the School
of Fine Arts there and those of the Academy
at Rome, and to propose measures for their,
improvement.——Mr. George Petrie has re-
cently specified a patent for an apparatus,
that shall enable the telegraphist, or any)
public person who employs the telegraph,
situated at any station, in a line of telegraphs,
or system of telegraphs, to operate upon any,
distant part or parts of the general telegraphic.
apparatus, so as to connect, into one long cir-
cuit, any number of consecutive circuits or
branch circuits, so as to divide any circuit, or
circuits, into any number of smaller circuits;
also, so as to cut off from, and introduce into,
any of the main, or branch circuits, any)
number of conversing telegraphs, recording
telegraphs, alarums, or any other kind of tele-|
graphic apparatus, in order that intelligence,
may be transmitted privately from one place,
to any other place or places; and, in order,
that the intelligence may be signalised, or re-
corded, at the distant place or places, or|
signalised at some places, and recorded at;
others, as may be required; also, in order,
that different kinds of intelligence may be
transmitted from any place to any other place
or places, or to all places simultaneously, |
throughout the whole system of main lines and
branches. This invention, it appears, can be)
advantageously applied either to Morse’s,|
Davy’s, or Bain’s telegraphic apparatus.

Oi Cotovr Caxrs.—Grind the colours
with oil. of turpentine, in which has been dis-
solved, in the cold, about one-sixth of its)
weight of powdered mastic; let them dry, then}
place the stone over a slow charcoal fire, so as
to soften the colour, and add of a warm solu-
tion of spermaceti in half of its weight. of,
poppy oil, q. s. to make the mass into a proper}
paste; remove the heat, work till it begins to,
harden, then form the mass into pieces and)
mould them into cakes, which are employed by
artists, rubbed down with poppy, nut, or lin-
seed oil, and turpentine as required.

Pocomotibe Woilers,

|Locomorive boilers consist of three portions—
|the barrel containing the tubes, the fixe box,
}and the smoke box; of which the barrel, smoke
'|box, and external fire box are always of iron,
{but the internal fire box is generally made of
jeopper, though sometimes also it is made of
iron. The tubes are sometimes of iron but
generally of brass fixed in by ferules. The
whole of the iron plates of a locomotive boiler
which are subjected to the pressure of steam,
should be Lowmoor or Bowling plates of the
best quality; and the copper should be cross
grained, rather than rich or soft, and be per-
fectly free from irregularities of structure and
lamination. The thickness of the plates com-
posing the barrel of the boiler varies generally

from five-sixteenths to three-eighths of an inch,
and the plates should run in the direction of
the circumference, so that the fibres of the
iron may be in the direction of the strain.
The diameter of the barrel commonly varies
from 3ft. to 3ft. Gin. ; the diameter of the rivets
should be from eleven-sixteenths to three-
fourths of an inch, and the pitch of the rivets
or distance between their centres should be
from seventeen-eighths to two inches. The
thickness of the plates composing the external
fire box is in general three-eighths of an inch
if the fire box is circular, and from three-
eighths to one-half inch if the fire box is square ;
and the thickness of the internal fire box is in
most cases seven-sixteenths if copper, and
‘from three-eighths to seven-sixteenths of an inch
‘if of iron. Circular internal fire boxes, if
made of iron, should be welded rather than
rivetted, as the rivet heads are liable to be
‘burnt away by the action of the fire; and
when the fire boxes are square each side should
consist of asingle plate, turned over at the
edges with a radius of three inches, for the
introduction of the rivets. The space be-
tween the external and internal fire boxes
forms a water space, which must be stayed
every four and a half or five inches by means
of copper or iron stay bolts, screwed through
the outer fire box into the metal of the inner
fire box, and securely rivetted within it: iron
||staybolts are as durable as copper, and their
superior tenacity gives them an advantage.
The tube plates are generally made from five-
eighths to three-fourths of an inch thick, but
||seven-eighths of an inch thick appears to be
|preferable, as when the plate is thick the holes
will not be so liable to change their figure
during the process of feruling the tubes; the
distance between the tukes should never be
jmade less than three-fourths of an inch, and
the holes should be slightly tapered so as to
enable the tubes to hold the tube plates
together. The ferules are for the most part
made of steel at the fire box end, and of
wrought iron at the smoke box end, though
ferules of malleable cast-iron have in some
jeases been used with advantage; malleable
jcast-iron ferules are almost as easily expanded
\jwhen hammered cold'upon a mandril, as the
||common wrought-iron ones are at a working

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

AT
heat. Spring-steel, rolled with a feather edge,
to facilitate its conversion into ferules, is sup-
plied by some of the steel-makers of Sheffield,
and it appears expedient to make use of steel
thus prepared when steel ferules are employed.
The roof of the internal fire box, whether flat
as in Stephenson’s engines, or dome-shaped as
in Bury’s, requires to be stiffened with cross
stay-bars but the bars require to be stronger and
more numerous when applied to a flat surface.
The ends of these stay-bars rest above the
vertical sides of the fire pox; and to the stay
bars thus extending across the crown, the!
crown is attached at intervals by means of
stay-bolts. There are projecting bosses upon
the stay-bars encircling the bolts at every
point where a bolt goes through, but in the
other parts they are kept clear of the fire-
box crown so as topermit the access of water
to the iron; and, with the view of facilitating
the ascent of the steam, the bottom of each
stay-bar should be sharpened away in those
parts where it does not touch the boiler. The
internal and external fire boxes are joined
together by a ws shaped iron, and round the
fire door they are connected by means of a
copper ring one and a quarter inch thick,
and two inches broad—the inner fire box being
dished sufficiently outwards at that point, and
the outer fire box sufficiently inwards, to ena-
ble a circle of rivets three-fourths of an inch
in diameter passing through the copper ring
and the two thicknesses of iron, to make a
water-tight joint. To find the proper length of
bar requisite for the formation of a hoop of any
given diameter, add the thickness of the bar
to the required diameter, and the corres-
ponding circumference in a table of circum-
ferences of circles is the length of the bar.
If the iron be bent edgewise the breadth
of the bar must be added to the diameter, for
it is the thickness of the bar measured radially
that isto be taken into consideration. In the
tires of railway wheels, which have a flange on
one edge, it is necessary to add not only the
thickness of the tire, but also two-thirds of the!
depth of the flange; generally, however, the
tire bars are sent from the forge so curved that
the plain edge of the tire is concave, and the
flange edge convex, while the side which is af-
terwards to be bent into contact with the cylin-
drical surface of the wheel is a plane. In this
case the addition of the diameter of two-
thirds of the depth of the flange is unne-
cessary, for the curving the flange edge has
the effect of increasing the real length of the
bar. When the tire is thus curved, it is only
necessary to add the thickness of the hoop to
the diameter, and then to find the circum-
ference from atable; or the same result will
be obtained by multiplying the diameter thus
increased by the thickness of ‘the hoop by
3.1416,

[To be concluded in our next.]

Fiexizue Paint ror Canyas.—Cut one
pound anda half of yellow soap into slices, and
dissolve it in one:gallon of boiling water, and
while hot mix with one ewt. and a quarter of
the oil paint required.

Wecorative Art Soctetp.

=
t
!

| April 12th.—Mr. Partridge read a paper on
‘The forms of Heraldic Shields.’’ He intro-
‘duced the subject by observing that heraldry
‘may be appropriately applied to many other
|purposes in private life than decorating car-
| tiages, plate, and buttons, as from its peculiar
‘significance and interesting picturesque effects,
it might with advantage become an integral
‘portion of every important embellishment.
‘Heraldic sheilds, he said, should have relation
to the style of architecture or decorations with
which they are associated ; but, nevertheless,
they possess individual and periodic characters
| in form, which must frequently be borne in
mind. The earliest form of shields, it was
| said, is circular, and which subsequently gave
iplace to the oval. Both shapes were adopted
'‘by the Greeks, and consequently heraldic
blazonings may be appropriately applied, he
‘thought, within the Acanthus scroll-work and
wreaths peculiar to the ornaments of their era.
| instances supporting this statement were
jadduced, such as Medusa’s, Jupiter’s thunder-
bolt, &c. Various forms of shields were used
‘by the Romans, and several were described.
‘The Saxons carried the primitive circular
‘shield, having a boss or spike in the centre; but
an elongated shape, called the ‘“‘ kite’’ shield,

became prevalent in the Norman period of our
| history. Reference was made to the Bayeaux
tapestry. Shields, during the Crusades were
reduced in length, and assumed the form now
called ‘‘ Heater,” and sometimes “‘Gothic;”

|
|
|
\
|
|
|
|

and this change afterwards gave place to various
other shapes, and more particularly to the
tilting shield, having scalloped edges, and a
| peculiar notch or opening to receive a strap
fastening. Both of the last named shields may
be seen placed alternately on the panelling in
\Henry VII.’s chapel. During the Tudor and
Elizabethan periods the gothic shape was more

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

or less strictly adhered to in the practice of
heraldic mountings; but a fanciful bordering
or back-ground was added, partaking of the
characteristic expression of those times in all
matters of ornament. An oval shield, it was
said, was usually met with in Italian palaces,
and is mounted on a ground-work exhibiting a
border of over and under-lapping enrichment,
peculiar to that style of embellishment. Mo-
dern instances,,on the gates to the Royal
Exchange, and in the University Club-house,
were described as properly characteristic; but
the heraldry displayed upon the ceilings of the
ambulatories in the Royal Exchange were
alluded to as not being expressed with proper
heraldic gusto, nor upon appropriate shields,
for they, at least, should have had relation to
the characteristic form of the arabesque em-
beilishments with which they are associated.
The manner of introducing shields upon cor-
nices in lofty apartments was noticed, and the
mode of placing two shields obliquely to the

face of the wall was pointed out as forming an}!

effective enrichment—a variety being obtain-

able by adopting badges, crests, or coronets;}|

offer other vehicles for variety in such decora-
tions.
ing the heraldic embellishments of the Houses
of Parliament. It was remarked that the
royal badges, such as the red or white rose,
&c., ought to be used by private families only,
as expressive of a period when particular
honours were obtained by the ancestors of
those adopting them. Mr. Partridge con-
cluded with some observations on the absurd
way in which crests are occasionally intro-
duced upon furniture, such as chairs, &c. In

the course of a discussion by the members, it)'

was contended that, for the Houses of Parlia-
ment, it would have been more correct and

Some explanations were given respect-| |

pituresque to have varied the shields, in accord-
ance with the period in which the cognisance
had been respectively adopted.

Pratina Wire.—Dr. Wollaston obtained
very fine wire, for the ebject-glasses of his
telescopes, for observing the relative planes of
the stars, by inserting platina wire in a cylin-
der of silver, wire-drawing the whole, and then
melting the silver coating. Now, silver wire
may be drawn to the three-hundredth of an
inch diameter; so that if the platina wire
was originally one-tenth of the thickness of
the silver, it then became only the three-

thousandth part of an inch. Dr. Wollaston}

procared some only an eighteen-thousandth, ||
intercept the smallest star.|,

which did not
Platina wire has, in some instances, superseded
hair, wigs being made of it. It is calculated
that a piece of platina the size of the tip
of a man’s finger could be drawn across
Europe.

Bronze For OrnAmMENTAL Work TO BE
Gitpep.—1. Copper, 82 parts;. zinc, 18 parts ;
tin, 3 parts; lead, 2 parts. 2. Copper, 83 parts ;
zine, 17 parts; tin, 1 part; lead, one-half
part.

a ee

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 4S

kept for a considerable time, and, when taken
out, and strongly beaten up for half-an-hour
with an iron pestle, in a wooden mortar or
trough, itis reduced to asoft pasty consistence;
itis then spread out in a shady place several
days, and the operation of beating repeated;
the oftener this is done, the better, except it
should become unmanageable from being too
much dried. Ina few minutes, this cement,
when applied to brick or stone, adheres so
firmly, that water may be immediately poured
over it; and if kept dry twenty-four hours, it
will receive no injury even from the most
violent action of a flowing stream.

In London, a blue mortar of cinders and
lime is used for covering some parts of build-
ings much exposed to the weather; and if this
were prepared with the same labour and atten-
tion, it might be expected to possess, in a great
degree, the valuable properties of the cendrée

SMortar.

[Continued from page 60, Vol. II.]

Trerras, orn Dutce Morrar.—No nation in
Europe has had so much occasion for water-
cement as the Dutch, and the substance called
terras, or trass, was first used by them. This
lsubstance which is also called wakke, is a
species of basaltes, which has proved exten-
sively used in forming mounds, and various
aquatic works, in the Low Countries. This
celebrated terras mortar is made by covering a
previously prepared mass of quicklime, of
about a foot thick (and sprinkled with water),
with an equal quantity of powdered terras.
The whole is then left at rest two or three days;
after which, what is wanted is taken each day,
and beat up for-use.

One measure of quicklime, and two of
slacked, in powder, with one of terras, the
whole well beaten to the consistence of paste,
with as small a portion of water ascan be made
sufficient, forms the terras mortar commonly
used in England. A cheaper kind is made by
mixing two parts of -slacked lime, and one of
terras, with three of coarse sand.

Pebble mortar is used when cavities occur in
walls, between the unequal projections of un-
hewn stone: it was much used by the Romans,
and is yet of great utility, where large quanti-
ties of mortar are required. For this purpose,
take one part of terras, or of puzzolana, two
of coarse sand, two of fine sand, eight of small
pebbles, screened and washed, and four of
slacked lime. Mix the whole together. The
lime termed argillacious, from its containing a
portion of clay, is preferred for this purpose.

It is only under water, or with the exclusion
of air, that terras mortar acquires its usual de-
gree of hardness; for, when exposed to the
action of the atmosphere, it will not become as
hard as common mortar.

Though the experiments of Morveau have
proved that common compact basalt will, when
previously burnt, make nearly as good a water-
cement as the cellular species (the terras of the
Dutch), yet it has rarely been used for that
purpose. This mineral abounds in Great Bri-
tain, and the expense of its importation might
be saved to the country. Calton-hill, in the
vicinity of Edinburgh, and near the port of
Leith, is almost one entire mass of basalt.

The cendre de Tournay is used in the Low
Countries; this article is procured from the
lime-kilns bordering the Scheldt: the lime of
this district contains a considerable portion of
clay mixed with iron; and the pit-coal, with
which it is burnt, contains a large quantity of
an argillacious schist impregnated with iron.
After the lime is taken out of the kilns, there
remains the cendrée, about one-fourth of which
.|/consists of burnt lime-dust, and three-fourths
\\of coal-ashes. This material is sprinkled with

water, to slack the lime, and well mixed to-
gether, and put into a proper vessel, and
covered over with wet.earth. In this:state it is

mortar of the Scheldt.

Common mortar of ashes is made by mixing
together two bushels of newly slacked lime,
and three bushels of wood ashes, which when
cold is well beaten; in which state it is usually
kept for a considerable time, and, if beaten two
or three times previous to using it, will be
found to beimproved by keeping. Inresisting
the effects of alternate moisture and dryness,
this mixture is superior to terras mortar, but
not nearly equal to it under water.

Mr. Smeaton has ascertained, by a course of
experiments, that the scales (the grey oxide of
iron) that fly off under the forge hammer from
red-hot iron, pulverised and sifted, and mixed
with lime, form a valuable cement, equal to
that of puzzolana. Jn pursuing these experi-
ments, roasted iron ore produced an efficacious
water-cement, by using a greater proportion of
it than either terras or puzzolana. Equal
quantities of iron scales and argillaceous lime,
with half the quantity of each of these of sand,
produced a cement in every respect equal to
terras mortar. If pure carbonate of lime be
used, equal parts of each of the ingredients;
ought to be incorporated.

About forty years ago, M. Loriat believed he
had discovered the true process of making the
celebrated cement of the Romans. His sup-
posed discovery is merely the adding of the
powder of dry burnt lime to common mortar,
of a consistence rather thinner than usual.)
The lime powder, when of a right proportion,
and well worked together, sets without crack-
ing, acquires the consistence of plaster of;
of Paris, and is as dry in two days as common
plaster is in several months. The proportion
of quicklime powder in the Loriat mortar
varies as the other materials vary in quality ;
one-sixth of the other materials is frequently
too little, and one-fourth not too much; expe-
rience alone can determine. As a water
cementit is of inferior utility, and very little
better than common mortar dried before the
admission of water upon it.

Brick or tile powder, and forge scales, are
added, to improve this composition, as in the
following receipt :—Take of bricks, in fine
powder, one measure, of fine river sand two

mesures, old slacked lime to’ make a mortar in
the usual manner, and; lastly, add one measure
of dry powder of quicklime. About the time
of M. Loriat’s discovery, ' Mr.'George. Semple
published:a treatise on building, in Ireland,:in
which: a: similar mode: of » preparing’ atwater
cement was given, as follows: ‘“Get yourlime
brought to:'you: hot from’ the’kiln, and imme-
diately pound. or grind it:with'a wooden maul;
on a smooth Jarge:stone, or‘adry boarded floor;
till you make it as‘fine as flour; then, without
loss of time, sift it through a hair or wire sieve;
and to:a quantity of a:-hod of your setting’ mor-
tar (which on: this ‘account ‘should. be -poorer
than ordinary),,put in two or three shovelfull of
this fine flour of lime, _and let two men, for ex-
pedition’s, sake, beat,.them together with such
beaters as plasterers make use of, and then use
it immediately.” , el ie
Plaster of Paris, with a proportion of one-
tenth of rust of iron, makes a water .cement, |
which sets almost. instantly, and is of great:
hardness, and if boiled potatoes be incorpv-
rated with mortar of lime and sand, . or, with
mortar containing burnt clay, these composi-
tions will be much improved. « ..,... ys.) 40.
M. :Vicat has, ‘by: numerous. experiments,
found that calcarious stones, slightly. or! imper-
| |fectly calcined, will produce a Roman cement.
and, in the» 83rd volume of »‘‘‘Annales: de
Chimie,’ it: is: stated «that: powdered chalk,
heated from six to thirty minutes .on a-red-hot
iron plate, acquires the property of setting in’
water, when slacked stiff like plaster of Paris.
Yet the result of these experiments seems only
to have established the. generally received
opinion that no Roman or hydraulic cement of
a sufficient hardness can, be obtained from
purely calcarious stones. Dnata ae

ry [To be continued.] . fo 3

Wottery and — qoreelam.

Tux best kind of. pottery, called in this country,
“Staffordshire ware,’ is made of an artificial
mixture of alumina and silica; the former ob-
|tained, in the form of a fine clay, from Devon-
shire chiefly; andthe latter, consisting ‘of
chert or flint, which is heated red-hot, quenched
in water, and then reduced to a powder. . Each
material, carefully powdered and sifted, is dif-
fused through water, mixed by measure, and
brought to a due consistency by evaporation.
It is then highly plastic, and formed upon the
potter’s wheel and lathe, into various circular
vessels, or moulded into other forms, which,
jafter having been dried in a warm room, are
enclosed in baked clay cases resembling band-
boxes, and called seggars ; these are ranged in

space enough for the fuel; here the ware is
kept red-hot for a considerable time, and thus
brought to the state of biscuit. This is after-
wards glazed, which is done by dipping the bis-
cuit’ wate into atub containing a mixture of
about 60 parts of litharge, 10 of play, and 20
jof ground flint, diffused in water to a creamy.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

ter, lis'extremely white ‘and ‘duly translucent,

Yequires to be formed into thicker and heavier) |

rally previously mixed .with a little oil of spike
—lavender, or of turpentine. .Where several

‘there'are frequent failures, hence it is. attended
‘with considerable: expense. “The° gilding of

the kiln so as’ nearly to fill it, leaving only |.

consistence, and when taken out, enough ad- |
heres to the piece -to give an uniform glazing
when again heated. The pieces are then again’
packed up in the seggars, with small bits of.
pottery interposed between, each, and fired in.
a kiln as before. ‘ The glazing mixture fuses at’
avery moderate- heat, and -gives an uniform!
glossy; coating, which finishes the process when:
it is intended for common white ware.

: The patterns’ upon;ordinary porcelain, which
are chiefly,in, blue, in, consequence of the fa-
cility .of applying cobalt, are’ generally first
printed off: upon paper, which is applied to the ||
plate or other article while in the state of bis-
cuit;.the, colour -adheres -permanentiy to the}
surface when heat is properly applied.

‘The, manufacture - of ‘porcelain, is a most re-
fined branch of art;. the materials: are selected |
with the, greatest» caution, it -being necessary
that the. compound should :remain . perfectly
white after exposure to heat.,; It -is also re-
quired, that it should endure a very high tem-
perature without fusing, and at the same time
acquire a semi-vitreous texture and a peculiar),
degree of translucency and toughness. These}.
qualities are united in some of ‘the oriental!
porcelain or “‘China,”’ and in some of the old
Dresden, but they,are rarely found coéxistant
in that* of ‘modern European .manufacture.
Some of the’ French and English porcelain,
especially that made at Sévres; and‘at®Worces-|

but itis more apt to crack‘ by sudden changes
of temperature—more brittle, and consequently

vessels—and more fusible than the finest
lains of Japan and China. « bg

* The colours.employed in painting porcelain
are the same metallic oxides used. for colouring),
glass, and in all the more delicate patterns they
are’ laid on witha ‘camel hair ‘pencil, and gene-

porce-|

colours are used they often require various
temperatures for, their perfection—in, -which
case those that bear the highest heat, are first
applied, and. subsequently those which are
brought out at lower temperatures. ‘ This art
of painting on porcelain or in enamel is of the}!
most’ delicate description—much expericnce
and skill are required in it, and with every care

porcelain ‘is generally ‘performed ‘by applying
finely-divided gold, mixed up ‘with’ gum-water
and borax ; upon the’ application of heat the
gum‘burns off, ‘and the borax vitrifying: upon
the’ surface,’ causes ithe gold firmly. to- adhere ;
—it is afterwards burnished. Fe :

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Guass GrinpErs’. Cement.—Melt pitch:and
add’ thereto. one-fourth of its weight» each of
finely-powdered wood-ashes and: hard tallow.
This is for coarse work whilst grinding; but a
composition for that of-a lighter description is
employed consisting of 4lbs. of black resin, to
which: is added Ib. each’ of bees’-wax and
whiting, previously heated’ red hot. and still
warm; or shell-lac melted and applied to the
pieces previously warmed. ro baxevos

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The Rights of Pabour.

entering upon a subject which has already
engaged the attention of the learned, the great,
and the wise, we must confess that we expe-
rience a degree of diffidence which would en-
tirely prevent our launching fresh notions upon
the turbulent sea of contention, did not the
exigencies of the times imperatively demand
the thoughts of the multitude to be atten-
tively directed towards one great and neces-
sary object, namely, the amelioration of the
present condition of the working man, which
is universally allowed to have reached the
lewest point to which it can possibly attain,
unless we rest contented with having the work-
houses the only places in which the mechanic
can find active employment.

The theory of labour is extremely simple,
and may be explained in a few words, thus :—
One man, who is the representative of capital,
agrees with another, who is the representative
of labour, to exchange his money for the other’s
produce. This is simply a system of exchange
analagous to the buying and selling of mer-
chandise, and, being so, of course it is liable
to the same fluctuations in value from various
causes, as is a bale of goods or a barrel of oil.
But while we admit labour to be a system of
exchange, obnoxious to the same effects from
the state of the market as a quantity of goods,
we by no means enter into the views of matter-
of-fact political economists, who treat a man as

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

they would a machine, and expect him either

[June 3, 1848.

to regale or starve, according as the amount of)
demand or supply of his commodity prepon-|
derates. We consider that in this case, at
least, some fixity should be observed, so that
the living image of Gop may be saved from)
the horrors of starvation or the workhouse.
To effect this, something more is required than
legislative influence has hitherto afforded : it
is advisable, we will readily admit, to keep
Carirat from being an absentee from the land, |
by giving him the greatest possible degree of,
protection; but is it justice, we would ask, to,
let Lasour—and he, too, is a man—suffer un-,
noticed, and almost uncared for in the land of
his birth ?—Who is it that populates this coun-|
try?—not Caprirat, surely; who is it that,
renders its treasures available? not CapiTaL?)
who is it that makes the goods that produce
wealth ?—not Capita; then whois it that does
these things? one would think that Lasour did
not—for Lazour starves by the road-side and
dies in a ditch ! |

Louis Branc, with whose ideas we do not)
wholly agree, is certainly right in his general
conclusion, which amounts to this, “that re-'
numerative labour can and ought to result
from all well-constituted social institutions,
and that where it does not, we may rest
assured that nefarious and underhand prac-
tices are at work.” This is a principle founded
upon the tenets of justice and reason; but how,
far it has been hitherto carried out in this.
country it needs not our efforts to show.

The fact is that the government attaches so.
much importance to the protection of the
interests of wealth, that it forgets entirely the
interests of labour, which is, after all, the bond
fide capital of the nation—seeing that without
labour all the wealth would be useless. Every
workman among us represents in his own per-|
son a certain amount of read value, which he
pits against a certain amount of the contents
of the capitalist’s pocket—and who is to decide,
which is the buyer, and which the seller?
The workman has as much right to say that he
buys his master’s money, as the master has to
say that he buys the workman’s labour. Yet
government proceeding entirely upon the
hypothesis that Cariran is the purchaser of
Laxzour, awards all its protection to the former,
while it leaves the latter at the mercy of th

UHH) HEUTE

winds, and the uncertain justice of his em-
ployer.

Such a state of things as this cries aloud for
reform—not merely as a politic measure, but
in obedience to the dictates of common sense
and. common honesty.

Co CMorresponsents, Ke.

Nortice.— Next weck we intend commencing an
Illustrated Description of the Decorations at the
various Places of Public Amusement, showing
the Style of the Design and manner of treating
at. We shall be happy to receive Communications
from any of our Subscribers relating to the
subject,

Cases for Vols. I. and IT. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

Part XIII. is now ready, stitched in a neat
wrapper, price 7d.

“* Q.°—There are, we believe, several books
published on the subject ;—apply to Mr. Weale,
architectural bookseller, Holborn, who will, no
doubt, supply you with the desired information.
With regard to your second interrogation, we
will insert an article on the subject shortly.

“ An Artisan.”—Provincial papers are filed at
several coffee-houses : try Bishop's, 20, Berwich-
street, Soho—we believe most of them are taken
im there.

“J. Nicholls.”’— Address a note to some archi-
tectural bookseller. We have searched through the
advertisements of several files of professional
periodicals, but cannot discover the required infor-
mation. If you can give us a hint as-to the pro-
bable date of the publication of the book, we may
succeed better.

“J. H. Thomas.”’—Your design is in our
engraver’s hands ;—we shall always be happy to
recewe similar favours.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §-c., to be addressed to “‘the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”’

To Discuarce Impurr Air.—There isa very
simple plan by which we may get entirely rid
of the deleterious and destructive products of
animal effluvia and carbonic acid gas, &c., and
emanations. A pipe, having a funnel mouth,
and imbedded in the wall, near the ceiling,
should eventually be carried into a chimney
where a constant fire is maintained, as that of
the kitchen; but:as chimnies sometimes smoke,
or have an imperfect “draught,” it will be

the chimney, lest otherwise smoke enter the
pipe. The pipe being constantly heated by
the high temperature of the chimney it tra-
verses, will certainly discharge all the impure
air lingering in contact with the ceiling; and
the rush of air entering the funnel is remark-
ably evident by bringing near the orifice a
lighted candle.—Dr. John Murray.

THE DECORATOR’S

necessary to carry the pipe to the summit of|

‘might convert. into a tasteful production,

ASSISTANT. {

Garbing.

Carvine differs but very little from ‘sculpture
except in the material on which it is employed
—the one being executed on wood the other on
stone. Itis a very ancient-art, and it was fre-
quently employed to represent the figures of
gods and heroes, even at a very early period.
We extract the following account of its history
and practice from one of Mr. C. Knight’s
excellent ‘* Guides to Trade :’’"—

The use of carving, as a means of producing
representations of fruit, flowers, and other
ornamental subjects, has been continued from
very early ages to our own time. The choirs
of cathedrals, the ancient mansions of some of|
our nobility, and many other places, afford
evidence of the extent to which carving was
carried in by-gone days. There was an emi-
nent carver named Gibbons, who, in the reigns
of Charles the Second and James the Second,
executed many specimens of carving which
still remain as proofs of his ability: some of
these specimens are at Windsor Castle.

The great pitch of excellence to which the
art of painting arrived in the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries, and the number of
pictures which were produced at that period,
must have given a great impetus to the
business of the carver; for nearly all the
frames made for those pictures were carved
previously to being gilt. The elaborate
richness of the old frames, which are now
being imitated by the composition-ornament
maker, shows that the art had attained con-
siderable perfection.

At a later period, the frames were made of;
broad deep mouldings, which had carved
leaves, trelliswork, &c., laid upon them in
different parts. This gradually led the way to
the introduction of composition ornaments,
which have now, to a large extent, super-
seded the use of carved ornaments. But still,
for very large frames, the latter are much used |
both on account of their superior lightness and
boldness, and because the ornaments can be}
made to any style and form which the pur-
chaser may require; whereas composition
ornaments must depend for their patterns upon
the moulds which the ornament maker may
happen to possess.

A professional carver ought to possess some
taste for drawing or modelling, or both. The
ease and elegance of the folage and flowers
which the carver has to imitate, cannot be
produced by one who does not possess a
natural taste for drawing, and, we may add,
some knowledge of botany; since it very
frequently happens that the fruit, flowers, and
foliage, upon fancy work generally, whether it
be the lace veil of a lady, or the ornaments of
a looking-glass, are but poor imitations of,
nature. It excites regret to see good work-
manship thrown away, as it often is, upon bad
design, which a) little knowledge of botany

simply by making it natural. A carpenter can}
make his mouldings and his sashes, and a}
joiner can make his frames, without requiring}

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

any particular exercise of taste, because he has
a rule, a square, and compasses to guide him in
every part of his work. But.a carver can derive
but little assistance from such guides; for if his
taste cannot tell him how to make a leaf of
foliage appear light and easy, all the rules and
compasses in.the world would not be sufficient
for that purpose. - * . -

When apiece of carved ornament is to be
afterwards gilt, a.soft and cheap wood, such as
American pine, is generally employed; but
when the veins of the wood are intended to be
seen, without either paint or gold, such wood as
box, oak, pear-tree, maple, lime-tree, &c., is
employed, according to the purposes to which
the ornament is to be applied.

The soft wood, then, which is used by the
carver for ornaments afterwards to be gilt, is
sawed out of planks of various thicknesses,
according to circumstances, and pieces are
glued one upon another at these parts which
are to be most raised or prominent. This is
an easier plan than that of cutting the orna-
ment out of a soiid block of wood equally thick
in every part.

The carver is, in most cases, furnished
with a pattern of the ornament which he is
required to imitate, which is drawn upon
paper. When he has selected a plank of the
proper thickness, he lays the drawing down on
|the plank, having previously cut out the paper
to'the exact outline of the drawing. He then
marks this outline on the wood, according to the
jdrawing; and any holes which are to be cut
entirely through the wood, are marked in the
samemanner. Hethen, with a bow-saw, which
is particularly adapted for sawing in curved
directions, cuts out the plank according to the
pencil marks, and also cuts the holes. This
gives him the requisite outline, and he has
next to fill up details.

For this purpose, he screws the piece of
wood (or glues it, if thin) down to his bench,
|by means of a screw which passes from
jbeneath through the bench and into the lower
|surface of the wood ; by which means the wood

is held firm, without making screw or nail
|holes in the upper surface, which is to be
carved.

Having now sketched the details of his orna-
ment on the piece of wood, he proceeds to cut
the wood into the proper form by means of
very sharp tools, the greater part of which are
gouges of various sizes and shapes. A gouge
is a sort of chisel, with one surface round and
the other hollow; and atool of this form is
much more useful to the carver than a flat
chisel, since the sharp corners of the latter
would be apt to dig into the parts of the wood
which are not required to be cut. A carver
has seldom to‘produce a perfectly-flat surface,
so that gouges are used for almost every kind
of ornament; they are, therefore, made of
different widths and different degrees of
curvature of surface. Some of them are bent
at the end, in order to work out the details
\of the deep parts of an ornament, which could
not be effected by a straight tool. The whole
of these tools must be very sharp, or the carver
would make but little progress at his work.

||The sharpening is performed by rubbing the

edge obliquely on a soft stone moistened with),
sweet oil, and requires some care to avoid).
altering the shape of the edge.

When apiece of ornament is carved, and
the proper effect produced on a front view, it
is necessary to chamfer or undercut the edges,|
to give an appearance of lightness. To effect
this, the ornament is held in the left hand, and
the wood is cut away in the proper places by
the tool held in the right hand.

The foregoing details apply to pieces of||
ornament, such as those which were placed on),
the corners of glass frames a few years ago.
But, when a frame is carved nearly all over,||
a somewhat different process is necessary.)
The joiner must precede the carver, and make
the groundwork on which the latter isto be
employed; he must, in fact, make the frame.

This is a part of the carving trade which,
as may be judged from our preceding remarks,
has undergone much fluctuation. In the
early part of the last century, such frames
were very common; inthe latter part of the
same century, and the beginning of the pre-
sent, they were comparatively rare; while at
the present day, their use has again revived.

In preparing such frames as these, and
before the carver commences his work, the
joiner, in putting the frame together, must
regulate the thickness of the woud at dif-
ferent parts, by the nature of the ornaments
which are to be situated at those parts; in
order that the carver may have to cut away as
little as possible of the wood.

Much tact is necessary in regulating the
motion of the carving tools with reference to
the direction of the grain of the wood : a piece
of wood would be presently split, were it not
for precaution in this matter. No written
description will suffice to show how to attain
success in,this particular, since, like the details
of carving generally, personal inspection and
personal instruction will alone give a clear
idea on such matters.

Notwithstanding the extent to which com-
position ornaments are used on frames, the
lightness and durability of carved frames, and
the facility with which any required pattern
may be produced, will probably always pre-
vent them from getting quite into disuse.

The chair-carver, and those who carve for
cabinet-makers, &c., are seldom the same as
those who serve the gilder. They have to
use harder wood and sharper tools, and have
to finish up their work more neatly, because
any roughness in ornaments that are to be
gilt may be easily removed by the processes
which the gilder afterwards employs; but no
such process is employed by the cabinet-
maker on his ornaments; so that they must be
made smoother in the first imstance. All
carvers, however, are accustomed to use bent
files and rasps to smooth the surface of their
ornamentsafter the cutting has been per-
formed.

A Dirricutr Sussect.—It is a remarkable
fact that the greatest painters have failed in
pourtraying his Satanic majesty. Raphel,
Guido, and West were all deficient in the
figure of Satan.

||54:

An LHlustrated Glossary of Cechnical
Terms used in Architectural anv
Enterior MBecorvation, Ke.

[Continued from page 44.]

Decoration, Stytes or. [Concluded from

our last. |

5. Arabesque.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

8. Integlio.

There are other styles used occasionally,
such as the Egyptian, Turkish, Chinese, &c.,
but those given are in general use; a specimen
of the last-mentioned appears in the front
page.

set

Discuarece (in carpentry), a post trimmed
up under a beam, or part of a building which is
weak or overcharged by weight.

Dracrne (in joinery), a depression or lower
ing of a door, so as to make it rub on the floor
—occasioned by the loosening of the hinges,
or the settling of the building.

Durcu Cuinxers (in bricklaying), a peculiar
description of bricks, about 6in. in length, by
3in. in breadth, employed for paving yards and
stables. They are extremely hard, and of a
brimstone colour. When laid herring-bone-
ways they have a very pretty effect.

Drag (in masonry), a thin plate of steel
indented on the edge, like the teeth of a saw,
used in soft stone which has no grit for||
finishing the surface. A piece of a joiner’s
handsaw makes a good drag.

Drirt (in masonry), the horizontal force of||
an arch, by which it endeavours to overset the}}
piers. ’

Dersy (in plastering), see float.

Dr (in plastering), is when plaster loses its :
strength.

Dots (in plastering), patches of plaster put
on to regulate the floating rule in making
skreeds and bays.

Draw (in smithing), the act of lengthening
a bar of iron by hammering ; also wire reduced |}
from any size to a smaller is said to be drawn.

[To be continued.]

Sreep on Raitways.—A speed of 53 miles|}
in 50 minutes, with a train of 50 tons weight, ||
was lately attained by one of the new class
eight-feet driving-wheel engines, ‘‘The Em-|}
peror,” on the Great Western. The greater
part of the run between the fourth mile-post|}
from Paddington and Reading was made at the|/
rate of nearly seventy miles an hour, and}/
several miles were gone in forty-nine seconds|)
per mile. This speed is said to be the greatest
ever maintained witha train, whether on broad
gauge or narrow.

The Whinese Hunk, ‘Ieping,”

IN THE EAST. INDIA DOCKS AT BLACKWALL.

Tue arrival jof this vessel in England affords
much ‘matter for contemplation to the philos-
opher and the political economist as well as to
the man of science: it speaks, as it were, of a
time yet to come in which even the semi-mys-
tical inhabitants of the celestial empire will be
awakened from their apathy and induced to
tread in the path of commerce across the
ocean’s broad highway. If any person had
been bold enough three years since to have pre-
dicted that we should have had within the
walls of the East India Docks a Chinese junk,
with her crew and rigging, the predicter would
have been everywhere scouted as a visionary ;

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

aught but the home trade, by Capt. Kellett,
the present commander, and three other gen-
tlemen, for the purpose of bringing her to
England. Various stratagems had to be put
into practice in order to avoid suspicion being
aroused as to her destination; but these in a
great measure proved fruitless, and it was only
by repeated administrations of bribes that
Captain Kellett—to whose skill, perseverance,
and courage, all tried in no ordinary manner,
we owe the present interesting exhibition—
succeeded in putting fairly out to sea with a
erew consisting of thirty natives and twelve
English seamen, with the officers.

The Keying carries three masts. The main-
mast is 95ft.in length, and is made of one
large piece of teak, 10ft. in circumference at
the bottom; but not perfectly straight. This
which we should consider a defect, is, by the

Fig. 2.

and yet here is one, open to our inspection, after
having passed over, in a voyage of nearly
seventeen months’ duration, from China to
England, a course equal in length to the entire
circuit of the globe.

The eying—so named in compliment to
the Chinese commisioner at Canton—is built
entirely of teak, and is supposed to have seen |
nearly a century’s service. It was purchased,
after much opposition on the part of the
Chinese, who entertain. a. decided aversion
against allowing their vessels to be used for

'mode adopted for this purpose by the Chinese

Chinese, esteemed as a beauty, it being sup-
posed by them that the bend adds to the||
strength, and is conclusive evidence of the/|
goodness of the spar. This mast is hooped
round in consequence of being cracked, while
undergoing the process of hardening. - The

is to bury the timber for a considerable time in
marshy ground—and teak, after being thus
| treated, is said to become as hard as iron.

| The sails are formed of closely woven mat-
ting—a substance much lighter ‘than: canvas;

[56
|

jholds the wind far better, and rarely splits,
because it never shakes in the wind. The
mainsail of the Keying weighs 9 tons, and
covers a surface of 1,100 yards.

The rudder is, perhaps, the most singular
part of the vessel. It is made of iron-wood
and teak, bound with iron, and its weight is
from 74 to 8 tons.. It is perforated with rhom-
boidal holes, and in deep water is 12feet below
the bottom of the vessel. The great elevation
of the stern enables the rudder to be elevated
or depressed according to the depth of water;
and by this means the draught may be made
to vary from 12 to 24 feet. When the rudder
is raised up,as must be the case in shallow
water, the vessel is steered by a short tiller on
||the second poop. When let down_to its
greatest depth, it requires occasionally the
\strength of 15 men to work the large tiller,
and even then the aid of a luff tackle pur-
chase and the best patent blocks, otherwise it
would require thirty men. Instead of braces
and pintles, two immense ropes, made of bam-
boo and grass, pass under the bottom and
come over the bows on the upper deck, where
they are fastened; these serve to confine the
rudder to the stern.

The vessel is strikingly rude it its construc-
tion: the whole of the work is of the roughest
kind; the sides of the timbers are not squared,
| but left just as they grew. No artificial means
ihas been resorted to for any bends; wherever
a branch has been found with the natural
requisite curvature, it has been employed
without further adaption. The Chinese allege,
jin explanation, that fine work is ridiculous
where it is not necessary; that it is absurd to
make the boards of the hold very level and
smooth. when only goods or ballast is to be put
there; and that the timbers on the sides or
the deck, if it be a war junk, are quite good
enough to be shot at, without bestowing any
pains upon them.

The appearance of the deck strongly re-
minds one of the prints and pictures of the large
early English men-of-war, such as the Great
Harry, with its lofty forecastle and aftcastle.
Her immense poop has three galleries rising
one above the other; and her bow, which is
square and without bowsprit is also of great
height. The stern is elaborately painted with
ibirds, &c., of real and imaginary forms.
Coming from the bow tothe afterpart of the
vessel, we find a series of water-tight com-
/partments, such as we have adopted in our
steam-vessels, On the bows are placed two
large eyes: a similar ornament was used by
by most of the ancients, and is supposed to
denote vigilance and activity. The Chinese,
however give a different explanation of it, and
say, “‘ Have eye, can see; can see, can savey:
no have eye, no can see; no can see, no
savey.”” . c

The saloon is entered beneath a sort of sky-
light, the sides of which are filled with pre-
pared oyster-shells, commonly used in China,
instead of glass, which is too costly for general
purposes. This saloon is 32 feet long, 28 broad,
and 153 in height. The sides and ceiling
are covered with a lively pattern paper. Upon
the former are hung whole-length portraits by

THE DECORATOR:S ASSISTANT.

Chinese “‘ Sir Joshuas,’’ alternating with tablets}
inscribed with moral precepts in Chinese cha-
racters. From the ceiling hang lanterns of
various forms and sizes, made of horn, glass,|
silk, and paper; the frames carved and richly
gilt; and the transparent panes embroidered or
painted with landscapes, flowers, or animals,
existing or imaginary. Among the paintings
on the walls, too, are flowers, fruit, insects,
birds, and monkeys, dogs and cats; all,
as well as the other ornaments of the ship,||
painted by a good-natured /native of Can-

ton, named Sam-Sing, whos is on board,
and who left his country and his family,
to accompany the Keying wherever she goes,
as her painter in ordinary. Rightiand left of
the saloon ladder are two curious portraits of
the Emperor, well worth inspection,

Our artist has given two specimens of the
internal decorations of the junk. Fig.1 (see
front page) represents a piece of elaborately
carved work placed over the entrance to the
saloon. In the original it is gorgeously co-|
loured and gilded. Fig. 2 is a selection from
the paper-hangings on the walls inside the
saloon. In the original the ground is of a/
somewhat dingy yellow colour, the leaves of
the foliage being painted green and the stems
blue, although on the ceiling we observed that
the latter were painted red.

In conelusion, we-recommend our readers,
gentle and ‘simple, to go and see a wonder
which has never been seen before, at least, not
in/England.*

Free EXHIBITIONS, IN OR NEAR THE METRO-
potis, Now Orsen.—British Museum, Mondays, |}
Wednesdays, and Fridays; East India Com-
pany’s Museum, Saturdays; Missionary
Museum, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays;
Geological Museum, Craig’s-court, Charing-
cross, daily; Soane’s Museum, Lincoln’s Inn
Fields, Tuesdays and Fridays; United Service
Museum, Scotland-yard, daily, by member’s
order; Society of Arts, daily, by member’s
order; Dulwich Gallery, every day except
Friday, orders to be had of the London print-||
sellers; National Gallery, all the week, except’
Fridays and Saturdays; Woolwich Dockyard
and Arsenal, ditto; Deptford, .ditto; Mint,
daily, by application to the deputy master.

Painrer’s Cream.—Take six ounces of pale
nut oil, one ounce of imastic—dissolve and)
add a quarter of an ounce of sugar of lead,
previously ground in the least possible quan-
tity of oil; then add water gradually until it
acquires the consistence of cream, working it||
wellall the time. Used by painters to cover)!
their work when they are obliged to leave it}|
some time. It may be washed off with a||
sponge and water. }

* Captain Kellett having very kindly granted us permis-| ||
sion to take drawings of the various ornaments, &e., in the
junk, we will seize the opportunity and. present our readers
with several engravings of a novel and useful description| |
with regard to the interior decorations of the Chinese.—In||
our next we shall give an engraving’of the side of ‘the|
entrance to the saloon, which is of pierced carved work.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

HMethoy (of Betecting Avulteration
in ils.

To M. Heidenreich, pharmacien of Strasburgh,
it was some years since proposed to decide,
whether the adulteration of different oils could
be ascertained by definite chemical tests,
It then became an object of research with him
to find out some method of proceeding which
would enable those who are not au fait at
chemical experiments to detect these adul-
| |terations, by furnishing some accurate charac-
teristic test which might be employed without
much trouble, or requiring nicety of manipu-
lation; and he therefore directed his attention
to the three following series of experiments :—

1. By observing the peculiar odour evolved
by each oil when gently heated.

For this purpose he suggested that a few drops
only of the oil under examination be exposed
for some moments, in a small porcelain basin,
to the flame of a spirit-lamp. The odour
which is evolved immediately suggests that of
the plant or animal from which it has been
obtained ; and this characteristic is valuable if
observed in conjunction with the genuine oil,
and furnishes accurate indications of the
presence of linseed and train oils in any
mixture.

2. By the action of concentrated sulphuric
acid on oils.

By mixing a small quantity of concentrated

sulphuric acid with some oil, (in the pro-
portion of about 1 to 2 parts of the former to
100 parts of oil,) very intense action imme-
diately ensues, the temperature increases, and
the mixture becomes coloured. A plate of
white glass being laid over a sheet of white
paper, ifwe place on the former from 10 to 15
drops of oil, and then add thereto one small
drop of sulphuric acid of 66°—1°632, sp. gr., a
colour will soon be produced without stirring,
differing according to the oil employed.
In the case of rape oil, there will gradually
form, at a certain distance from the drop of
sulphuric acid, a greenish blue ring; whilst
towards the centre, where the action is more
violent, light yellow brown streaks may be
observed.
The expressed oil of black mustard seed
likewise assumes a tinge of bluish green; but
the quantity of oil must, in this case, be
increased to 25 or 30 drops. In train oil,
obtained from the whale or stock-fish, a very
peculiar motion occurs, commencing at the
centre and extending to the outside, whilst a
red colour is observed, which grows more and
more vivid, until after ten or fifteen minutes,
when the margin assumes a violet tinge. which,
in the course of about two hours, becomes
uniform throughout the mixture.

Olive oil instantly assumes a pale yellow
colour, which afterwards becomes yellowish
green. In poppy oil, and that obtained from
sweet almonds, the colour approaches to that
of the greenfinch, and afterwards becomes of
a dead yellow hue. In linseed oil a drop of
acid produces a beautiful dark brownish red

web, which is gradually converted into a
brownish black. Tallow oil (called by the trade
“oleic acid’’) isrendered brown. If, instead of
allowing the sulphuric acid to act on the oil
undisturbed, both fluids be stirred up with a
glass rod after adding the drop of sulphuric
acid, the phenomena mentioned appear in
different order. Rape oil then assumes a
uniform brown colour, without a tinge of red;
and if, instead of one drop of acid, five or six
are added, and mixed with oil, the whole mass
becomes of a dead brown red colour, not very
intense, remaining green only on the edges.

By doubling or tripling the expressed oil of
black mustard seed, the quantity tested gives
rise to similar action, with the exception that
the colour is somewhat less bright. Train oil
instantly assumes, when stirred, a lively brown
red colour, which finally passes into dark
brown and violet, without ahue of green. If
mixed with five or six drops of acid, the colour
1s much more intense, and the violet colour
sooner appears. Seal oil assumes a yellowish’
gray colour. If, however, thirty drops of oil
are taken instead of ten, a colour slightly
approaching to green blue also appears, so
that one drop more changes into gray. On
the addition of five or six drops of acid, it
receives a lively orange yellow tint. The oils
from the olive, poppy and sweet almonds, all
assume a yellow colour, more or less dingy
or gray; and, by the addition of more acid,
the action is rendered far more violent.

If linseed oil is stirred with the rod, as’
before mentioned, a,brownish black lump forms,
and, by adding five or six drops of acid, the
whole forms a resinous, black, and persistent
mass. It is true that the cther oils likewise!
become plastic by the addition of greater or,
smaller quantity of acid; none, however, to a
similar degree, and with a colour so black as
linseed oil. The oil obtained from tallow
assumes a dark dirty brown colour, which does
not vary in tint by the addition of more acid.
In trade it seldom occurs that a better oil is
mixed with aninferior. Oil of almonds, olives,
and codfish oil, will, therefore, never be used.
adulterating rape oil, but probably train, or
perhaps linseed oil, and sometimes poppy oil.:
ifwe are led, therefore, by the odour to
infer an adulteration—for instance, by train oil,|
which occurs the most frequently—it is only)
necessary to place from ten to fifteen drops of
rape oil, the purity of which is undoubted,|
together with as much train oil, and an equal
quantity of the oil whose purity is suspected,
and to add to each of them a small drop of,
sulphuric acid. From the colour produced an
inference may be drawn as to the purity of the
oil, and by the difference of tinges from the
vivid red of the train oil, and the bluish green
of the rape oil, the extent of adulteration may
be ascertained. In this manner have been)
detected adulterations made with half the
quantity of an inferior oil; and the aréometer
bore further testimony to the precision of my,
observations.

In undertaking an experiment, the com-'|
mencement of the re-action must be accurately
observed, with the several oils placed beside,

each other; for the colours, after a quarter of

ee i

[58

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

an hour has elapsed, are less distinct, and the
mixture should, for the purpose of attaining to
greater certainty in the first experiment, be
left undisturbed; in a second stirred with the
glassrod. It is likewise necessary to avoid em-
ploying more than one drop of acid to ten drops
of oil, since otherwise the re-action which en-
suesistoo violent. Ifthe presence of linseed oil
be suspected in train oil, this will be discovered
if the mass is left undisturbed, by a rather
intense brownish red colour; if disturbed, by a
brownish black colour. The intensity of the
latter is increased by the increased addition
of acid, and also the consistence of the
moisture.

The adulteration by poppy oil, is seldom
met with in commercial rape oil, because it is
commonly much dearer than the latter; but
when it is done the colour produced is of a
very slight bluish green, approaching some-
what to yellow, but sufficiently distinct to
admit of an inference being drawn, as to the
adulteration, with perfect certainty. In such
cases, the specific gravity of both oils must be
received as the sole criterion for identifying
them.

It has been reported that tallow oil has
several times been mixed at Paris with rape-
seed oil: besides the brownish colour produced
by sulphuric acid, the tallowy smell, the brown
colour, the acid re-action, and last, although
not least, its density, which is less than any
other of the fixed oils, are such decisive
characteristics that we must be blind indeed if
we do not instantly discover this fraud.

Gout.—This term is generally explained a

drain, and Ray gives it as a Somersetshire
word, ‘‘gowts, canales, cloacee, seu tenting sub-
| |terranee.”’—‘** English Words;’’ 1674, p. 67.
\|It is still retained in use in Lincolnshire, not
merely in that sense, but also applied to a
||slidimg door at the extremity of a drain, by
means of which the water is retained in the
||drain in a dry season, and let off ina time of
flood. ‘‘ Goutes, sinks, vaults: Bristol in emi-
nent for these gowtes or subterraneous vaults,
by reason of which they draw all things on
sledges, for fear the shaking of cart wheels
should loosen these arches.’’—‘‘ Kennet’s MS.
Giossary.”’ Kennet also informs us that a
‘wide ditch or water-course that empties it-
self into the sea, is called in Romney Marsh a
gut.” These terms are doubtlessly connected
with each other, and with the word as it occurs
in the Prompt. Parv., ‘“‘Gote or water
schetelys, aguagium.”’ Dugdale, in his ‘“ His-
tory of Imbanking,” 1662, p. 243, mentions
“the erecting of two new gotes at Skirbek and
Laugare, for drayning the waters out of South
Holland and the fens.’’—Journal of the Archeo-
logical Association.
_ Corossau Porrrait.—Pliny informs us that
in his days portrait painting was carried to such
extravagance, that Nero ordered himself to be
painted under the figure of a colossus upon
canvas a hundred and twenty feet in height.
This painting when finished was placed in the
royal gardens, where it was eventually de-
stroyed by lightning.

‘pressure of the steam, and this flat surface

Hocomotivbe Worlers.

[Concluded from page 47.]

Tue upper portion of the external fire box is
usually formed into a steam chest, which is
sometimes dome-shaped, sometimes semi-
circular, and sometimes of a pyramidical form,
and from this steam chest the steam is con-
ducted away by an internal pipe to the
cylinders; but in other cases an independent
steam chest is set upon the barrel of the boiler,
consisting of a plate iron cylinder, 20 inches
in diameter, 2 feet high, and three-eighths of
an inch thick, with a domed-shaped top, and
with the seam welded and the edge turned
over to form a flange of attachment to the
boiler. The pyramidical dome, of the form
employed in Stephenson’s locomotives, presents
a considerable extent of flat surface to the

requires to be very strongly stayed’ with angle
irons and tension rods; whereas the semi-
globular dome of the kind employed in
Bury’s engines require no staying whatever.
The man-hole, or entrance into the boiler,
consists of a circular or oval aperture, of about
15 in. diameter, placed in Bury’s locomotive
at the apex of the dome, and in Stephenson’s
upon the front of the boiler, a few inches below
the level of the rounded part; and the cover
of the man-hole in Bury’s engine contains the
safety-valve seats. In whatever situation this
man-hole is placed, the surfaces of the ring
encircling the hole, and of the internal part of,
the door or cover, should be accurately fitted
together by scraping or grinding, so that they
need only the interposition of a little red lead
to make them quite tight when screwed toge-
ther. Lead or canvas joints, if of any con-
siderable thickness, will not long withstand the
action of high-pressure steam; and the whole
of the joints about a locomotive should be
such that they require nothing more than a
little paint or putty or aring of wire-gauze
smeared with white or red lead to make them
perfectly tight.—There must be a mud-hole
opposite the edge of each water space, if the
fire box be square, to enable the boiler to be
easily cleaned out, and these holes are most
conveniently closed by screwed plugs made
slightly taper. A cock for emptying the boiler is
usually fixed at the bottom of the fire box, and,
it should be so placed as-to be accessible when
the engine is at work, in order that the engine
driver may blow off some water if necessary,
but it must not be in such a position as to
send the water blown off among the machinery,
as it might carry sand or grit into the bearings,
to their manifest injury. To save the steam
which is formed when the engine is stationary,
a pipe is usually fitted to the boiler, which on
a cock being turned conducts the steam into
the water in the tender, whereby the feed
water is heated, and less fuel subsequently
required. This method of disposing of the
surplus steam may be adopted when the loco-
motive is descending inclines, or.on any. occa-
sion where more steam is produced than the

ra a Sn

that any such mechanism can rarely be long
\kept in working order, as the molten clinker
\by:running down between the frame and the
\boiler. will generally glue the frame. into its
‘place.—Bourne on the Steam Engine.

|THE very common practice in, all large towns

|they become so hot as to throw off a scale,
jand bend under the weight of the feul.

|within reach of the ruin:

jof removing outer or front walls at the street

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

engine can consume. The fire-bars in loco-
motives have always been a'source of trouble,
as from the intensity of the heat in the furnace

The
best alleviation of these evils lies in making
the bars deep and thin; 4 inches deep by
five-eighths of an inch thick on the upper side,
and three-eighths of an inch on the under side,
axe found in practice to be good dimensions.
Insome locomotives a frame carrying a number
of fire-bars is made so that, it may be dropped
suddenly by. loosening a catch, but it is found

Returned Shop-sFronts.

of omitting or of removing the outer walls
throughout’ the ground-floor storey on two or
more.of the sidesof corner houses, to admit of
returned shop fronts, is so fraught with
danger, as to make it matter of wonder to all
who know upon. what a thread such buildings
hang; that casualties from this cause are not of
more frequent’occurrence. Commonly a door-
way Is made upon a canted or diagonal line
cutting off the corner where two fronts inter-
sect, and leaving the quoin or outer angle of
the building above to. overhang a void; whilst
the support given to the brestsummers placed
under the walls of the upper storeys is generally
either slight fir storey-posts, or even slighter
iron columns, and which supports are not un-
frequently placed over openings in the walls
below, and almost always over timber in some
form. or other, in situations and under ‘cir-
cumstanves most. liable to induce decay.
Plastering and joiners. fittings cover up the
parts upon the soundness of which so much
is made to depend, and consequently
danger will hardly appear unless accident
develop it in such manner as, to attract. at-
tention in time to avert it, until the wretched
fabric falls upon the heads of the in-dwellers,
and of those persons who may be otherwise

Connected in some degree with the practice

level, and substituting mere posts as’ stilts to
the walls above, is that of cutting away
chimney-breasts from side and party walls for
the same purpose of fitting the ground-floor
storey of a house for a shop, and, as commonly
performed, itis both destructive and danger-
ous. The overhanging upper parts of the
breast and the super-imposed chimney-shaft
are too commonly left dependent upon’ inade-
quate or otherwise improper supports, and
‘almost’ invariably the wall from which the
breast projects, and which it overhangs, is
pulled over to oneside, and so as to render the
early, condemnation of the wall imperative,

whilst it is always to be considered in a greater.
or less degree dangerous.

Tn the Metropolitan district the operation of
the Metropolitan Buildings’ Act has stopped
the practice of cutting away chimney-breasts)
without proper precautions, and to some ex-
tent the stiltng of buildings upon posts’ is
‘checked but itis not stayed; the operations
to thatieffect upon corner buildings being almost
free from controul.

Another modern practice which brings: with|
it’ a hitherto almost| unchecked source of|
danger is the use of bearing beams and
girders of cast-iron. Accidents from this
source are of frequent occurrence, and as the
practice extends itself daily, the danger is, of
couse, increasing. Used in brestsummers to
carry walls, and in storey-posts, cast-iromis.a
dangerous ingredient in the structure: of a)
building in the event of fire, because of its lia-
bility to break when dashed with water, as
well as to soften. and even to’ fuse when. acted
upon by intense heat; but cast iron is less:
dangerous, nevertheless, in brestsummers and
storey-posts, which are not generally exposed
to concussive action, than in beams) and
girders to: carry floors upon which’ movement
takes place.—Professor Hosking:

Burnisuine Gitpep Picrure Frames.—
There isa particular state or degree of dryness
known only by experience, in which the!
moulding is in a fit state for burnishing. A’
large share of the elegance which a: gilded pic-
ture frame presents is due to the judicious
admixture of burnish and matt (or dead) gold ;)
and the gilder determines: what members of
the moulding shall be burnished. The bur-
nishers used by the gilder are either of flint or
agate, generally the former;—the steel bur-,
nishers employed by the jeweller would not do,
for the gilder. It frequently excites surprise
that the burnisher can be rubbed briskly over
the gold without injuring it, or rubbing it off.’
The reason seems to be, that the whiting and)
gold size under the gold, form a yielding foun-
dation into which the gold is pressed more,
firmly by the. burnisher, and that the bril-
lianey attained is derived from the levelling of
the little asperities in the gold, and the gold
size beneath it. If gold were laid on wood, or
even on whiting, it} would not receive a bur-
nish.

Portrait or Georce Srernenson, Ese.,
C.E.—We have inspected a portrait of the
celebrated George Stephenson, at the Messrs.
Graves’s, Pall Mall, and have much pleasure,
in recording our testimony as to its faithful-
ness and beauty of execution. The portrait is
a full-length one, and represents Mr. Stephen-
son standing on ‘‘ Chat Moss.’ It was painted,
we understand, by Mr. John Lucas for Mr.
Robert Stephenson.

Awmateam.—1. Electrical—Melt14 drachms of
‘zinc, and add 4 drachms of mercury; afterwards
pound up with a little tallow.—2. Amalgam for
Silvering Glass Globes.—Melt 1 part of tin, 1 of
lead, 1 of bismuth, and 2° of mercury. When
nearly cold, pour into the globe, and turn it
about.—3. Amalgam of Gold.—Heat until it
fumes, 2 ounces of mercury, then add 1 ounce
of gold, (or silver). Used for water gilding.

THE DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT.

Soe"
S

stated that the quantities of British glass ex-
orted, in the year endiug, the 5th of January
ast, were as follows :—Flint glass, 17,858, ewt;
HUTT TON 6 _.. | window) glass, 29,804. ewt.;’ plate glass, 41,879,
We are happy tostate, says the Cork Examiner, | superficial feet: common ‘glass bottles, 227,
that government has resolved to make a yearly | 844. (Hen Blevia: « To ;
grant of £350'to ‘the school of design about to
be established in Cork——The: Border Adver-
tiser ‘says :—“‘ We are glad ‘to observe that the
operations which, during winter, had been sus-
pended, are :again:resumed; in: restoring par-
tially the dilapidated parts of Jedburgh Abbey,
one of ‘the most'entire specimens in the king-
dom.——It ‘has, become a: reality, says »the
Western Canadian, that people and parcels are
conveyed. by. the ‘‘ wires’ '—at ‘least over the
Niagara river. ‘The engineer writes to a friend
in this city that his iron: basket is constantly
plying 200 feet in the air between the American
and Canadian’ shores.——A statue is, we hear,
to. be erected to the memory of the late Mr.
|Liston, the eminent surgeon.——An interesting
question has lately been mooted as to whether
electricity is ponderable. Among: the mul-
titude of Fine-Art exhibitions which’ just now
divide the attention and confuse. the sense of
the sight-seer, one is particularly deserving of
notice for the excellence of its intention. For
the purpose of increasing the funds devoted to
the establishment ‘of «soup: kitchens ‘in ‘the
poorer districts. of the metropolis, M. Soyer
{has opened at \ the.-Cosmorama: Rooms. in
Regent-street, an exhibition of the paintings
of his, deceased» wife—who, as Miss Emma
| Jones, was a contributor to the Exhibitions of
the British Institution—under the title of The
Philanthropic Gallery. The «pictures are’ 136
in number—and their range and. variety of
subject render them a very remarkable collec-
tion as. the. work of a single hand. The
catalogue, written by M. Soyer himself,
exhibits a portrait of the deceased artist,
‘engraved after a picture by herself in ‘the
collection,—and is interspersed : with lively
anecdotes... M. Soyer’s «plan is at once a
graceful tribute to his deceased: wife: and a
generous effort for. the living: poor—and as
both deserving of honourable mention: and
public patronage. —Mr.:Taylor, of Bow-road,
the» winner of «the Art-Union Society’s £300
prize, has, we hear, selected, from the.Octagon
Room of the Royal Academy, the picture
entitled ‘‘ Blowing Bubbles—the Past’and the
Present,” by Mr. G. Harvey, of Edinburghi—
We hear, too, that Mr. Lough has sold his
statue of Ariel (not exhibited at the Academy)
to the Duke of Sutherland.—The journey-
men. masons of. Newport, have ‘‘ unanimously’
resolved. that no master-builder in the town’
shall be allowed to contract for any other than
mason’s work.”’ . We must confess that we:
cannot see the drift of.this.. If any of our
Newport readers will enlighten us ‘on’ the sub-
ject, we shall” feel obliged.—The: Sheffield
Tris states. upon authority that the celebrated
gardens and mansion of Alton Towers will be
opened fromthe 1st of June till the end of
October, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tickets
to be had of Mr. Orrell, Shrewsbury Arms
Hotel, Farley.——In an official document pre-
sented to Parliament, and lately printed, it is

— The Chronotypist. !

Laws ‘or Art.—The laws of art are nothing
relse than the conditions under which alone the
sensibility of the soul can be excited to agree-
able emotions’ ‘by external forms; they deter-
mine ‘the artistic ‘form according to the
démands of sensibility, and have their founda-
tion, therefore, in “the ‘constitution of the
sensitive faculity. The artistic form must, in
the first place, in’ order to excite a connected
emotion -in the sensitive faculty, -possess a
general conformity to laws,-which is mani-
fested in the observance of mathematical
relations or organic forms of life ; without this
regularity, it ceases_to be artistic form. But
this conformity to law is not in itself capable
of expressing an internal life’; it is only’a con-
dition of ‘representation, the boundary of’ the
artistic forms which range to‘and fro within,
modifying, but on the whole’ preserving, this
conformity. Whilst this regularity is the first]!
requisite in the artistic form generally, beauty
is amore immediate’ predicate of the artistic
form in reference to sensation: “We call those
forms beautiful which cause the soul to feel in!
‘a manner thatis grateful,‘ truly salutary, and) |
altogether conformable to its nature, which, as
it were, produce’ in it vibrations that ‘are in|!
accordance with its inmost structure. ‘ As‘ the
soul naturally strives after the salutary emo-

certainly a principle of ‘art, without, however,
being even in itself an object of representa-
tion, artistic ‘idea in’ the above sense, as the]!
latter’ is always an absolutely particular idea:
and sensation. On the contrary, beauty car-
ried to the highest point, even stands in direct
hostility against every endeavour to produce
something particular. The sublime and the
graceful may be ‘regarded’ as’ opposite|'
points in the chain of ‘sensations which is
denoted by the beautiful; the former demands
from the soul an energy of feeling wound up
‘to the limits of ‘her power, the’ latter ‘draws
her of ‘itself, without any exaltation of her
force, into a circle of agreeable’sensations. It
lies in the notion of a work of art as an inti-
mate combination of an artistic idea with
external forms; that it must have a‘unity to
which everything in the work many be referred
and by which the different parts whether suc-
‘cessively or simultaneously existing, may be so
held together, that'the one, as it were, demands
the other and makesit necessary. The work
must be one and a whole.—Miiller.

A Hint to Tyrrerounvers.—We wish our
typefounders ‘would: make asterisks of two
sizes in every fount: one, from which to refer,
as. large as the capitals, the other. the usual
size. Frequently one looks from a foot-note to
find the asterisk in a long close column, but it} |
is like looking for a needle ina bundle of hay.|
Liverpool Mercury. ©: 9. :

a a ee

tion in its sensitive life, so the beautiful is| |

No. 57.—Vol. IIT.

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GOTHIC ALPHABET FROM HENRY THE SEVENTH’S CHAPEL, ESTMINSTER.
WES SS eS A= Ss reer NSPS SE zen Ronee

in
seer

Meeps ict sprain ehh imate sire nish be bo Pee bs inl crt a ee cy rowley pce app pt eter a ret
en an rd el ht not tr abner arta Py ae NS en bhnbip dw) ome bein Vo nessmarioelaepere aan ena

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Saturpay, |

fAr. Wernon’s Gilt to the Pation.

ARE as angels’ visits
the
are pretty nearly ri-

proverbially are,

valled in their scarcity
by donations of pro-
perty made during the
lifetime of the owners;
and for this reason we
think that, with regard to the latter, when
|\|they are made, a greater degree of eagerness
to receive, and thankfulness for, the gifts
should be exhibited than we have observed
|jevinced respecting Mr. Vrernon’s munificent
||present to the country of his extensive and
\|valuable collection of the works of British
llartists. But we entertain a shrewd doubt as to
{whether this singular indifference arises from
|\eal apathy on the part of the people, or from
the fact that they are, generally speaking,
ignorant of the gift altogether.—Lord Mown-
TEAGLE seems.to hold the first opinion when
we find him declaring that the public are
generally very indifferent to the favours be
stowed on them, and that they (the favours)
are apt to be soon forgotten. To this view we
cannot readily subscribe, while we know it for
a fact that the names of many of the real
benefactors of the people are still treasured
\jand preserved as almost household remem-

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

{nation by fostering education, promoting im-

[June 10, 1848.

brances in the breasts of the multitude. Take,
for instance, the Birxsecxs, the Bripce-
waters, the Howarnps, the Frys, and the
Courts’s, individuals who have contributed)
towards the happiness and prosperity of the);

provement, and dispensing charity with an
earnest zcal and holy purpose—take them, we
say, and mention them to the hard-working
mechanic who has experienced the fruits of
their exertions or their bounty, and you will
soon discover whether gratitude, deep and fer-
vent, has yet departed from the heart of the,
Englishman.

The fact is that delay, which has ever proved
itself the bane of this country, has hitherto.
prevented our having a proper place in which
to exhibit the splendid gift to the multitude ;
and even now the presenter, almost in his own
defence, we may say, is forced to convert his
own house into a public gallery. To allow of
such a course as this savours strongly of mean-
ness on the part of our government, particu-
larly after all that has been done by Mr.
Vernon to do away with any inconvenience,
that might attach itself to the receival of his
pictures by the nation. Few persons would
circumstances,

have acted, under similar
as this gentleman has done. To use the words
of Sir Rozert Peru, who bore testimony not |
only to the munificence of the gift but also to |

the delicacy with which it was made— |

“‘ Apprehending that several of his [Mr.
Vernon’s] pictures might not be thought
worthy of a place in the National Gallery, he
had allowed the trustees to make their choice
from the whole collection, at the same time
submitting his own opinion as to those which
he considered most desirable to appropriate to,

the public.”’

This is kindness and modesty to the letter,
and fully proves to the world that Mr. Vernon)|
isaman of sincere purpose and unaffected

generosity, while at the same time it serves
still further to excite our grief and indignation
at the almost cruel treatment, which, indeed if
must be toa man of his feelings, to which he
has been subjected by those whom one might
have naturally expected to have known and
acted better.

—-

‘62 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

i .

tartrate is washed out of the paper and the
operation proceeded with as before, commenc-
ing by the moistening with nitric acid.

Anastatic Wrinting.

\Tue philosophy of anasiatic printing rests on
ja few known properties of the articles em- E
ployed. ‘Thus, water attracts water, and oil, Kebieww.
oil—though each mutually repels the other. Me-
tals are much more easily melted with oil than
with water, but they will be readily moistened | 4, Essay on the Roman Denarius and English
with a weak solution of gum; and, finally, ‘

this property of their becoming wet by water Silver Penny, §c. By Wiix1am Tron.—
is greatly increased by phosphatic acid. To London: Published by the Author.

these properties of oil, water, and the metals ¢ e :

may be added, as one of the principles of| A curious and valuable little contribution to
anastatic printing, the readiness with which | archeological lore, well worthy the perusal of;
part of the ink of any newly printed book or| every one who takes an interest in such mat-
engraving can be transferred by pressure to|ters as that on which it treats. Mr. Till
any smooth surface beneath. If, for example, | seems to have employed considerable research
a corner of a newspaper be fixed on a white|in the preparation of his pamphlet, and an
sheet of paper, and then pressed or rubbed | agreeable style of writing serves to shake the
with an agate burnisher, or any other hard |mustiness off of his subject so effectually as
and smooth substance, the letters will dis- | actually to impart a mew charm to antiquity.
tinetly appear, reversed, on the paper. This

effect is known to bookbinders; and our| We have not room for a long extract, so
readers may have seen, especially in the case | that we must content ourselves with stating, on
of books bound soon after publication, pages| the authority of Mr. Till, to whose work we
disfigured by the “setting off,” or transfer of \refer the reader for further particulars, that
the ink of the opposite page. Such being the| the penny is a coin of vast antiquity, and that
properties of the matters concerned in anas-|its familiar copper shape is a comparatively
tatic printing, the process is simple. The| modern alteration of the silver form in which
printed paper, whether letter-press or engrav-|it was known to our forefathers. Mr Till
ing, is first moistened with dilute nitric acid, |shows the silver penny to have been derived
and then pressed with considerable force by a| from the Greek drachma of /Egina (an island
roller, on a perfectly clean surface of zinc.|in the Saronic bay, twenty miles from’ the
By this means every part of the sheet of paper Pirzeus, and now sometimes called EHyzna),
is brought into contact with the plate of zinc.|which has been traced to a date 600 years
The acid with which the unprinted part of| years antecedent tothe Christian zra. The
the paper is saturated, etches the metal, and the|drachma was afterwards coined not only in
printed portion sets off on it in the manner| Greece, but in Sicily, Syria, and Persia. The
already described, so that the zinc surface pre-|same coin under the name of denarius, was
sents a complete reverse copy of the work.|struck by the high consular families during
The principles before specified are now|the Roman republic and by the emperors.
brought into operation. The zinc plate, thus| Mr. Till is of opinion that it must have been a
prepared, is washed with a solution of gum in| denarius of Tiberius to which Christ drew the
weak phosphatic acid. This liquid is attracted | attention of the Jews when answering their
by the etched surface, which it freely wets, question as to the lawfulness of paying tribute.
while it is repelled by the oil of the ink in| From Rome the denarius was transferred to!
which the writing or drawing on the plate is|Saxon England in A.D. 750, being there
traced. A leathern roller, covered with ink, | coined by the Kings of Kent, Mercia, and the’
is then passed over the plate, when a con-|other departments of the heptarchy. Under
verse effect ensues. The repulsion between | the name of penny, and comparatively rudely
the oily ink and the watery surface over which | executed, it was kept up by the Saxon, Danish,
the roller passes, prevents any soiling of the|and Norman dynasties, in succession, and
unfigured parts of the zinc plate, while the|was the chief coin in circulation down to the!
attraction between oil and oil causes the ink to reign of John. David I. was the first king of,
be distributed over the printed portions. In|Scotland who is known to have issued the
this condition the anastatic plate is complete,’ penny. In this kingdom it continued to be
and impressions are pulled from it by the or-| coined till the reign of James IV. In the
dinary lithographic process. When it is|course of its existence from the Roman times
required to copy old engravings, &c., which|to the present, the penny has been gradually) |
do not set off their ink on pressure, the page|reduced much in bulk. In the days of the
or print is soaked in a solution, first of potass Republic it weighed from 2 dwt. 10 grains, to
and then of tartaric acid. This produces a|2 dwt. 13 grains. Inthe reign of the Emperor)
perfect diffusion of minute crystals of bi-| Trajan, it weighed barely 2 dwt. 2 grains. The
tartrate of potass {through the texture of the|later emperors reduced it nearly one-half; |;
unprinted part of the paper. As this salt|and the earliest Saxon specimens weigh less
resists oil, the ink-roller may now be passed|than Idwt. The penny of Edward IV. was
over the surface without transferring any of |15 grains; that of Henry VIII., 10 grains ; and
i contents except to the printed parts. The|that of William IV., only 7 grains.

——_

[: AMT INaG Tia ee

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Che Maguerreotyype.

—_—

Tue Daguerreotype process consists in exposing
‘‘a plate of copper coated with pure silver, and
previously covered with the vapour of iodine,
ima camera obscura, by which means a faith-
ful copy is produced, on a reduced scale, of
any object which the operator desires to repre-
sent. The plates employed are sold of various
sizes by philosophical instrument makers, and
great care should be taken to examine them
iwell previous to purchasing, as any defects
lupon their surface, however minute, must
inevitably spoil the effect of the picture pro-
duced. The silvery surface ‘of the plate in-
tended for use is, according to Dr. Ure (Sup.
to Dict. p. 65), polished and cleaned by fric-
tion with cotton fleece imbued with olive oil,
and previously dusted over with very finely-
ground dry pumice-stone out of a muslin
bag. ‘‘The hand of the operator should
be moved round in circles. of various dimen-
sions. The plates should be laid upon a
sheet of paper solidly supported. The pumice
must be ground to an impalpable powder upon
a porphyry slab with water, andthen dried. The
surface is next. to be rubbed with a ‘ dossil’ of
cotton, slightly moistened with nitric acid,
diluted with sixteen parts of water, by apply-
jing the tuft to the mouth of the phial of acid
and inverting it for a moment. .Two or three
such dossils should be used in succession.
The plate is lastly to be sprinkled with pumice
powder or Venetian tripoli, and rubbed clean
with cotton. The next step is to heat the plate
by placing it in a wire frame,”’ which is of the
shape of the plate, generally oblong, with arms
extending from three of its sides in order to
secure it properly, ‘‘ with the silvery surface
uppermost, over a spirit lamp, meanwhile
moving it soas to act equally on every part of
the plate. In about five minutes a whitish
||coating will indicate that this operation is
completed. The plate must now be laid ona
flat metal or marble slab to cool it quickly.
The white surface is to be brightened by rub-
bing it with cotton and pumice powder. It
must be once more rubbed with the cotton im-
bued with acid and afterwards dried by friction
with cotton and pumice—avoiding to touch
the plate with the fingers, or with the part of
the cotton held in them, or to breathe upon
the plate, since spots would thereby be pro-
duced. After cleaning with cotton alone, the
plate is ready for the next operation’’—which is
that of, iodising. This process is effected by
placing a small quantity of the chloride of
iodine in a trough, and then hanging the plate
over it, with the polished surface downwards,
so that it may receive the vapour which imme-
diately begins to ascends from the iodine. In
a short time the plate becomes completely
coated with the vapour, which may be known
by observing that it possesses a yellow tinge,
which quickly changes into a golden colour.
The troughs employed for this purpose have a
screen of fine gauze {interposed between the
iodine and the plate. As this effect of the
iodine is extremely transient, it is not safe to

expose the plate at this stage to any strong
light; and, therefore, itis best to examine it
by the light of a candle placed at some
distance. If a purple colour be produced by
inattention to the above injunction, the plate
must be. repolished and the whole process re-
peated. The plate may now be said to possess
all the sensitiveness necessary for ordinary
purposes, but for that of taking portraits a
much greater degree is required. This is
obtained by again exposing the plate to
the action of bromine. The plate being
hung over a trough, as before, in which a
quantity of bromine has been placed, receives
the vapour, and a red colour becomes imparted
to its surface. In examination, the before-
mentioned rule respecting the light must also
be followed exactly. The plate is now ready
for the camera, previous to transferring to
which it is placed along with the board
placed at its back during the exposure to the
iodine and bromine, in a frame made for the
purpose. During the introduction into the
camera the light must not be. suffered to strike
upon the surface of the plate; on which
account the camera obscura may be lighted
briefly with, a small wax taper.

[To be continued.]

Go Sorrespondents, Ke.

Re-Issue of the Decorator’s Assistant.)

On Saturday, July 1st, will be ready, No. V of
the DEcorator’s Assistant, wath which will be
presented, gratis, an Original DrsicN FOR A
PRavet. The Numbers will be continued weekly.
We are induced to re-publish in consequence of
the great demand for the early Numbers, the
First Volume being nearly out of print. As this
will afford an excellent opportunity for New Sub-
seribers about to take in the Work, either in
Parts or Numbers, our Readers are earnestly re-

quested to introduce it to the notice of their
Friends.

Cases for Vols. I. and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 8d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or

marbled, 6d. extra.

“ B. B.’—The Decorator’s AssisTANT can
now be had complete in two volumes. The num-
bers now publishing form a portion of the third.

“« 4 Reader.” —Forward the MS. and we will
decide.

“F, G.”—We cannot undertake to supply
information privately.

‘“F. B. M.”—We are unacquainted with the
ingredients for making a colourless ink to turn
black after use. Weknow that an invention of
the sort was announced @ few years back, but we
heard no more of it.

“© Memnon.’’—The London Mechanic’s Insti-
tution, Southampton-buildings, Chancery-lane.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “‘the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”

nn eee SUE nn EEE EERE EER

An Lllustratey Glossary of Technical
|—6« Terms used tn Atchttectural anv
Enterior Mecorvation, Ke.

—

[Continued from page 54.]

Damascus Sreet.—The excellence of Da-
mascus steel, and. its superiority over most
|kinds employed in the manufacture of weapons,
have long become proverbial. Notwithstand-
ing all the research and inquiries of scientific
‘men, the oriental process for manufacturing
this material still remains a mystery into
which it is impossible to penetrate far. In
‘France, however, there is a process carried on
‘by means of which steel is produced of a very
‘similar quality to the original; it consists of
scooping out with a graving tool the faces of a
piece of stuff, composed of thin plates of dif-
ferent kinds of steel. These hollows are, by
‘a subsequent operation filled up and brought
ito a level with the external faces, upon which
they afterwards form tress-like figures. By
adopting this system an important advantage
is gained over the oriental method, as figures,
‘devices, &c., may be readily produced on the
surface of the metal thus prepared.

Decx (in ship-building), a kind of flat!floor-
‘ing extending from the stem to the stern of
jany vessel. The number of decks in a ship
are generally regulated by its size.

|. Drvistonat Lives (in heraldry), lines mark-
ing the division of a coat of arms into dis-
tinct and separate portions. These are four-
‘teen in number, namely :—

THE _DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

"NANA
Len Nei
i Nh TEN Nd aa

re eed UE as pl

"
AF oki

Vy.
1. Engrailed. 8. Rayonné,
2. Invected. 9. Dovetail.
3. Wavy. 10. Dancetté.
4. Embattled. ll. Angled.
5. Nebulé. 12. Bevelled.
6. Ragulé. 13. Escartellé,
7. Indented. 14. Nowy.

De r (from the Saxon delfau to delve or dig),
a quarry, or coal mine.

Dericient Hypersota (in geometry), a
curve having only one asymptote and two
hyperbolic legs running out infinitely towards
the side of the asymptote, but contrary ways.

Driamonp (in glaziering),. an instrument
employed by glaziers, &c., for cutting
glass. It acts by scratching the glass

which is extended to a fracture by force.|}
There are two sorts of diamonds, that
used for looking-glasses, &c., being set in
an iron ferule, two inches in length and a}
quarter of an inch in diameter. The rest of
the cavity of the ferule is filled with melted
lead, which keeps the diamond secure in its
place. The glazier’s diamond has a handle of
box, &c., of about five inches in length, fitted
into the ferule. When used the diamond is
drawn steadily and smartly along the glass,
guided by a rule.
[To be continued.]

Imitation Morocco Leatuer ror Watts,|}
&c., may be produced by laying upon a thickly||
painted walla coat of thick tenacious paint,|}
and giving it the peculiar effect of the sur-
face of morocco, by meansof atoothed instru-
ment made either of ivory or steel, and finish-
ing it with another coat.of paint and of var-
nish.—Hay.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Correspondence. Shoes.

Curious Steeple

[Continued from page 45.]
of Chesterfield Church,|1n the reign of Henry VI. long tight hose
Derbyshire.

were worn with boots or galoches coming up
é to the middle of the thigh: and short boots or
Sir,—Chesterfield Church is a spacious an

handsome building, but more particularly re-

q| buskins, or shoes with high fronts and backs||
that turned over each way, all of them long-
markable for the appearance of its spire, which

Lett cone a ae Notes of the ae
rises to the height of 230 feet, and is so singu-| being fastened to the knee by a chain) an

lary twisted and distorted, that it seems to lean nae were called “* Poulaines’’ (figs. 11, 12, 18).
in whatever direction it may be approached. d

aradin says, ‘When men became tired of
these pointed shoes, they adopted in their||
gh stead others, denominated ‘ duck-bills,’ having
Wy a bill or beak before of four or five fingers in
S

length.”” Edward IV.in the fifth year ofhisreign,
issued a proclamation that the beaks or pykes

\AN
NA
& N SS
7
‘WINN
F VDI
FZ \ Ze

,
ANY

ATS
BT
K NS ANG
NES BXa
Z Nea

The church is said to have been dedicated in
the year 1232, and is built in the form of a cross.
In the chancel is the burial place of the ancient
family of the Foljambs; two large altar-

tombs, and several inscriptions to the memory
of its members are still remaining.

Yours, &c.,

London, May 7th, 1848. W. T. R.

Sensitive Paper.

Sir,—TI reference to a query on this subject
which has appeared in the Decoraror’s Assts-

tant, I beg to state that ‘‘ sensitive paper’ is
formed by cutting horn into extremely thin

slips, which curls up on the application of the|of shoes and boots should not be more than
slightest heat, such as that of the human|two inches in length, any shoemaker or cob-
hand,‘ &c. bler making them longer, forfeiting twenty
Your humble servant, } shillings, to be paid, one noble to the king,
: gray iota acl another to the cordwainers of London, and

yy r * |the third to the chamber of London. This

Chatham, May 24th, 1848. had the effect of widening the shoes and to

(56

such a degree that ‘‘ they wore slippers so very
broad in front as to exceed the measure of a
good foot” (fig. 14). In the reign of Henry
VIII. shoes slashed in various patterns and
buskins of velvet and satin, with very broad
round toes, were much worn (for these and
and other boots of this time see figs, 15, 16, 17,
18, and 19); but these increased so much in
size, in this and the next two reigns, that
Mary, by a proclamation, prohibited them
from being worn wider than six inches.
About the latter end of the sixteenth century,
roses and ornaments were worn on the shoes,
which though of small size at first, went on
increasing until the reign of Charles I. when
they became so large as to cover the shoes
almost from sight. To protect these from
dirt, pauiogles or slippers were much worn
(fig. 20). About the close of this century the
shoes were completely covered with slashes as
seen in (fig. 20).

W.T. R.
(To be coneluded. ]

Ce eeneneemeeeecl

[Errara.—In the article on “‘ Shoes,” page
45, ante, Ist column, 9th line from top, a
comma should have been inserted between the
words ‘“‘ papyrus” and “‘linen;” and again,
2nd column, 2nd line. from bottom of article,
instead of ‘‘ and those of his William of Hat-
field,” &c., read ‘‘and those of his son, Wil-
liam of Hatfield,” &c.]

Cotourine or Goruic Decoratsons.—In
the?colouring of Gothic decorations the positive
colours were invariably used in their fullest
intensity, and with the richest and most har-
monious effects. Sometimes they were used
sparingly, at others profusely ; the structure
glowing from floor to ceiling with red, blue,
and gold. The painted glass in the windows
gave the key-note to the general harmony, and
its power and brilliancy required that the
walls, ceiling, and floors should either be stud-
ded or entirely covered over with the most
vivid colours. This necessity, doubtless sug-
gested the introduction of those ornamental
tiles, so many specimens of which have been
from time to time discovered in ancient Gothic
churches, and the manufacture of which is
now catried on so extensively in England. In
the colouring of the ornamental decorations,
care was always taken that prominence should
be given to the chief points and features of
the edifice, the receding and minor portions
being painted in subdued tints, or in a less
obtrusive manner.—Leith.

ApuLTERATION or Carminu.—This valuable
pigment is frequently adulterated with starch,
which may be detected by placing a portion of
the suspected mass in water of ammonia. If
adulterated, the pure carmine dissolves, leaving
the starchy matter, as well as most other
sophisticating substances. Such debased car-
mine is apt to spoil with damp.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Brickwork Wonrs.

In brickwork there are two kinds of bond, one
in which a row of bricks laid lengthways in
the length of the wall is crossed by another
row laid with their breadth in the said length,
and thus proceeding to work up the courses in
alternate rows, which is called ‘English
bond.”’ The courses in which the length of
the bricks are disposed in the length of the
wall are called ‘‘ stretching courses,” and the
bricks themselves are called “ stretchers.”
The courses in which the length of the bricks
run in the thickness of the wall are called
‘heading courses,’’ and the bricks thus dis-
posedare called ‘‘headers.”” The other kind
of brickwork is the placing of header and
stretcher alternately in the same course; this
disposition of the bricks is called ‘‘ Flemish
bond.’’ This latter mode, though esteemed the
most beautiful, is attended with great incon-
veniences in the execution, and in most cases
is incapable of uniting the parts of a wall with|
the same degree of firmness as the English
bond. * * * It may be proper to observe,
in general, that whatever advantages are gained
by any disposition of placing the bricks in
Flemish bond in any particular direction is
lost in another; thus, if an advantage is
gained in tying a wall together in its thickness,
it is lost in the longitudinal bond, and the con-
trary. Jn order to remedy this inconvenience
in thick walls, some place the bricks in the
core at an angle of forty-five degrees, and
parallel to each other throughout the length of;
each course, so as to cross each other at right
angles in the succeeding course; but even
the advantages obtained by this disposition are
not satisfactory, for though those bricks in the
middle of the core have sufficient bond, yet
where they join to the bricks on the sides of
the wall, they form triangular interstices, and
therefore, the sides must be very imperfectly
tied to the eore.—Peter Nicholson.

Mecyirn.—The following has been lately
recommended in the pages of a contemporary :
To each pint of cold-drawn linseed oil, purified
by exposure to sunlight for a few months, add
one ounce of powdered sugar of lead; place
the jar in a sand-bath, and boil over a clear
fire, stirring until the sugar of lead is dissolved.
Two parts of this boiled oil to three of mastic
varnish produces meglyph that works well and
does not separate, although it will not dry
guite so rapidly as some that is prepared by!|
the colour makers, yet quite sufficiently so for
the safety of any work. It is.a great\improve-
erie to put it into collapsible tubes as soon as
made.

To Destroy THE Exasticrry or Inpran
Russer.—The elasticity of Indian rubber is)
destroyed by cutting it into long slips, passing]
it through cold water, and then winding up)
tightly on reels, in which state it must be)
left for about three weeks. This is the method)
employed by the manufacturers of Indian
rubber fabrics.

| Robertson's Lwproventents i Archi-
tecture,*

||Tue improvements herein specified have for
| their object the amending the present system of
||rectilinear construction in architecture, by the
|/adoption of a true system of curvilinear forma-
tion, as the patentee decribes it, which system
|admits of various gradations of projection, and
is perfectly analogous in simplicity to the
simplicity of rectilinear formation. His
principle is founded on the known properties
of the circle, and not only is it intended. to
lay down simple and defined rules for the
proportions of the various members, but also
for all lateral developments and projections.
The data upon which he sets out, and which
having resolved itself into a geometrical figure,
the patentee designates the primary capital, is
that of a circular figure, having its base and
summit an horizontal plane, and the side or
circumferential boundary forming an arc, one
limb springing from. the base, and the other
uniting to a circle which bounds the plane of
the summit, and which is less the diameter of
the base, in the proportion 70°71 to 100. The
greater circle being given, the first inner or
reduced circle is found by constructing a
square within the larger circle, the angles
touching the arc, and then describing a circle
within that square, its sides forming tangents
to the circle when produced. ‘This system of
defined diminution is to be proceded with in
‘forming the various figures constituting the
capitals, bases, &c., and also in cupolas,
pediments, &c. The system is also to be made
available in fixing the distances of columns
when intercolumniated. The principle is as
follows:—Commencing at the base of a pillar
by describing a circle, whose diameter shall
be 100; within this circle is produced another,
|whose diameter is 70°71; then produce the
directional diameters, which run horizontally
and vertically through the centre of the circles ;
afterwards draw the diagonal diameters, which
will be produced through the centre also,
forming angles of 45 degrees, with the
directional and diagonal diameters. From
the upper faces of the ends of the two arcs,
which spring from the horizontal diameter
(where they are intersected by the diagonals),
concave and convex curves are produced,
having a greater radius, and which join
another circle placed above the one described,
whose diameter is equal to the inner one of
the basement. Within this upper circle an
inner one is produced, being in the same
proportion as to diminution ; and this method
can be carried on until the figure terminates
ina point. This is the system to be adopted
in cupolar formations. The patentee pro-
poses making the architraves (as he terms
them), connecting the columns curved, that
they may appear lighter to the eye than if
made straight; at the same time itis more in

* Patent dated November Oth, 1847; enrolled, May 9th,
1848. We are indebted for the above to the Patent
Journal,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

keeping with the system here adduced, which
has for its fundamental principles a continuous
formation of curves of variable radii. Thesystem
extends to the construction of roofs of various
pitches, provided they spring square from the
walls. The formation of the building having
been completed, with its bases, shafts, and
capitals, having entablatures engrafted thereon,
the cores of the shafts forming the curtain of
the wall are next filled in, leaving the neces-
sary rectangular space for windows, doors, &c.
Its further applicability for the harmonisation
of architectural and ornamental formation,
is illustrated in the outlines of urns and vases.
Following the same system of construction as
applied to bases, capitals, &c., the various
undulations are given to the profile of an urn
or vase, which becomes one continuous and
systematically decreasing curve forming the
body, stem, and foot of the vase.
One uniform principle of curvilinear
formation constitutes the foundation of the
column, the cupola, and the urn, and it is to
produce these advantages that the patentee
has devoted much time, he concludes by
stating he is unable to go further into the
detail, being obliged to close his speci-
fication.

Patents.—I observed a statement in some
newspapers, a few days ago, that within the}
last three years 2,405 patents have been granted, |
for which £304,000 was paid. As patents are
obtained free in this country, perhaps some of,
your correspondents would give an explanation |
regarding the above large sum. You will find,
it a system of plundering, carried on, disgrace-
ful to the Government, and most oppressive in
every way to those who wish to bring forward!
improvements.—In the United States of
America a citizen obtains a patent for all the|
states for thirty dollars, including all the ex-
penses of correspondence to and from the
patent office. In this country, if you wish a
patent for England, Scotland, and Ireland, it
will cost nearly four thousand dollars! although
the Government gives it free. The taxes we |
pay are understood to be for the benefit of the
country; we ought to know for whose benefit
the above large sum is paid, and for what
object.—Correspondent of “‘ Douglas Jerrold’s
Newspaper.’

Toucurs or Licut.—A_ correspondent of
the Aré Union gives the following as “‘ an easy
method of preserving sharp touches of light
amidst half tint or shadow in pencil draw-
ings :”’—* The outline being made, the leaves,
blades of grass, streaks in water, &c., as re-
quired, are to be touched in witn a hair pencil
and moderately strong gum-water, and when
dry pencil shading is to be carried across those’
touches. The drawing completed is passed)
through a vessel of hot water, when the gum
immediately dissolves, leaving the lights per-,
fectly well “defined. This is an application,
slightly varied, of a plan long ago recom-
mended, and, J believe, long since given up, |
for producing similar touches of light in water-
colour drawings, but has not, I think, been
hitherto made use of in pencil drawings.”

‘lation of the soul to the senses.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

The Religion of BWeauty.

Tue devout mind is a lover of Nature. Where
there is beauty it feels at home. It has not
then to shut the windows of the senses, and
take refuge from the world within its own
thoughts, to find eternal life. Beauty never
limits us, never degrades us. We are free
spirits when with Nature. The outward
scenery of our life, when we feel it to be beau-
tiful, is always commensurate with the gran-
deur of our inward ideal aspirations; it
reflects encouragingly the heart’s highest,
brightest dreams; it does not contradict the
soul’s convictions of a higher life; it tells us
that we are safe in believing the thought,
which to us seems noblest. If we have no
sense of beauty, the world is nothing more
than a place to keep us in. But when the
skies and woods reveal their loveliness, then
Nature seems a glorious picture, of which our
own inmost soul is the painter, and our own
loves and longings the subject. It is the apt
accompaniment to the silent song of the be-
holder’s heart.

The greatest blessing which could be be-
stowed on the weary muititude, would be to
give them the sense of beauty; to open their
eyes for them, and let them see how richly we
are here surrounded, what a glorious temple
we inhabit, how every part of it is eloquent
of God. The love of Nature grows with the
with the growth of the soul. Religion makes
man sensible to beauty; and beauty in its
turn disposes to religion. Beauty is the reve-
In all this
outward beauty,— these soft swells and curves
of the landscape, which seem to be the'earth’s
smile ;—this inexhaustible variety of form and
colours and motion, not promiscuous, but
woven together in as natural a harmony as
the thoughts in a poem; this mysterious
hieroglyphic of the flowers; this running

‘alphabet of tangled vine and bending grass

studded with golden paints; this all-embrac-
ing perspective of distance rounding altoge-
ther into one rainbow-coloured sphere, so
perfect that the senses and the soul roam
abroad over it unsated, feeling the presence
and perfection of the whole in each path;
this perfect accord of sights, sounds, motions,
and fragrance, alltuned to one harmony, out of
which run melodies inexhaustible of every
mood and measure ;—in all this, man first feels
that God is without him, as well as within him,

\lthat Nature, too, is holy; and can he bear to

find himseif the sole exception ?

Does not the season, then, does not Nature,
does not the spontaneous impulse of an open
heart, which has. held such sublime worship
through its senses, more than justify an at-
tempt to show how the religious sentiments
may be nourished by a cultivation of the sense
of duty ?

This should be a part of our religious edu-
cation. The heart pines and sickens, or grows
hard and contracted and unbelieving, when it
cannot have beauty. The love of nature ends
in the love of God. It is impossible to feel

beauty, and not feel there is a spirit there.
The sensualist, the materialist, the worshipper
of chance, is cheated of his doubts, the mo-
ment this mystery overtakes him in his walks.
This surrounding presence vf beautiful nature
keeps the soul buoyed up for ever into its ele-
ment of freedom, where its action is cheerful,
healthful, and unwearied; where duty be-
comes lovely, and the call to worship, either
by prayer or self-sacrifice, is music to it. He,
in whom this sense in open, is put, as it were,
in amagnetic communication with a life like
his own, which flows in around him, go where
he may. In nature we forget our loveliness.
In nature we feel the same Spirit, who made it
and prevades it, holding us up also. ‘Through
the open sense of beauty, all we see preaches
and prophecies to us. Without it, when no
such sensibility exists, how hard a task is
faith ! -how hard to feel that God is here! how
unlovely looks religion! As without the air,
the body could not breathe ;,so without beauty,
the heart and religious nature seem to want an
element to live in. Beauty is the moral atmo-
sphere. The close, unseemly school-house, in
which our infancy was cramped,—of how much
natural faith did it notrob us! In how un-
lovely a garb did we first see Knowledge and
Virtue. How uninteresting seemed Truth,
how unfriendly looked Instruction ; with what
mean associations were the names of God and
Wisdom connected in our memory! Whata
violation of Nature’s peace seemed Duty!
what an intrusion ‘upon the mind’s rights!
What rebellion has been nurtured within us by
the ugly confinements to which artificial life
and education have accustomed us! How in-
sensible and cold it has made us to the ex-
pressive feature of God’s works, always around
us, always inviting us to high, refreshing con-
verse ?

T hold, then, that without a cultivation of
the sense of beauty, chiefly to be drunkenfrom
the open fountains of nature and art, there can
be no healthy and sound moral development.
The man so educated lacks something most
essential. He is one-sided, not of a piece
with nature; and, however correct, however
much master of himself, he will be uninterest-
ing, unencouraging, and uninviting. To the

student of ancient history, the warm-hearted,

graceful Greek, all alive to nature, who made
beauty almost his religion, is a more refreshing
object, than the cold, formal Jew. And here
around us, resist it as we may, our hearts are

always drawn towards the open, graceful
children of impulse, in preference to the stiff,
insensible patterns of virtue. The latter may
be very unexceptionable, but at the same time
very unreal. ‘The former, though purposeless
and careless they play through life, yet have
trusted themselves to Nature, and been
ravished by her beauty, and Nature will not let
them become very bad. ;

Consider a few of the practical effects upon
the whole character of a growing love of
beauty in the young mind.

It disposes to order. It gives birth in the
mind to an instinct of propriety. It suggests
imperceptibly, it inclines gently, but irresisti-
bly, to the fit action, to the word in season,

;

|The beauty which we see and feel plants its
seeds in us.—Gazing with delight on nature,
our will interceptibly becomes attuned to the
|lsame harmony. The sense of beauty is
jattended with a certain reverence; we dare
|not mar what looks so perfect. ‘This sense,
too, has a something like conscience contained
in it; we feel bound to do and be ourselves
\something worthy: of the beauty we are per-.
mitted to admire. This feeling, while it makes.
alive and quickens, yet is eminently conversa-
tive, in the best sense. He,iwho hastit, is always
interested on the side of order, and of all
dear and hallowed associations. He, who
wants it, is ‘as destructive as a Goth. The
presence of beauty, like that of nature, assoon
as we feel it at all, overcomes us with respect,
and acertain sensitive dread of all violence,
mischief, or discord. The beautiful. ideal
piece of architecture bears no mark of wan-
ton pen-knife. The handsome school-room
makes the children neat. The instinct of
obedience, of conciliation, of decorum, rever-
ence and harmony, flows into the soul with
beauty. The calm spirit of the landscape takes
possession of the humble, yet soul-exalted
admirer. Its harmony compels the jangling
chords within himself into smoother undula-
tions. Therefore “walk out,” like Isaac “‘ at

her divine stillness, take possession of thee.
She shall give thee back to thyself better,
more ‘spiritual, more sensible of thy relation-
ship with all things, and that in wronging any,
thou but woundest thyself.

Another grace of character, which the
sense of beauty gives the mind, is freedom—
the freedom of fond obedience, not of loose
desire.
open to the beauty there is around him, sees
everywhere encouragement. To him the
touch of nature’s hand is warm and genial.
The air does not seem to pinch him, as it does
‘most narrow-minded ones, who can see no
good in anything but gain; to whose utili-
'tarian vision most that is natural looks hostile.
|He isnot contracted into himself by cautious
| fear and suspicion, afraid to let his words flow
‘freely, or his face relax in confidence, or his
‘limbs move gracefully, or his actions come out
whole and hearty. He trusts Nature, for he
has kissed her loveliness; he knows that she
smiles encouragement to him. Now think
what it is that makes virtue so much shunned.
Partly, our depravity, if you please. But
partly, also, her numerous ungraceful speci-
mens. For itis the instinctive expectation of
all minds, that what is excellent shall also be
beautiful, lovely, natural, and free. Most of
the piety, we see aboutus, is more or less the
‘product of restraint and fear. . In stands there
m spectral contrast with nature. Approve it’
\\we may; but we cannot loveit. It does not
bear the divine stamp, it chills, nor converts.
‘The love of nature make in us an ideal of
moral beauty, of an elevation of character
which shall look free and lovely, something that
shall take its place naturally and as a matter
of course in the entre of nature, as the life of
Jesus did.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

even-tide to meditate,’ and let Nature with]

The man, whose eyes and ‘soul are

Again, the love of beauty awakens higher |

zi
4
aspirations inus. He, who has felt the beauty
of a summer like this, has drunk in an infinite
restlessness, a yearning to be perfect, and by
obedience free. He can never mote rest con-
tented with what he his. And here is the |.
place to attempt some account of the true

significance of beauty, and of what is its office
to the soul. |

Beauty always suggests the thought of the
perfect. The smallest beautiful object is as
infinite as the whole world of stars above. So
we feel it. Everything beautiful is emble-
matic of something spiritual. Itself limited, |
its meanings and suggestions are infinite. In
it we seem to see all inone. Each beautiful
thing, each dew-drop, each leaf, each true
work of painter’s, poet’s, or musician’s art
seems an epitome of the creation. Is it not
God revealed through the senses? Is not
every beautiful thing a divine hint thrown out
tous? Does not the soul begin to dream of
its own boundless capabilities, when it has |
felt beauty? Does not immortality, for the |
first time, cease to be a name, a doctrine, and
become a present experience? When the
leaves fall in autumn, they turn golden as they |
drop. The cold winds tell us of coming win-
ter and death; but they tell itin music. Ali
is significant of decay; but the deep, still,
harmonious beauty surpasses all felt im summer
or spring before. We look on it, and feel that
it cannot die. The Eternal speaks to us from
the midst of decay. We feel a melancholy; |
butit is a sweet, religious melancholy, lifting |
usin imagination above death—since above |
the grave of the summer so much real beauty |
‘lingers. |

The beautiful, then, is the spiritual aspect of |
nature. By cherishing a delicate sensibility to |
it, we make nature preach a'‘constant lesson of
faith; we find all around an illustration of |
the life of the spirit. We surround ourselves
with a constant cheerful exhortation to duty.
We’render duty lovely and inviting. We find
the soul’s deep inexpressible thoughts written
around us in the skies, the far blue hills, and
swelling waters.

But then to this desirable result one stern
condition must be observed. If the sense of
beauty disposes to purity of heart ; so equally
purity of heartis all that can keep the sense
of beauty open. All influences work mutually.
“One hand must wash the other,’’ said the
‘poet. The world is loveliest to him, who looks-|
out on it through pure eyes.

Sweet is the pleasure,
Itself cannot spoil!
Is not true leisure,
‘One with true toil ? i

Thou that wouldst taste it,
Still do thy best);

Use it, not waste it,
Else ’t is no rest.

Wouldst behold beauty
Near thee? all round?
Only hath Duty
Such a sight found.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

Rest is not quitting,
The busy career ;
Rest is the fitting
Of self to its sphere.

’T is the brook’s motion,
Clear without strife,
Fleeing to ocean
After its life.

Deeper devotion,
Nowhere hath’ knelt;
Fuller emotion,
Heart never felt.

*T is loving and serving,
The Highest and Best !
*T is Onwarv! unswerving,
And that is true rest. D.

Joun or Fiesone.—Among the painters who
where mystics, and who where thence conii-
dently believed to work under a higher inspira-
tion, John of Fiesole, who died at Rome in
1455, is the most celebrated. He,. the most
creative artist of his time, belonged to the Domi-
nician order. Ingenious at once and holy, and
withal animated with the most glowing love
for his brethren, he so walked in all his ways
that he received the appellation of the ‘‘an-
gelic.”” When he was called to Rome to paint
the Papal Chapel, he lived at the Roman court,
as he had formerly done at his monastery, with
the same abstemiousness, and in the exercise
of the like penitential works. As at last the
attention of Pope Nicholas V. was drawn to
this circumstance, and he perceived that the
artist never intermitted the fasts of his order,

to-day to eat meat, for otherwise your body
will be worn down by your: great labours.’
John intrepidly replied, ‘‘ Most Holy Father,
my superiors have never commanded me this.”’
“Well,”’ said the Pope, “‘I commanded it to
you, and dispense you from your rule; for I
am the superior of all superiors.’ He never
painted the Crucifixion without shedding
abundance of tears; and the pictures of the
Blessed Virgin and the sign of the Cross he
executed always ina kneeling posture. The
virtues and, examples which he depicted, he
strove to stamp upon his soul: so his repre-
sentations were again a reflection of what he
inwardly beheld in himself. No wonder if, after
having painted on one occasion the Annun-
ciation of the Blessed Virgin with consummate
art, and beauty, and singular grace, Michael
Angelo declared it was humanly impossible to
portray so gracious an image of the Virgin,
unless the painter had beheld the original. In
that amenity and lovable tenderness which is
the peculiar characteristic of all his creations,
the reflection of a higher heauty cannot be
mistaken. Of many of the other elder painters,
whether Italians or Germans, who worked in
the same spirit as Angelico di Fiesole, we may
believe that their productions, which bear
clearly the character of ‘visions, were wrought
out under the inspiration of higher’ beauty.—
Gorres. iF :

|forms themselves (only that the difference of

the Pontiff said to him one day, ‘‘I wish you

‘completely and roundly, and leave nothing

‘suggestive but doesnot designate so distinctly.

HBepresentation in Att.

Tuose arts which represent by the or-

ganic natural forms derived from _ life,
are essentially imitative, and depend on
the artistic study of nature, -as only

the actual, organic, natural form stands in
that necessary and intimate connexion with
spiritual life, possesses that universal signifi-
cance from which Art takes ‘its rise. But the
artist is capable of attaining a conception of
the organic form which shall stand above
individual experience and. find therein the
fundamental form of the most exalted ideas.—
Now these arts are distinguished from one
another in this, that the one, sculpture or the
plastic art, places bodily before us the organic

material often makes change of form necessary,
in order to attain a similar impression)—and
that the other, design or the graphic art, merely
produces by means of light and shade the
appearance of bodies on a surface, inasmuch as
the eye only perceives corporeal forms by
means of light and shade.—Colour, so far as
regards possibility, can indeed be combined
with both arts, but in sculpture, it operates
with so much the less advantage the more if tries
to approach nature; because, in this endeavour
to represent the body completely, the want of
life only strikes us the more disagreeably.. On
the other hand, it enters quite naturally into
combination ,with design, which, in’ itself,
represents more imperfectly, and does not
represent bodies, but merely the effects
of light upon them, to which colour. itself
belongs, and elevates design tothe art of
painting. Colour.in its nature, effects, and
laws has a great resemblance to sound.—The
relation of ‘sculpture and painting, as regards
their capabilities and destination, is already
hereby defined in its main features. The
plastic art represents the organic form in its
highest perfection, and justly holds by its apex,
the form of man. It must always represent

undefined ; a certain restrictedness in its sub-
jects, but, on the other hand, great clearness
belongs to its character. Painting which imme-
diately represents light (in whose wonders it
rightly shows its greatness) and in exchange
is satisfied with the. appearance thereby
produced in the corporea! form, is capable of
drawing much more into its sphere and making
all nature a representation of ideas; it is more

The plastic art is in its nature more. directed
to the quiescent, the fixed; painting more to
the transient ; the latter can also, in that it
combines far and near, admit of more move-
ment than the former. Sculpture is, therefore,
better adapted. for the representation of
character (ethos), painting, for expression (ta
pathe). Sculpture is always bound to a strict

regularity, to a simple law of beauty : painting
may venture on a greater apparent disturbance
in detail, because it has richer means of again

neutralising it in the whole.—MMuiller. |

—

1) oe
Mliyy g
ffi J
AT.

(

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A CONSOLE, SHOWING THE FRONT AND SIDE VIEW. (GRECIAN.)

No. 58.—Vol. III. 1}d.

SaTurRpay, |

Art Expositions.

have already noticed in terms of warm com-
mendation the second annual exhibition of
select specimens of British Art Manufactures
at the Society of Arts: we have now to an-
nounce that it was closed on the 3rd ultimo by
an evening promenade, under the patronage
of twenty ladies of the very highest distinc-
tion, and attended by three hundred visiters
of the first rank and standing.

The exposition has been eminently success-
ful—more than seventy thousand persons from

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

[June 17, 1848.

all parts of the country having flocked to the
hallin the Adelphi during the brief space of
time it remained open.

A Nartionat Exposition in Trafalgar-square
on a more extensive would attract)
visiters in a tenfold proportion, and the rent
which manufacturers would pay for the use of
the use of the space necessary for the display
of their goods would more than cover the ex-'
penses, even if the admission were entirely
gratuitous. Such a project is worthy the com-
bined efforts of the Society of Arts, the various.
Schools of Design, and the Government
(through the medium of the Board of Trade)
in its favour. They would, we are well assured,
be nobly supported by the country, and the
“Temple of British Industry’—-as it might be.
appropriately denominated—would equal, if |
not surpass, anything of the kind which this
world has ever witnessed. |

We look upon the establishment of such an
exposition, if carried out, as forming an im-
portant part of the exertions now making in,
favour of national education: specimens of
art of beautiful conception and correct execu-.
tion cannot be contemplated without elevating
and improving the mind. The exhibition of,
the Society of Arts afforded plentiful proof of,
the display of the true and beautiful: no one
could avoid feeling a personal interest in the
continued prosperity and advancement of
those who produced such triumphs of inge-|
nuity, taste, and intelligence, as were dis-
played. A more perfect National Exposition
of the products of British industry would
surely lead to the display of high and noble)
feelings with greater intensity and a wider
extent; and it is for this reason chiefly that we,
so strenuously urge the project. We value
taste, we esteem industry, and we love every,
form in which intelligence embodies ideality ;)
—but above all we estimate the influence of
artistic beauty in developing notions of moral,
loveliness and the influence of the triumphs
of Britain’s industrial prowess in strengthen-
ing every interest in the prosperity of the
British nation. The long night of dark-
ness in which nations fought for vain sha-
and derived their dreams of glory
and bloodshed has gone

scale

dows
from violence

down the sky; ‘“‘the day sprung from on!)

402

THE DECORATORS

ASSISTANT.

high has visited us,” and taught us that

““slory to Gop in the highest’ is blended |

and identified with peace on earth and good
will towards men! Commerce must bind
together the nations which war dissociated, and
Trapz unite the races which blood and selfish
jealousy dissevered. The soothing influences
of art, superadded to the usefulness of manu-
factured products, will give force and efficacy
to those lessons of civilisation which it is the
proud destiny of Britain to preach to the
whole human race. In this career we see no
goal fixed to our country’s march of progress,
prosperity, greatness, and happiness: her
benefits to humanity will be co-extensive with
the wants of mankind, and her high reward
will be a recognised supremacy in intelligence
—more glorious than the sway of the proudest
empire that ever existed.

Go Worresponvents, &e.

Cases for Vols. I. and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

“ H. C.’—The frontispiece you write about
was never published, as it was found to involve a
larger outlay than the limited circulation of this
work would return to us. The ordinary title
page forms No. 26. :

“Wm. Bristow.’—You must surely labour
under a mistake in addressing us—we have no
connection with Mr. Henderson; very probably
your letter was mis-direcied.

“J. B.” and “ Regiomontanus.”—The ques-
tions are inadmissible—we must not get too far
oué of our line.

‘A Joimer’s Apprentice."—The measuring
line or chain of the ancient Jews, was 48 yards
1 ft., 11°04 an., in length ; the reed or ‘‘ canneh’’
was 3 yards, 1 fé., 11°328 in. ; the fathom was 2
yards, 1 ft., 3°552 in. ; the cubit was 1 ft., 9°888
m.; the span was 10:944in.; and the hand-:
breadth or span 3°648 in. The Grecian foot was
as near as possible 13 in. of our measure, while
that. of the Romans was about 1 ft.,11'6 in.—
With regard to your second question we should
certainly not adopt the course which you seem
inclined to pursue; you have your legal remedy,

and for what reason would you take the law in
your own hands ?

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §:c., to be addressed to ‘*‘the Editor
of the Ducorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”’

The. Maguerrestyye.

[Continued from page 63.]

Tue following remarks by G. S. Cundell, Esq.,
which originally appeared in the Philosophical
Magazine, ‘‘ On a combination of lenses for
photographic camera obscura,’’ are equally
applicable to the camera employed for Da-
guerreotypic purposes :—To render the instru-
ment available the principal object is to obtain
what is called “‘ a flat field,” or a picture which
shall be in focus throughout, in the margin as
well as in the centre; but along witha flat
and focal field, it is necessary to obtain a vivid
and well-defined picture, with sufficient light
to act energetically: and this last condition is
especially required when living figures are to
form any part of the picture. It has been
shown by Dr. Wollaston that a lense of the
meniscus figure [convex on one side and con-
cave on the other, thus ) ], under certain con-

itions, will give a picture which, although not
absolutely flat, is much more so thancan be ob-
tained by any other means; and had he con-
templated the adaptation of the instrument to
photography, he would probably have made a
small addition to it, similar to that about to
be described. All that his instrument [Dr.
Wollaston was the inventor of the camera
obscura] requires to make it avery perfect.
one, isa higher intensity of light; and, without)
impairing its other properties, it will be found
that that may be very efficiently given by
the following arrangement. Instead of using)
a single lense, as thus :—

( t

with the concave side towards the radiant ob-
ject, represented by the obelisk in the above
example, let a second and similar lense be
placed before it, with the convex side outwards,
and at a distance equal.to one third of its focus,
thus—

(oy) #

That such a combination will be, in a great
degree, free from: the aberration caused by the
oblique rays coming from the extreme parts of
the picture, will be evident to all acquainted
with optical science. It is scarcely necessary
to point out that the second lens will also
increase the intensity of the light. This plan
might perhaps be improved by filling
the space between the lenses with a blue-
coloured medium, of the same refraction
as the glass—the focus would be shortened and
the photographic power increased; and the
photographie rays associated with the red and
yellow end of the spectrum, being absorbed,
would cease to interfere with the unity of the
focus.

For taking portraits the sitter should be
placed in an easy natural position, in a
chair which has an iron rod, with a ring at
the end, affixed to the back of the chair, to
be raised or lowered at pleasure, for support-
ing the head. Portraits are taken with great
rapidity in the open air: from five to twenty
seconds being usually sufficient, with a good
lens, anda clear sky. The direct rays of the

op SO Eo AE OD AS Ds IE PTS SR SAT ae EL

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT:

sun must be carefully avoided, and it is
ften desirable to place the sitter under a
kind of canopy, or roof of stuff, or glass,
which should be blue, that colour intercepting
fewer of the chemical rays than any other.
One side of the model should be rather
more illuminated than the other; in-
deed the position, attitude, arrangement of
the dress, all require attention, with a view to
artistical effect. If the portrait is taken in a
room, the sitter should he placed in front of a
door or window, through which there is a
strong and uninterrupted light; the time of
sitting must of course beextended: a minute
to a minuteandahalf «will generally be
required. The perfect illumination of the
‘model may be assisted by mirrors, or white
linen cloths arranged so as to reflect the light
when it is most needed. A short focus lens is
best for portraits, sas itioperates more quickly,
ibut care must be taken to keep the whole of
‘that part of the person appearing in the plate
as much in the same plane as possible, other-
iwise any projecting part, as a hand or leg, wili
be represented greatly out of proportion. The
position of the camera must be determined by
circumstances; generally, it should be placed
nearly on a level with the face, as the most
important point of view. With respect to back-
grounds, some persons use painted scenes, repre-
‘senting terraces, balconies, gardens, &c.; but
jthey are seldom so correctly managed as to
appear well in focus, and certainly rather take
off the attention from the main figure. A
background of an even colour is preferred by
many, and may be dark or light according to
taste, and the dress or complexion of the
model. Inthe former case, a drab or slate
‘eolour suits well; in the latter, an old blanket
answers better than anything else. A table
with books, vases of flowers, &c., may be
arranged by the side of the sitter, if care be
taken that they come nicely in the focus. Too
imuch white in the dress should be carefully
avoided.

With regard to views, the points from which
buildings or views can be taken with the best
‘advantage, vary so greatly, that the operator
‘must be left pretty much to his own discretion
‘in choosing a position. As a general rule
in taking a building, monuments, &c., itis
advisable to place the camera ata distance of
about twice its greatest dimensions, and, if
practicable, at about one-third its height.
Jf the whole of the building or buildings
ibe not in the same plane, select the most
jimportant portion to be most clearly
defined, or take several views, in each
of which certain points are brought out more
distinctly. If an old and new building are to
be introduced in the same picture, which
should, if possible, be avoided, a black screen
or handkerchief, or some other opaque body,
should be placed over the lens for a moment
or two, so as to cut off the rays of light reflected
||from the brighter portions of the object, the
|iposition of which may be previously observed
on the ground glass. The same precaution
should be taken when the sky is very blue, or
strongly illuminated by the sun. The best
time for taking views, is undoubtedly the

earlier part of the day, though good pictures
are often taken in the afternoon. The time
required to obtain a good impression, varies
so much according to the lens, the weather, the
hour, &c., that no certain rules can be given
on. the subject,—experience will prove the
best guide.

Engravings, drawings, &c.,may be copied
very beautifully with a little care; the whole
of the model being in the same plane, there is
little difficulty in producing a good effect.
The object to be copied must be placed ina
good light, taking care to have every part
equally illuminated. To secure sharpness, the
model is placed in the open daylight, in which
case a proof may generally be procured in
about fifteen seconds; in the full sunshine,
the impression is made almost instantaneously.

Machinery, statuary, and articles of vertu
require to be arranged in suitable positions, so
that the light may fall upon the object most
effectively. The light may be reflected from
mirrors, white linen, &c.

[To be continued.]

Userun Invention in Crocxs.—An in-
vention has just been made in clocks which

will indicate the day of the week, the
month, the day of the month, and the
year, thus—‘‘ Monday, May 22, 1848;’’

and at twelve o’clock at night, the clock will
alter the indications all at once, and exhibit
“Tuesday, May 28, 1848,’ and so on, day by
day, for hundreds of years. All the attention
required is to keep the clock in motion, by
winding it up regularly as usual. Whether
the month has thirty or thirty-one days, or,
as in February, twenty-eight, and in leap year
twenty-nine days, the indications will be found
to be always correct. This newly-invented
piece of machinery is at present contained in
asmall box, which may be attached to any
ordinary clock ; or it may be constructed so as
to be placed behind the face or dial of a clock,
and make the above indications through an
aperture in the face or dial as above described.
The invention is that of am individual im an
humble walk of life. We have seen it, and
can bear testimony to the accuracy with which
all the operations and changes are effected.—
Leeds Mercury.

Secrets or WVENTILATION.—Let the air
enter the house freely by a large ‘aperture,
like a common window, and capable of regu-
lation inthe same way. Let it enter a stove
room, and be there completely warmed, and
let it pass freely through the whole house,
and enter all the apartments either at the
doors or by express channels. Take off the
used air by the chimney and an open fire;
or for crowds, provide larger and express
openings—there is no more to be done.
Houses that we have seen ventilated in this
simple, unpretending, unmysterious manner,
are the best ventilated we have ever entered.
It is too often the fate of the mysterious
little pipes, funnels, tubes, and valves by
which ventilation sis'frequently ‘symbolised,
rather to indicate ventilation than to effect
it.—Jllustrations of the Theory of Ventilation.

4. THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

terial or immaterial object, contra-distinguished
An Lllustrater Glossary of Technical from painting by being executed with dry sub-

Terms used tn Architectural anv
intertoy MBecovation, Ke.

—=

[Continued from page 64.]

Drawine, the art of delineating any ma-

Fig. 3.

stances, such as pencils, chalks, crayons, &c.
Fig. 1 represents a drawing in outline. Fig. 2
represents the same shaded. Fig. 3 is an en-
graved specimen of the broad or “‘ Persian”
style of drawing.

u aN
27)
ZS
aS
ag

[To be continued. ]

Goup.—The following are the principal
localities in which gold is worked or found :—
It occurs in small quantities in the Wicklow
mountains in Ireland, at Leadhills in Scotland,
and in some parts of Wales. In France, there
isa true gold mine, that of Gaudette, in the
valley of Oysans. It yields native gold in a vein |
a 62 of quartz. It was worked, before the revolution,
by Louis XVIII. then Comte de Provence.|
The vein being too poor, the working)
was abandoned. The auriferous rivers are
very numerous. We may mention the Ariége,,
the Gondu, the Ceze, the Rhone, near Geneva
the Rhine, near Strasbourg, the Salat, the
Garonne, near Toulouse, and the Herrault,
near Montpellier. Piedmont contains gold
mines, which are worked at the present day
with profit. At Macugnaga, at the foot of
Mount Rosa, veins of auriferous sulphuret of
iron are worked with great activity. In
Germany, Salzbourg funishes gold. Hungary
and Transylvania possess very important gold
mines. The gold mines of Siberia are also
very important. The gold is accompanied
by the same minerals as are found in the auri-
ferous deposits of the new world. Asia

2 Ie
a eae contains many gold mines. Africa possesses
in ed i numerous and important auriferous deposits.
i | i ll i, i) America furnished, in modern times, the
Hl d ul a | fl i er omen ot Bo: North Ander Cn
b ATTA Hii Hl uces little, and only in South Carolina;
i) oi uy Southern America, and especially Brazil,
[Sarr Choco, and Chili, are most productive portions.

NSW Itis also found in Virginia. Mexico, Peru,
——— and Columbia furnish gold, but that of Mexico
is principally drawn from the silver mines.—

Fig. 2. Mining Journal.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 795} |

sides of he entrance to eee sen of the|}

hi « 66 fn.’ | Chinese junk, ‘‘ Keving’’ (for particulars, see

Che Chinese Hunk, Heping No. 56). We are glad to hear of the great

ae patronage bestowed upon this Eastern cu-

riosity, and hope the indefatigable proprietors

will reap a commensurate reward. For those

of our readers who wish to study Chinese

ornament and decoration, an excellent oppor-
tunity is now afforded.

Worresponvernce.

Str,—In No 54, Query 8, a correspondent
wishes to know how to cut the circumference
of a large circle, a portion equal in length to the
circumference of a smaller circle. I enclose the
following solution, which I believe will stand
good in all cases. I have stated it in as short
a way as possible, but I think it will be quite
clear to any one.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,

| | le IT 3 J. WHITAKER.

( | \ 7 George’s-road, Heaton Norris, June Ist, 1848.

Construction :—Let the circle a zc p beany
size; set the radius of the smaller circle from
pto L; then, with the same radius px, describe
the semicircle per; then erect the perpen-
dicular kK £, join Fr &, and produce it to c; then
shall the perimeter of the arc p c be equal to
! the noe E of ae smaller ours or the aC
tt wii p & shall equal one quarter of the circumfer-

willl Ii iP Dn ence of ‘ie whole drole DEFmM. The other
i lin as example is constructed similar, but its diam-
aie | ie at eter p x is but one half of p s—consequently,
x the semicircle p c 8 would just reaca round the
circlep HK”, and the interceptedfare pris
equal top u, and p wis one-quarter of DH kK
n, so alsois pr equal to one-buarter of pc xz.
In the first case px shall equal the circum-|

icici ference of i Fw.

eS
oo Mh <

(

ALATA

Exvecrro-Bronzinc. — Metals may be
| bronzed Sty in a water solution

as composed of 500 parts of carbonate of potash,
AAA 20 of chloride of ‘copper, 40 of sulphate of tin,
and 250 of azotate of ammonia. For a brass
Tue above engraving is a view of one of the! deposit, zinc is substituted for tin.

A ins

~2 |
a

Gobevment School of MBesign.

MR. BURCHETT’S LECTURE ON FREE-
HAND DRAWING.

On the 26th ult., Mr. Burchett, the master,
delivered a lecture on free-hand drawing to a
large auditory. After a brief introduction,
in which he stated that the object of the
Government in founding Schools of Design was
not to support seminaries for builders’ clerks,
nor inaugural institutions for the Royal
Academy, but to foster the study of ornamental
art, and to aid the studies of designers, Mr.
Burchett proceeded as follows :—

** Geometry being the basis of all form, and
a practical acquaintance with at least its rudi-
ments being indispensably necessary to the

‘designer, this branch of science is the iniéro-

ductory study to the class of form. In con-
junction with geometry is perspective, neces-
sary in various measures, to the designer of
chintzes, to the decorative painter, and to
ornamentalists of every species. Next in order
follow the studies of free-hand drawing, and at
this division of his labours is the future course
lof the student’s abilities naturally determined.
Ifthe productions of the loom are to be enriched
and adorned with the labours of his pencil,

| by the special study of floral and vegetable

productions of his own and other countries, he
‘must seek to perfect his knowledge, and to
‘accumulate stores of appropriate ideas, both of
form and cclour, by which to add artistic
value to thej productions of mechanical in-

|| dustry.

‘“‘Tf the student, on the other hand, devote
his attention to design requiring a knowledge
of the human form, to him the studies of the
figure class both in drawing and painting,

'|based upon a systematic and thorough know-

ledge of anatomy, including the study of
drapery, present all their attractions. While
the class for the study of modelling furnishes
to students so prepared, that manipulative
‘power and special education which is requisite
‘to enable them to embody their own imagina-
tions, and become original designers. Beyond
this, the special study of ornament and the
‘practice of applied design complete the course
of studies; and by nothing short of this can
‘the objects of the Government be achieved,
with nothing less than this can the student’s
‘education be complete.”’

Mr. Burchett then explained the nature of
those geometrical elements of form, which are
‘the root of all forms of grace and beauty,
the circle, the ellipse, and the varieties of the
sections of the cone, together with all the
variations which result from the combination
of portions of the same and varying curves in
‘the same or different directions. He reminded
‘the students, at the same time, that in drawing
‘the designs for decorations many forms will
‘not appear on paper the same as when actually
executed and fixed in peculiar positions. All
the circumstances of different angles of vision,
from which alone these productions will be
visible, and the height from the eye at which

‘THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

they are placed, must be taken into considera-
tion in the composition of the designs. For
instance, a frieze, decorated with scroll orna-
ments perfectly true in their curves, would, if
seen from below at an acute angle of vision,
appear compressed by the superincumbent
weight. ‘The noble piece of frieze from the
forum of ‘Trajan affords an example of the
care with which the ancients guarded against
this apparent change in their compositions.
In this instance the curves are compressed
vertically, because, the ornament being seen
from below, the angle of vision would modify
the abruptness of the curve, and produce an
agreeable form.

“It is evident (proceeded the lecturer) that
the training of the eye to understand.and appre-
ciate the regularity of curves as produced by
geometrical means, whether simple er complex,
is the readiest way for preparing the student
to enter upon the study and practice of curved
lines formed by the hand alone. |My ex-
perience in this school has given me ifrequent
opportunities of observing this; for while
young students, who for the first time attempt
to describe curves of a simple character, have
been involved for a short time in perplexing
confusion, and have produced anything rather
than curves, I have frequently found that young
men in the practice of mechanical savocations
(suchas carpenters, &c.) which have fami-
liarised them with regular forms, have at once
felt, and very soon succeeded in reproducing,
the same lines. But you must not, therefore,
for a moment, regard the study of geometrically
formed curves as other than the means to an
end; for it is with that wonderful production

of the Omnipotent Creator’s power—the hand)
—which in his physical organisation places him!
far above the inferior-animal, and which, when,
directed by the cultivated. mind, shew, that he

is made in theimage of God, that we have
most to do.

‘““Without the powers of ‘the hand, capable}

as they are of a most wonderful development,
whatian imperfect being must man have been!
How:many a glorious emanation of the divinity
in man—the mind—which has been transmitted
through:ages for the instruction and. delight of
mankind, must have:sunk into dustiwith the
teeming brain which gave it birth! “What an
untranslatable language must thought have
remained! Without the wonderful and per-
fect mechanism of the hand, man must have
been the most miserable of beings, condemned
to lead a life of unsatisfied longings and
unfulfilled desires. Let us for a moment survey
some of its productions. The temples of the
Pagan and the Christian worlds, ‘from the
pyramids of Egypt to the glorious productions
of medieval art and science in our own land,
arise to our view; while every age discovers
long buried trophies of its skill, in barren sands
and mountain ravines ; and by its aid we are
enabled to mark the flight of time,ithe dread
enemy of its choicest productions.

“Of what cultivation, indeed, is the human||

hand noé capable? what precision, what
amount of excellence are we not justified in
expecting from the careful development of,
its powers? Curved geometrical lines are

THE DECORATOR’S! ASSISTANT.

produced generally by mechanical means,
and consequently encumbered with a con-
siderable amount of scaffolding. To the
educated hand, however, these preliminary
foundation-lines are, In connexion with orna-
mental art, unnecessary; guided by a refined
perception of beauty, its lines undulate in ex-
quisite variety, combining and modifying
circles, ellipses, or scrolls, in never-ending
change; adapting them readily to every con-
ceivable necessity of form and space, and
presenting combinations that would almost
defy the most patient geometrical analysis, and
certainly all mathematical invention.

““The education of the hand to the attain-
ment of beauty and precision of line is, then,
one of the important objects of the studies of
the class of free-hand drawing.

“‘T have already observed that a refined
appreciation of the beautiful is necessary to
enable the student to produce beautiful forms.
A slight departure from our more immediate
subject will therefore be advisable, in order
that we may inquire as briefly as possible into
the nature of beauty; and I shall confine
myself to its relations with the subjects which
form the principal materials of study in the
class of free-hand drawing, with the view of
furnishing you with a few salient points, which
I must leave to your study and observation
to connect with one another.

“‘The mind of man, ever eager to investigate,
and anxious to define the causes of the emo-
tions he experiences, has endeavoured for two
thousand years to define the producing causes
and constituent qualities of beauty. Socrates
appears to have erected the staudard of fitness,
and instanced, we are told, his own nasal organ
asa beautiful one, on account of its capacity for
smelling. David Hume and others assert that
beauty is no quality in things themselves, but
exists solely in the mind that contemplates
them, and that each man is an arbiter elegan-
tiarum to himself, without any right to inter-
fere in the opinionsof others. Hogarth alone,
in that part of his analysis of beauty which
treats of the waving line, has placed before
us beauty, as we must view it, abstractedly
from fitness or expression, and merely as pro-
duced by the combination of lénes and curves.
That it has often been supposed to be produced
by many and various causes, and that because
the contemplation of beauty gives pleasure,
therefore objects which produce pleasing
emotions have been falsely called beautiful, is
evident upon a cursory examination of many
works written on the subject.”

[To be concluded in our next.]

A patent has been obtained for an improved
mode of making rough plate glass, the cost of
which is considerably diminished by this new
method, as the molten glass is transferred
directly from the melting pot to the table,
without using a cistern or heating it a second
time, and the plates are annealed in the same
manner as crown of sheet glass, without em-
ploying the usual costly furnaces.

“7

Rebiew.

A Ramble About Hastings, St. Leonard’s, and)
their Neighbouroood. By Aex.
Hastings: John Moor,
Arcade.

Hastings and St. Leonard’s present but few
attractions for the superficial observer, but for
those who love to dip deep below the surface!
and admire the varied beauties which art and’
nature suggest, they afford many points of
more than transitory interest, such for instance,
as the Battle Abbey at Crowhurst, Galley Hill
at Bopeep, and the castle of Hurtsmoncieux.
Mr. Crux, in the pretty little work now before
us, has evidently bestowed much pains and!
attention to the history of its subjects: it is,
clear, concise, and lively. The following,
remarks are characterised by much good'
sense :—

“There isa great want, in the immediate
neighbourhood [of Hastings], of a class of,
houses known as cottages ornée, or villas.
Whoever may be induced to build such tene-'
ments, will have the satisfaction of seeing that!
it is not a speculation, in the ordinary sense of,
the word, but merely a safe and lucrative in-|
vestment of capital. There exists a demand, '
only waiting for the supply. It will be neces-|
sary for the architect to have this ‘ special
observance,’ that he must not ‘o’erstep the)
modesty of nature,’ by usurping the rules of)
good taste. In the midst of lovely valleys,|
where all is pleasing to the eye and dazzling
to the view, we do not want any of those pert,
staring, impudent-looking retreats, that come
forward so boldly in all our metropolitan vil-
lages. Oh! it offends me to the soul, to look
upon a range of Alpha and Omega Villas, full
of cunning devices, abounding in sphynxes
and obelisks, enormous porticos, and large
brass plates, dedicated to the Joneses, Browns,
and Smiths. ‘Pray you, avoid it altogether,’
and rather remain in stat« quo for ever, than
allow, for one moment, such aberrations and
emanations to exist, all being out of ‘the buil-
der’s brain.’ ””

Crux.

Royal Pelham

We may remark that the little tome is
admirably got up, and is a fair specimen of;
the progress which the provincials are daily
making in the art of typography.

Szas Hurts.—Slab huts are built of wood
split into broad pieces like boards, and about
two inches thick; a frame is made, and the
slabs are nailed to a wall plate at the top, and
either let into the ground or fastened to a
sleeper laid on the surface; such houses are
quickly made, cheap, and comfortable. The
covering is either thatch, paling, or shingles;
even slates are sometimes used, but these last
are liable to the objection of being: too hot.—
Witkinson’s ‘‘ South Australia.”

Soctety of Arts.

——

(DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES FOR THE
YEAR 1848.

On Monday, the 29th ult, the annual distribu-
tion of prizes for 1848, took place at the
Society’s rooms, John-street Adelphi. In
consequence of the decease of H.R. H. the
Princess Sophia, Prince Albert could not
attend as chairman, and his place was supplied
by the Marquis of Northampton. A complete
list of the subjects selected by the society for
competition will be found in page 167, vol. i.,
of the Drcorator’s Assistant. Mr. Scott
Russell, the secretary, read a short address, and
then. proceeded to announce the prizes and
names of the recipients, to whom the chairman
delivered the awards. On the reception of
each award, Mr. Russell read from the report
of the commitee, their observations on the
work obtaining it, and describing its merits in
point of beauty or utility.

The principal successful candidates, and the
prizes bestowed, were:—Isis medals to Ald.
Copeland, M.P., for the combination of fine
art with manufacture exhibited in porcelain
and china ; to Messrs. Minton and Co., for the
novelties in fine art produced in their various
exhibited manufactures. The silver medal
and sums of £20, £5, and £2 respectively to
Mr. T. Seddon, jun., for the best drawings of
an original design for an ornamental carved
sideboard ; to Mr. S. Bendixen, for the best
||monochrome drawing for a circular compart-
ment; to Mr. W. Smith, for the best model of
a bracket to support a figure two feet high; to
Mr. B. Farmer, for the best cartoon of an
arrangement of the white lily for a decorative
purpose. The silver medal alone to Mr. Bats-
ford, for his specimen of hand carving of the
hawk and butcher-bird; to Messrs. Collmann
and Davis, for the ornament and workmanship
of their marqueterie table; to Mr. J. A. Hat-
field, for his bronze chasing of the figure of
Dorothea and other works; to Mr. F. Hunt,
for his reduced model of the Laocoon; to Mr.
Magnus, for his application of enamel
colours to slate; to Messrs. Minton and Co.,
for the best specimen of turquoise blue on
china, not affected by acids; to Mr. Pratt, for
producing a fine work of very large size in
pottery; to Messrs. H. B. and J. Richardson,
for the beauty and purity of their glass, and
for the merit of their works in engraved glass.
—Prizes of £15, £10, £5, £3, and £2 respec-
tively: to Mz. T. C. Hyne, for his design for
a labourer’s cottage; to MrS. J. Nicholl, for
the plan and arrangements of a labourer’s cot-
tage; to Mr. J. Colson, for his design for an
intermediate railway station; to Mr. C
Allen, for the merit of the designs on the
panels of a pair of folding doors; to Mr. L.
W. Collmann, for his design of an ornamental
carved sideboard. The Isis medal and £338s. :
to Mr. Milton, for his improved drill for
miners. The Isis silver medal: to Mr. Heley,
for his flexible floating cylinder for the preser-
vation of life from shipwreck; to Mr. Woods,

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

for his chess-board forthe blind. The hon.
testimonial: to Mr. Jennings, for his improved
water tap; to Mr. Cracknell. for his improved
wrench. <A prize of £2: to Master Bursill, for
his improved soldering iron.—At the conclu-
sion of the ceremony a vote of thanks to the
chairman was proposed by Mr. Bancroft, the
American minister, and seconded by Sir John
Boileau. The assembly then broke up.

On the Manufacture of IWlack-Lead
Wencils.

—_—_—

Tue best black lead pencils of this country are
formed of slender parallelopipeds, cut out by a
saw from sound pieces of plumbago, which
have been previously calcined in close vessels
at a brightred heat. These parallelopipeds are
generally enclosed in cases made of cedar
wood, though of late years they are also used
alone in peculiar pencil-cases, under the name
of ‘‘ever-pointed pencils,’ provided with an
iron wire and screw to protrude a minute point
of the plumbago beyond the tubular metallic
case, in proportion as it iswanted. Pure clay,
or clay containing the smallest portion of cal-
careous or siliceous matter is the substance

which is employed to give aggregation and)|

solidity not only to plumbago dust, but also
to all sorts of coloured powders. 1
bago is reduced to a fine powder in an iron

mortar, and then put into a crucible, and cal-|

cined at a heat approaching to whiteness. The

action of the fire gives it a brilliancy and soft-),

ness which it would not otherwise possess, and
prevents it from being affected by the clay,
which it is apt to be inits natural state. The
less clay is mixed with the plumbago, and the
less the mixture is calcined, the softer are the
pencils made of it; the more clay is used the
harder are the pencils. The process is as fol-
lows :—the materials having been carefully
sifted, a little of the clay is mixed with the
plumbago, and the mixture is triturated with
water into a perfectly uniform paste. A portion
of this paste is then tested by calcination. If on
cutting theindurated mass particles of plumbago
appear, the whole must be further levigated.
The remainder of the clay is now introduced,
and the paste is ground with a muller upon a
porphyry slab until it becomes quite homo-

geneous and of the consistence of thin dough.||

It is now made into a ball, put upon a support,
and placed under abel! glass inverted in a
basin of water, so as to be exposed merely to
the moist air. Small grooves are made ina
smooth board, similar to the pencil parallelo-
piped, but a little longer and wider, to allow
for the contraction of volume. ‘The wood is

B.| boiled in grease to prevent the paste from||
The above described paste}|

sticking to it.
being pressed with a spatula into these grooves,
another board, also boiled in grease, is laid
over them very closely, and secured by means
of screw clamps. As the atmospheric air can
get access only to the ends of the grooves, the
ends of the pencil pieces become dry first, and
by their contraction in volume get loose in the

The plum-}|

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

grooves, allowing the air to insinuate further,

and to dry the remainder of the paste in suc-
cession. When the whole piece is dried, it
becomes loose, and might be turned out of the
grooves. But before this is done, the mould is
put into an oven moderately heated in order
to render the pencil pieces still drier. The
mould is now taken out and emptied upon a
table covered with cloth. The greater part of
the pieces are found to be entire, and only a
few are broken if proper care has been taken.
They are all, however, perfectly straight, which
isa matter of the first importance. In order
to give solidity to these pencils, they are set
upright in a crucible untilit becomes filled with
them, and then surrounded with charcoal pow-
der, fine sand, or sifted wood-ashes. The
crucible, after having a luted cover applied to
to it, is put into a furnace, and exposed toa
degree of heat regulated by the pyrometer of
W edgewood—which degree is proportional to
the intended hardness of the pencils. When
they have been thus baked, the crucible is
removed from the fire and allowed to cool with
the pencils in it—Should the pencils be in-
tended for drawing architectural plans, or for
very fine lines, they are immersed in melted
wax or suet nearly boiling hot before they are
put into the cedar cases. They acquire by this
means a certain degree of softness, are less
apt to be abraded by use, and preserve their
points much better. When the pencils are
intended to draw ornamental subjects, with
much shading, they are not dipped as above.—
Dr. Ure.

German SinverR.—1. Common :—

parts.
Copper ses ie ae
Nickel ve ne ae 2
ZINC <ke Bye an ne 3s
133

This compound forms the commonest that can
be made with any regard to the quality of the
article produced. It might do for wire for
common purposes. If the quantity cf the
nickel be reduced much below this, the alloy
will be little better than pale brass, and will

tarnish quickly.—2. Good :—
parts.
Copper se O68 8
Nickel Ets a = 3
ZANGh) =< ua ate os 3s
This is a very beautiful compound. It has the

appearance of silver alittle below standard;
|by some persons it is even preferred to the
||more expensive compound. We _ strongly
recommend manufacturers not to use a metal
inferior to this.—From a pamphlet by Messrs.
Topping.

Bracx Piement.—A fine lamp-black is ob-
tained by the combustion of a thick torch
of coal gas, supplied with a quantity of air
adequate to burn only its hydrogen. In this
case, the whole of its carbon is deposited in the
form of a very fine black powder of extreme
lightness. This black is used in making the
better qualities of printer’s ink,

The Chronotyypist.

A very handsome silver vase, intended for
presentation to the Bishop of Manchester,
from the scholars of King Edward’s School,
is now on view at the manufacturers’, Messrs.
Edwards and Ball, High-street, Birmingham.
The vase was designed by Mr. T. Clark, head
master of the Society of Arts and Government'|
School of Design, and _ is a very fine specimen || |
of that gentleman’s talents asa designer. It |.
is Roman in character, and is very highly
ornamented. On the edge is the egg and,
tongue moulding, and on either side are groups
of figures, emblematical of Truth directing the

Sciences, and Genius guiding the Arts. The |
handles are formed of intertwined winged ser-'|
pents. The vase stands on a triangular pedes-.
tal, decorated on each side by very finely)
chased wreaths of bay leaves, executed in’
frosted silver, and supported by a winged lion, |
a griffin, and a winged. sphinx, also frosted.}
These figures are remarkable for the delicacy, |
and yet the force of their modelling. Every
detail, though they are only about four inches;
high, is given with distinctness, while the
effect of the whole, especially of the
sphinx, is very striking. The figures rest
upon a broad, massive base, ornamented
by a rich border of the bay leaf. The
whole is raised upon a step of about an |
inch in depth. The design is original jin cha- |
racter, and displays great taste; the workman-.
ship. is excellent, and reflects credit upon
Messrs. Edwards and Ball. The height of the
piece is;about twenty-four inches; its weight
is 230 ounces; and it cost £200.—The foun-
dation stone of the temple for Dr. Jephson’s
statue has been laid in the gardens at Lea- |
mington, as has also that of the pillar to com- | |
memorate the visit of her Majesty and consort |
at Ramsey, in the Isle of Man.——We learn
from the Manchester Examiner that the navi-
gation of the River Amazon has at: length
been attempted with success by asteam-boat |
of light draught.—~The Government School
of Design, at Somerset House, is, we hear, now |
constantly well attended; and understand that

the continuance of able and diligent students

is to be encouraged by the distribution of
prizes for their best productions, and by giving

to them a preference in filling up vacancies of |
masterships in the provincial schools. Govern-

ment is manifesting a vigilant interest in the

efficient agency for this nationally important

Institution. The President and Vice-Presi-

dent of the Board of Trade have recently be-

come Chairmen of the Committee of Manage-

ment, and sanction by signature all its pro-
ceedings. The Committee holds its meetings

at the Board of Trade; and consists, as now |
arranged, of the following members :—The

Right Hon. Henry Labouchere, president,—
Earl Granville, vice-president,—G. R. Porter,
Esq., and Sir Denis Le Marchant, secretaries,
—Stafford H. Northcote, Esq., law assistant, |
—J. G. Shaw Lefevre, Esq., Sir R. West-)
macott, Ambrose Poynter, Esq., and.G. Rich-|
mond, Esq.—The Senate of the:University of

80
London have lent to the school, for the deli-
very of class lectures, one of ‘their spacious
rooms in the building ; and Mr. Redgrave and
Mr. Townshend are about'to commence a series
of lectures on Botany and Anatomy:—Mr.
Redgrave has been appointed by the Commitee
at tlle Board of Trade-to cooperate with Mr.
Dyce in carrying out the objects of the class of
Applied Design,—including flower-painting
and the treatment of plants and foliage in orna-
mentation; and arrangements are in progress
for the commencement of courses of lectures
on the History ‘and Principles of Art in rela-
tion to. ornament. Mr. Jackson, of
Leicester, has registered an ingenious table
for finding the day of the week or month at
sight from the year 1840 to 1900. It is very
useful in many cases:——Mr. Woodington
has completed his model for one of ‘the com-
partments of the base of the Nelson column in
Trafalear-square. The incident the artist has
chosen for representation is one that occurred
at the battle of the Nile, where Nelson, being
wounded in the forehead by a musket ball and
carried down into the cock-pit, declined the
immediate care of the surgeon, directing that
officer to attend to the rest of the wounded,
and totake him in his turn.——The suggestion
thrown out by us a few. weeks back (see page
‘1, ante), has, we see, been in some measure
adopted by the stone-masons of London who
have issued an address (agreed to at a public
meeting of the body) to the trades of ‘Metro-
polis and the country generally. ‘The address
embodies two principles, namely, that of the
people’s charter, and the protection of labour.
The first is too well known to need repitition ;
with regard to the second, after stating that
they have long seen the necessity for a power-
ful and cordial organisation among the trades
of this country, and particularly those’ of
‘London; the projectors submit the following
propositions, as the basis of a union, which they
really believe is best calculated to ensure the
undivided support and co-operation of the
trades of London, and the country generally,
and which they feel certain can alone better
their condition. They therefore propose that
a great ‘‘ Metropolitan Trades Political and
Social Union’”’ should be formed upon the prin-
ciples above stated. With regard to the pro-
tection of labour, it is proposed that a ‘‘ Board
lof Labour” should be formed, consisting of the
most practical and intelligent members—dele-
gates from the different branches of the pro-
posed union, part of ‘whom the projectors
would recommend should have seats in the
Legislature, whose duties it should be to watch
over the interests of the trades, to make the
necessary arrangements with the Government
for a new organisation of labour, by self-sup-
porting home colonies, and other industrial
|) establishments. At Crosby Hall, on the 8th
instant, the Right Hon. W..E. Gladstone pre-
sided as chairman at the anniversary meeting
of the subscribers and friends to the Spital-
fields School of Design. The report of the
||local committee represented the state and pro-
{/eress of the school to be highly satisfactory—
{jand mentioned several
||being engaged by the silk manufacturers as

(ea

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

instances of pupils.

draughtsmen and designers. | Prizes, of books
and money, were distributed to the students)
for drawings and painting's which were exhibi-
ted, and ‘the chairman and many of the prin-
cipal manufacturers ‘and merchants of the dis-
trict addressed the assemblage. A subscrip-)
tion has been proposed and active measures’
taken for its furtherance, ‘for the purpose of
placing a full-length portrait of Mr. Vernon’
amongst his pictures'when finally deposited in|
the New National Gallery. We would, how-
ever, suggest a marble statue instead, as being
more conspicuous, and more likely to excite
the attention of visiters.

Entervtor MBecoration.

—==

Wirth regard to interior decorations certain
principles may be laid down, which, if recog-
nised and applied, would make our dwellings
much more cheerful and comfortable, which
might make them comparatively beautiful, not
only without any additional cost, but would)
make the keep of them more economical, by; ,
rendering them, to an equal degree, indepen-|
dent of the caprices of fashion. : It is the)
absence of correct principles which causes |
decoration and furniture to be out of fashion, .
tiresome, palling to the eye, and subject to)
constant change! whereas, what is really).
beautiful, being based on everlasting principles, |
is subject to no'change. We think the greater
part of the painting of a house might be a!
work to last for life,’ with benefit even to the,
journeymen painters; and ‘infinite satisfaction
to the house inhabitant. “A truly melancholy!)
suspension of comfort is the work of painting
a house. Your whole little world so turned
upside down that it hardly rights itself before
the work has to be done again. What a comfort
it would be to undergo the penance only once!
in a life, instead of every seven years! It
seems to us quite a mistake, though a very],
common: and popular one, to imagine that
beauty is necessarily .costly in its production.
Nothing could be cheaper in material and
manufacture than the earthenware pots of the
ancient Htrurians—yet they have perfect and||
everlasting beauty in their forms. “The prefer-
ence of one colour to another, within a very
wide range of colours, is not.at alla thing of
greater or lesser cost. So’far from beauty
being costly, it would more often happen that}!
in a given number of existing specimens of|
decoration, the greater beauty and harmony
would be obtained at a smaller cost of labour
and material than what are expended to pro-
duce ugliness and contuson. Take at random
a dozen patterns of paper-hangings, of various
colours and devices, and in the majority of
them we believe it could be shown that their
cost of production might be materially
lessened, whilst their beauty would be greatly
enhanced. : Ne

SaTurpay, |

aliness and Monstrosity im Art.

-- GLINESS
and Monstrosity are not identical, ‘but
may be regarded as step-brothers. Crea-
tion has called them both forth—the one from
Nature, the other from Art. Between the two
there exists the same barrier that divides the

spiritual from the material world: ugliness
||partakes, in some measure, of system, but
|monstrosity is wholly of fancy; we can, at
least, appreciate the one, but the other is in-
comprehensible.

Rempranpr is generally noted for the ex-
cessive ugliness of his portraits, yet none can
accuse him of being an unfaithful delineator ;
\the grand secret of this was, that he knew
where to stop: one step either above or below
a certain limit renders the portrait of a human
being either that of an angel or a demon—thus
beauty may be extended to spiritualism and
ugliness to monstrosity.

However distorted the countenances of par-
ticular individuals may appear to the observer,
there is invariably present some redeeming
expression of intellect, which makes up for
their disadvantageous appearance, in the same
manner that a gleam of sunlight falling upon
arugged and barren rock imparts to it some-
thing more than any material qualification

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

a painter of imagination, the other a painter |

[June 24, 1848. *

could present tothe eye. Itis in the proper)
observance of this that some of our best)
painters have so eminently succeeded, and it
is likewise, in. the want of -such observance,
that so many have failed. By pourtraying
ugliness without its accompanying animation,
we create monstrosity—a thing without indi-.
vidual character, loathsome alike to our sight
and understanding.

There is no living creature on earth, in-
stinctive or reasoning, which may not berepre- |,
sented, with perfect good taste, in such a)
manner as to harmonise with our best ideas of,
moral beauty. Art should never be regarded }
as a mere delineator of substance; she has
still a higher and more noble aim, namely, |
that of embodying the spirit—of imitating the
work of Gop in all save actual animation.

It is well known that Rarrartie could no
more have drawn the portrait of a living man|
of ordinary beauty, than Rempxanpr could)
have drawn that of an archangel—the one was),

of Nature; but even Rempranpr did not go so|!’

far as Satvator Rosa, with regard to ugliness, |:

for the latter presented us with moral ugliness |)
as well as physical deformity—yet even he did |
not create monsters. We can look upon his |.
bandits and recognise in them human beings, |
notwithstanding all the gloominess (which as
he made it, is infinitely more terrible than ac-
tual darkness) of the surrounding scenery and |}:
those awful effects of light and shade, in the
production of which he stood and still stands |
unrivalled.

In the National Gallery, there is a small
painting on panel, by Jonn Van Eyck, of a)
Flemish man and wife, which affords an excel-
lent study to the young artist. The features
of both man and woman are excessively ugly,
added to which the imperfective perspective,
the grotesque style of painting, and the sin-
gular costume of the period to which it belongs,
all conspire to a singular towt ensemble of ugli-
ness; .yet monstrosity nowhere exhibits itself
in these portraits. The countenances of both
figures represented bear expression, and we
feel that we are looking at the representations
of human beings merely disguised in the con-
ventuality of Art.

These facts and statements all contribute ‘to

182.

the -establishment of two incontrovertible
points, namely, thatthe human form can never
by any possible natural circumstance become
monstrous, and that physical ugliness inter-
feres not with characteristic expression in the
human countenance.

[Our initial letter this week is derived from
the same source as that in No. 54, namely, the
Harleian MSS. in the British Museum, which
afford a capital idea of the state of decorative
art during the middle ages. ]

Gothic Traceryp.

We have this week presented our readers with
an example of Gothic tracery from Henry the
Seventh’s Chapel, Westminster Abbey. To
descant upon its beauty in proportion and
detail would be superfluous, we will, therefore,
content ourselves with remarking that in our
next we shall give the necessary dimensions of,
and rules for drawing the several portions. _

Co Correspondents, Ke.

Errata.—In our leading article last week
(see p. 71), 2nd col., 7th line from top, dele a
double of three words; and in same col., 24th
line from bottom, instead of ‘‘plentiful proof
of the display of,”’ §c., read ‘‘ afforded plentiful
proof of the effects of the display of,” §c. Also
in Mr. Whittaker’s letter, p. 75, 2nd line from
top, instead of ‘‘ how to cut the circumference,’’
as read “ how to cut from the circumference,”

Cases for Vols. I, and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

*.* Any of our readers having complete
Aupnasets of an ornamental description suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

“EB. C."—We know of no preparation for
colouring which will not peel off under the
intense rays of the sun, unless well varnished,
Common size will prevent lime-wash from rubbing
off, and than a mixture of the two nothing could
be better adapted for the interior of stables, Sc.
We have not seen any small work published on
the subject of cements and colours, but the second
edition of a large one by Gen. Pasley has, we
believe, been lately published by Weale, of Hol-
born, on the first subject, while on the second we
know of none better than Hay’s ‘“ Laws of
Harmonious Colouring,” published by Black, of
Edinburgh and London. .

“RS. M’ Kenny.” —If you are discontented
you have your remedy.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to ‘‘the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”’—We shall at all times
be eatremely obliged to such of our provincial||
readersas will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c. .

PartiaMENTARY Grants.—The Miscella-
neous Estimates for the year ending March 31,
1849, have been laid before Parliament. Ne. 1
comprehends ‘‘ Public Works and Buildings,”’
to which it is proposed to appropriate a sum of
£483,976, against £589,253, in 1847-48; of
this‘ sum, £120,923 will be appropriated to
public buildings and Roval Palaces, £30,000
to the enlargement and improvement of
Buckingham Palace, £8410 to the palm-house
at Kew, £4234 to the expenses of the tem-
porary Houses of Parliament, £120,000 to those
of the new Houses of Parliament, £21,300 to
the Insolvent Debtors’ Court, £4050 to courts
of law in the Isle of Man, £12,792 to Holy-
head harbour, £131,000 to harbours of refuge,
£23,167 to public buildings, &c., in Ireland,
and £8100 to Kingstown harbour. No. 4
includes the sums applied to the encourage-
ment and promotion of education, science, and
art, the estimate of which for the current year
amounts to £397,520, against £351,248 in 1847,
and £325,908 in 1846. Of this sum £125,000
isto be appropriated to public education in
Great Britain, £120,000 to the same purpose in
Ireland, £10,000 to Schools of Design, £4178
to the University of London, £7480 to the
Universities in Scotland, £6600 to the Irish
Academies, £3442 to the Belfast Academical
Institution, £99,249 to the British Museum,
£1500 to the National Gallery, £10,788 to
the Museum of Practical Geology and
Geological Survey, £5627 so scientific works
and experiments, and £2000 to the comple-
tion of the Nelson Monument.

ComrosiTIon ror Puasterers’ Worx.—The
composition used by the plasterer is a ground-
work of lime and hair, on which, for the
finish, a coating of finer material is laid. The
sorts of it are various; as, for instance, white
lime and hair mortar on bare walls; the same
on laths as for partitions and plain ceilings;
for renewing the insides of walls, roughcasting
on laths; plastering on brickwork with finish-
ing mortar, in imitation of stone work, and the
like upon laths. For cornices and the decora-
tions of mouldings, the material is plaster of
Paris, one which facilitates the giving by casts
the required form and finish; to the superior
parts of his work. The plasterer uses it also
for mixing with lime and hair, when the work
is required to dry and set hard in a short time.
For inside work, the lime and hair, or coarse
stuff, is prepared, like common mortar, with
sand; but in the mixing, hair of the bullock,
obtained from the tanners’ yards, is added to it,
and worked in with the rake, so as to distribute
it over the mass as equally as possible.—
Gwilt, ful

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. $3

portunity to those parties who may be willing
to promote this object more directly, it is pro-
posed to receive special subscriptions of £1

xa] and upwards per annum. The name of each
EXHIBITION erate ES MULREADY S| subscriber will be registered as one of the

jdonors of the picture; each subscriber will
Wawr of space has hitherto prevented our|receive an original etching of the picture,
noticing the intention of the Society of Arts to} painted for that particular year, and a free ad-
collect and exhibit as many as possible of the’

mission to the annual exhibition.”
paintings of that distinguished academician,| The plan we have no. hesitation in declaring
Mr. Mulready, as the commencement of a

to be sound in principle, and patriotic in its
series of such exhibitions of the works of

direction. Few, comparatively speaking, of,
different British artists to take place annually. | the British public are acquainted, even in the
Wewill now, however, endeavour to make up

remotest degree, with the merits of our native

for the omission. artists, and at the present time, when Mr.
“Tt is proposed, saysthe Society’s pro-| Vernon’s munificent gift has paved the road,
spectus, to collect once a-year (the month of

ati 3) ahd aehawitan the Society’ as it were, it reflects great credit on the Society
une 1s suggested), and exhipit in the society s

of Arts asa body, to have been the first to
Great Room as many as possible of the paint-| have used the thoroughfare thus newly created
ings of some one eminent living artist, and

—they could not have chosen a better path.
to couple with the collection of pictures} So much of the project, now let us turn to
arn exhibition of all the engravings from

the first gem of its development.
them. Perhaps it may be possible to add} Mr. Mulready, the artist chosen for the first,
some of the drawings and studies of the

exhibition, is well-known to connoisieurs by
artist, so that. we shall thus concentrate. in| his valuable contributions to that art of which
one spot annually the completest exhibi-|he is so distinguished a practitioner. Mr.
tion of the powers of one of our great| Mulready’s style is evidently founded on that
painters. Such an exhibition would afford a

of the Dutch School, at the period when
useful, lesson to ourselves, and teach both | Ostade reigned super-eminent as a delineator
foreigners and ourselves duly to value the pre-|of Nature; but no pupil could have sue-
sent state of British art. * * * + * There are|ceeded better in rendering himself a mas-
many advantages in exhibiting the works of an|ter; ndeed, he is by many competent
artist during his lifetime, rather than after his

judges esteemed as being even superior
death. Obviously, the collection through his|his prototype. He has improved by practice,
aid might be more completely made. ‘The

and the lapse of years-has not destroyed but
works exhibited are thus stamped with the

mellowed his vigour. gh
artist’s own guarantee for their genuineness.| The pictures of Mr. Mulready, now exhibit-
Moreover, it seems to. me more useful to

ing at the. Society of Arts, include nearly all
honour a great man in his lifetime, when he

his best performances from the year 1805 to
can value it, rather than when he is gone, and|1847—a period of forty-two years! Truly
cannot value itatall, * * * *. ‘The prin-

such a sight as this is calculated to produce
cipal object, then, of this exhibition is to|something more than a mere evanescent feel-
amass a fund, for the purpose of forming the| ing in the breast of the observer :—the proofs
nucleus of a gallery of the best works of

of nearly half a century’s devotion to art—a
British artists; to be thus enabled to give to

long. life-time spent in contributing to the
the artist whose works are exhibited a com-| pleasure and improvement of his fellow men,
mission for a picture without dictation as to

should surely entitle Mr. Mulready to a crown
subject or size—to give him. a commission in| of laurels, preserved fresh and verdant by a
such a mode, and in such terms, as shall be

nation’s patronage and sympathy.
calculated to obtain from him a picture which
he would feel a pride in showing to his country-
men as his best work, on which he would rest his
fame, and which he would offer to posterity as
the best specimen of his genius and ability.
An incidental advantage in this course will be
that we shall be thus enabled to test whether
works of art cannot be procured better by

Society of Arts.

Concreve, or Lucirer Matcues.—Ber-
zelins gives the following as the best compo-
sition for these matches :-—

parts.
Powdered chlorate of pottassa 30
Powdered brimstone .. ie 10

giving direct commissions to artists who have ane bie ic We a :
established their fame, than by an open com- Gina ba mite tal ay * 1
petition, which addresses itself to everybody, imnanar i si x

and nobody in particular. When this picture ; 54

is painted, it is proposed to present it to the
National Gallery, assuming that the building
is capable of receiving sucha collection. In
any case the pictures will become the property
of the nation. * * * * It is proposed
that the charges for admission should be on a
graduated scale, so as to enable all classes to
become voluntary contributors, and thus share
|the merit of founding a National Gallery of
British Artists. But in order to give an op-

The sugar, gum, and salt are first rubbed toge-
ther into a paste with a sufficiency of water ;|
the sulphur is then added, and the whole being}
thoroughly beaten together, small brimstone}
matches are dipped in, so as to retain a thin}
coat of the mixture upon their sulphuretted)
points; they should be quite dry before they}
are used. These matches inflame by friction
against any rough surface.

An Llustratey Glossary of Technical
—« Terms used in Archttectural anv
Entervior MBecovation, Ke.

[Continued from page 74.]

Diamonp Pavement, a pavement having the
stones laid diagonally.

Earty Enenisn. Styne or ARCHITECTURE,

the 13th century. The accompanying speci-

I
| i

||A. D. 1220.

—

i
TA

= va
wa a

i
—=

12th century. The accompanying specimen i
from Westminster Hall.

Encravinc.—This term is derived from th
German word Griiben or Graben, which mean
to dig or to mine.

tion of a cutting tool. All solid substance
are capable of being engraved, but when th
word is used as a term of fine art, it means th

THE DECORATOR’S’ ASSISTANT.

the general style employed in England during

{men is a representation of a capital from the
{\nave of Romsey Abbey Church, Hants; built

}|. Earty Norman Sryte or ArcuitTECTURE.
\\the style employed in England from the mid-

7 The essential idea of it,
therefore, is a hollow formed by the applica-

act of cutting out a representation of the
form of any object on a surface of hard stone,
metal, or wood. The art, in this, its most ex-
tensive signification, dates from the highest
antiquity—the engraved tables of the Jewish
law, the sculptered gems set in the breastplate
of their high priest, the cylinders of agate
engraved with arrow-head characters that|}
have been found in the ruins of Babylon, and|}|

the hieroglyphics sculptured on the temples
and obelisks of Upper, Egypt, are examples
which it is only necessary to name in order to
prove the assertion. , But engraving, at the
present day, is far more extended in its opera-
tions, being employed for the purpose of copy-
ing drawings, &c., and afterwards transferring
impressions of them to- paper. The various
methods of engraving are too numerous to
be mentioned in this place, so that we shall
reserve a full account of them for a series of
articles to be shortly presented to our readers.

[To be continued.]

Howto tay Sueet Leap.—The method
most commonly adopted in laying sheet lead
for terraces or flats, is to placeit ona sur-
face as even-as possible, either of boarding
or plastering. If boards are employed, they
should be sufficiently thick to prevent warping
or twisting, which, if it occur soon, causes the
lead to crack or to become unsightly. As
sheets of lead are not more than about 6 feet
in width, when the area to be covered with
them is large, joints become necessary, which
are contrived in various ways to prevent the
wet from penetrating. To do this, the best
method is that of forming rolls, which are
pieces of wood 2 inches square extending in the
direction of the joint, planed and rounded on
their upper side. “These being fastened under
the joints of the lead between the edges of the
two sheets which meet together, one is dressed
up over the roll on the inside, and the other
over both of them on the outside, whereby all
entry of the water is prevented. No fastening
is required other than the adherence of the
lead by close hammering together and down
on the flat: indeed, any fastening would be
injurious, as by it the lead would not have free
play in its expansion and contraction from
heat and cold. If rolls are not employed,
which from their projection are in some cases
found inconvenient, seams are substituted for
them; but they are by no means equal to the
roll either for neatness or security. They are}
formed by merely bending up the two edges of
the lead, and then over one another, and then
dressing them down close to the flat through-
Jout their length. Though some solder the
joints, it is a bad practice, and no good
plumber will do it, for the same reason as
that just given in respect of fastening in flats.
A leaden flat, as well asa gutter, should be
laid with a fall to keep it dry. A quarter of
an inch ina footis sufficient inclination for
lead, ifthe sheets be 20 feet long, so that in}.
this case they will be 5 inches at one end higher|
than at the other. This giving a current, as it}!
is called, is usually provided for by the car-||
penter previous to laying the lead.—Guwilt. |

e
5

S
e€
e

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Design for
: (GOTHIC.)
BY JAMES H. THOMAS.

/- g
(y ae
SS

LY aN ’ i, z .~
yy \. | ngs ZL =
Y i i ww

[We again beg to direct the attention of our
readers to the excellent series of designs for
Gothic ornaments, drawn by Mr. Barrer.
To. stone-masons, carvers, and indeed all pro-
||fessions connected with ornamental art, they
will prove invaluable.]

M. Basiner’s Armiposcore.—At a late sit-
ting of the Paris Academy of Sciences, M.
Babinet exhibited an atmidoscope, constructed
by M. Lerebours, which indicates the degree
of dryness of the atmosphere, its temperature,
its agitation, and the quantity of evaporation
which takes place in any given locality. Like
Leslie’s instrument, it is a reservoir of porous
clay, filled with water, the consumption of
which is noted , by the sinking of the level of
the water in a bent tube connected with the
reservoir. M. Babinet compared his at-
midoscope with Leslie’s instrument, and
pointed out several applications of its use to
sanitary puposes, as wellas in meteorology,
agriculture, and natural philosophy, and as a
requisite to the builder in the choice of resi-
dences. This instrument has the advantage
over the ordinary hygrometer that it is in-
fluenced by the agitation of the air, and
\\registers the total effect» produced from the
{|moment it is set in action.

a Bolphin Finial, CA alker’s MMethov of Becorvating Ar=

ticles of Garthenware ov China.

[Patent dated Nov. 20th, 1847; enrolled, May 20th, 1848.]

Tus specification relates to the decoration
of various articles manufactured of earthen-
ware or china, and the object of the patentee
is to give such articles the appearance of
marble or granite. The materials employed
by the patentee are the ordinary slop clays or
colours, as usually employed. The process is
as follows :—A bat, slice, or slab of the ordinary
clay of which such articles are usually made,
is taken in a soft state; the size of the bat or
slab being in proportion to the article to be
manufactured; a portion of the slop clays or
colours are now sprinkled, poured, or other-
wise placed and distributed over the surface of
the bat or slab of clay; it is then moulded
into the requisite shape to form the article.
The clay may be pressed also and formed and
shaped by means of blocks, or stamps of
wood, or other material. Also in the manu-
facture of tiles, quarries, and other similar
articles; although the patentee is aware that
such articles have hitherto been made with
slop clays or colours, he does not, therefore,
claim that manufacture simply, but he does
when in combination with afterwards bringing
the article in process of manufacture to a
level surface, or by pressing and forming the
clay by blocks or stamps. The patentee pre-
fers the use of oil or other oleaginous fluids,
to the employment of water, for the pur-
pose of mixing with the slop clays or colours
in the above processes of manufacture, as pro-
ducing finer surfaces; and also he prefers the
use of oil or other oleaginous fluids in the pro-
cess of stamping, or pressing, or moulding to
be applied to the block or stamp. Although
the slop clays or colours wiil dry gradually
and sufficiently at the ordinary temperature of
the atmosphere, yet they may be with advan-
tage dried by artificial heat, to facilitate the
manufacture, such heat being applied to the
surface. The patentee claims as follows :—
First, the application of slop clays or colours
for the purpose of decorating. articles of
earthenware or china, made of soft clay.
Secondly, the application of slop clays
or colours with stiff clay, for the making
of tiles, quarries, and various other arti-
cles, and pressing the same. Thirdly, the
construction and use of. blocks or stamps for
stamping and shaping articles made from
slop clays or colours. Fourthly, the employ-
ment of oil or other oleaginous substance
in lieu of water in combination with slop
clays or colours, for decorating articles of
earthenware or china, and in stamping sand
shaping such articles. Fifthly, the applica-
tion of heat to dry the articles, made as above,
applied to the surface only.—Patent Journal.

To Crean Arrictes or Goup.—Dissolve}
sal ammonia along with American potash, and
boil the article in the liquid.

Mecoratibe Art Soviety.

Ar a recent meeting of this society, a paper
“On Decorations in ‘Tempera’ was read by
Mr. Dwyer, V.P. The evils resulting from
the present partial system of education in the
arts, were alluded to as being generally evi-
dent in the professional practice of our artists,
and it was contended that more ample and
varied means for study should be made acces-
||sible to all who require to understand the sub-
ject. He desired to have a general system of
education in arts, as in literature, for all who
require to understand the variety of means by
which to best attain a given end. A know-
ledge of different materials must, he said, in-
crease the powers of expression; for by
simply extending an acquaintance with the
materials, facilities for correct and forcible
expression must occur, and the artist of
general acquirements would ordinarily adopt
that method which is the most suitable for his
purpose.

The manner of applying colours in the
arts has varied much in the different epochs
of history, and it is not difficult to trace
therefore those distinctive qualities in which
may be recognised relative fitness of pur-
pose. Mr. Dwyer described the method
of colouring ‘‘in tempera,’ and the va-
rious vehicles or media used for rendering
the colours adhesive and permanent. Some
useful details respecting the practical manage-
ment of. the colours were mentioned, and the
treatment of them in application with gums,
&c., to produce certain glazed effects, was ex-
plained. Among the advantages assumed for
painting in tempera, that of readily and econo-
mically producing upona large surface an even
colour and texture, was especially adverted to,
and its application, as seen. in the
paper-hangings, was said to equal in effect
that. of any other medium whatever. The
scenery of theatres (always painted in tem-
pera), it was observed, illustrated the power
and richness of effects obtainable, as well as
\the rapid facility with which decorations,
of a refined-and picturesque character might
be produced for domestic interiors. It was
contended that the opportunities for intro-
ducing artistic refinement through such simple
and economical additions to our ordinary wall
decorations, ought not to be any longer over-
looked, as vignettes, landscapes, &c., can be
produced easily, quickly, cheaply, and well,
in this manner. He did not wish to have
coarseness mistaken for boldness, but to re-
cognise that spirit which evinces the vitality
of art, by imparting to decorations in tempera
the fire and soul-inspiring vigour of the best
and time-honoured frescoes of Italy. He
remarked that the artist’s labour might ad-
vantageously be employed on walls in com-
bination with borders and enrichments printed
upon paper, and that elevated and important
results would thus ensue from displacing much
of the insipidity in the general aspect of paper-
hangings. Jt was mentioned that with the
present available resources arising from the

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

| Schools of Design, our house decorators might
| safely venture upon undertakings which would)

\referred to the now well-known decorations of

form of

be readily appreciated by the public. He
Pompeii, as illustrating in a modified degree
the proper starting point; and to the Vatican,
and works in Italian palaces, for specimens
for emulation of a loftier range. A greater
amount of attention to the importance of
colour upon our walls, it was said, was cer-
tainly necessary when we find the tame mis-
taken for the chaste, and artistic energies are
being asit were dried up, through the pre-
valent use of tints (stimulative in the name!
only), such as lemon, salmon, sage-green, &c.
It was further observed that painting in tem-||
pera being absorbent of light, admits with
great freedom the broad style of treatment
which is essential to the decorations of the! |
walls in large rooms, and the necessity for
greater breadth and force in the designs for
such purposes was strongly urged. Stencil-
ling, although despised by many, owing to the!
imperfect manner in which it has usually been)
applied in this country, was described as a
very useful medium, and, it was said, that
effects in borders, after the manner of Tes-
seree, would, if judiciously wrought, be duly
appreciated. The reader wished it to be
understood that he regulated his suggestions
with equal regard to economy as to the ad-
vance of artistic achievements. He regretted
the decorative painters have rarely the oppor-
tunity of seeing walls in tempera executed by
men of superior attainments,—as he felt assured) |
that, if they’saw the exceptions to their cus-|,
tomary practice which artists, such as Stan-
field, Danson, and others, had produced upon
the walls of afew private mansions, their||
mental powers of appreciation would induce
them to exercise that description of art.
Watteau had, he said, last imparted to this
manner of painting a popularity in this coun-
try; but there was little in those works beyond
the ability of many ornamental painters of the
present day. The absurdity of painting in oil
and varnishing the walls, and often the
ceilings, in small rooms, was mentioned in con-
trast to the light and agreeable result of;
colouring in tempera, while the general ab-
sence of gloss permits perspective and other
details to be properly represented at any angle
to the’ surface; and, with reference to dura-)
bility, that it is quite possible to produce works),
of enduring brilliancy, as illustrated by/
Egyptian antiquities in the British Museum,)
and the series of cartoons fora freize by A.)
Montegna, now at Hampton Court. It was
remarked, respecting the latter examples, that}
the manner of laying on the colours in washes),
showed that care was taken to prevent the
peeling off which a careless method gives rise
to.

To Remove ‘Tron Movtps” rrom MaARBLxE.|
—Mix equal quantities of spirit of vitriol and)
lemon-juice, shake it well; wet the spots with)
the mixture, and in a few minutes rub with)
soft linen until they are completely effaced.

Gobevmient School ot Mesign,

MR. BURCHETT’S LECTURE ON FREE-
HAND DRAWING.
[Concluded from page 77.]

“Many endeavours have been made to esta-
blish some universal standard of beauty, by
those who have sought to erect a material one.
The female form has thus been chosen. Yet
though we of course admit that the female
form in its perfection, is exquisitely beautiful,
consideration would prove that it is possessed
of certain qualities which exist in a greater
or less degree in all organic forms; and accord-
ing as it possesses more or less of these forms,
is it more or less beautiful. Some theorists
erroneously define beauty as being simply that
which is pleasing, overlooking the fact, that
things are not beautiful because they please,
but please because they are beautiful. Beauty
has also been said to consist in fitness; but
on such a view it would appear that it is the
excellence, completeness, or perfection of the
object which excites our admiration, and not
any presence of the quality of the beautiful.
The principle of association has also been the
‘source of much error, for objects which we love
wind themselves so closely round our hearts,
'that our admiration too easily induces us to
confound the causes of ‘our emotions, and to
jassert that to be beautiful which is pleasing to
us individually.

“Apart, however, from all such ideas, let us
‘examine some of the forms of the animal and
vegetable kingdoms, which all agree in pro-
jnouncing beautiful. Let us select woman, the
Arab horse, the greyhound, and a leaf. Now
if we find that all these instances possess
certain qualities in common, and that when
any of these qualities are absent, the sense of
beauty is either diminished or destroyed, are
we not justified in concluding that these com-
‘mon qualities are the source of our pleasing
emotions? and if further we find, that by
regulating our artistic productions by the
same laws, we are enabled to produce other
forms similarly pleasing, have we not dis-
covered the source of what we agree to call
beauty of form, analysed its nature, and
applied its laws to our own use?

“In the admission and appreciation, how-
ever, of this standard of beauty in form (to
|which point alone our attention must be
directed), is involved the question of : percep-
tion, sensibility, and its cultivation. In other
jwords, beauty is both objective and subjective.
|We know that, in the physical nature of man,
|the various senses vary in every possible
|degree, from absolute abnegation to the most
jexquisite degree of perfection; and that
|by cultivation, their perfectness may be
almost indefinitely increased. And we can-
jnot doubt that the mental esthetic sensibility,
which we call taste, with which every man is
more or less endowed, is capable of being in-
jereased in intensity and perfection to a very
surprising extent. The correct predication of

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.”

a a en on ae eee

‘sessed double the strength of the former.

beauty will therefore depend upon the com-
petence of the observer. As the short-sighted
man cannot say that the beauties of landscape
which lie beyond his powers of vision do not
exist except in the imagination of those who
are blest with better eyesight,’so neither can
it be truly said that beauty exists only in
mind, and that every individual ought to
acquiesce in his own sentiments regarding it,
without pretending to regulate those of others.

‘‘ As exemplifying the powers of perception
acquired by habit and education, the cele-
brated Baron Dupan remarks, that the copper-
smith, the tinsmith, and the cooper, dis-
tinguish with great facility whether surfaces
are cylindrical or conical, but are not so cap-
able of judging of other forms. The turner
and the potter can tell at a glance wheter any
surface is a surface of revolution, or flattened
or elongatedin any part. The architect will
judge easily of the varied forms of cylinders
and cones, as well as of surfaces of revolu-
tion. Andso on in all branches of art and
mechanical action.

‘“‘ From an examination of the various lines
of beauty producable from different geometric!
forms, we find, that to produce that aggregate!
quality of line which we agree to cal! beautiful,
variety, continuity, contrast, gradation, and|
symmetry, are absolutely necessary, and that|
without these qualities, no high degree of
beauty of line can exist. Letus then apply these,
principles to the instances of beauty in form!
which we before instanced.

“In that normal form of female beauty, the
Medicean Venus, we find the qualities in,
question combined in. a pre-eminent degree.
Its contour exhibits exquisitely varved elliptical
eurves of unbroken continuity, melting into
each other by subtle and refined gradation,
the various parts contrasting with each other
most harmoniously, and in perfect symmetry.
If we substitute for the graduated curves of the
Venus, parts more strongly pronounced,
curves abutting upon each other sharply,
and with little gradation, or broken lines and
angles of attenuation, or the unvaried and
unsymmetrical forms of obesity, we shali find
that we have exchanged gratification for
aversion, and elegance for vulgarity.

** So also in animals like the horse and grey-
hound, in proportion as their contour pos-
sesses the qualities before enumerated, we
concur in calling them beautiful, apart from
any idea of use or fitness. Though the race-
horse possesses in a transcendent degree one
quality of his species—fleetness—no one would
prefer his bony and tendonous form, all whale-
bone and whip-cord, to the flowing and
elliptical lines of the Arab; or deem that the
Arab would suffer in comparison with the
Flemish dray-horse, because the latter pos-

Such also is the case in the beautiful forms of
the vegetable world. These views are also.
confirmed by the high authority of Father
André, who defines beauty to be ‘variety’
reduced to unity, by symmetry and harmony.’’
The same principles are maintained in the
philosophic works of Hutcheson, Cronzas,
Mendelssohn, St. Augustine, and others, who

ALR A

Ss SSS

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT,

have only re-asserted and amplified the doc-
trine first enunciated by Aristotle himself.
‘“Let me now add afew words onthe sub-
ject of grace, which may with propriety be
said to be beauty in motion. Thus says
Milton of Eve :—
‘ Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye,
In every gesture, dignity and love.’
Grandeur, again, less important to the orna-
mentist than beauty and grace, is produced by
'!an increase of the scale to which the lines of
a beautiful object are drawn, with.a consequent
diminution of the number of parts; con-
trast being restrained by simplicity, and variety
by severity.- The grandeur of the Venus of
Milo, as compared with the beauty of the
Medicean, owes its origin to these causes.
The works of the early masters of Christian
art afford many striking instances of this
quality; for by the noble simplicity of their
draperies, they have often, notwithstanding
much imperfection and conventional pecu-
liarity of drawing, presented us with figures
which the greatest of their successors have
never surpassed in solemnity and grandeur.”
Mr. Burchett then went on to impress upon
his audience the extreme importance of those
elementary studies, which io the young pupil
often appear most purposeless and useless, and
which he generally finds least attractive and
agreeable, urging them to trust to the unani-
mous opinion of those who know by experience
the vast importance of a power of drawing
with perfect freedom and power of hand. In
enforcing this point, he showed the manner in
which the various properties of the chief geo-
metrical curves are all employed with more or
less fidelity in every beautiful form, illustrating
his words with numerous diagrams. Then ad-
vancing to the point of study when lines are
ee eee so as to produce definite form, he
said :—
“It will be found that the contrasting the
opposite sides of forms conduces to. their
beauty in a greater degree than a mere oppo-
sition. Jt may be necessary also to define
that contrast is modified opposition, while oppo-
sition is taken to mean mere absolute reversed
repetition; and upon examination it appears
that what we call contrast is the distinctive
mark of. vitality and animated nature, and
opposition of inanimate forms and absolute
fixity. Thetwo halves of the human body
are, indeed, exact repetitions, but they are so
only when ina state of perfect quiescence;
the moment vitality asserts itself in motion,
opposition gives place to contrast. In the
vegetable, where vitality is manifested not in
mobility but in-development, we find the law
of contrast substituted invariably for that of
bare opposition. In the works of architecture
and other similar works of man, opposition on
the other hand, bears sway almost unlimited ;
in classical architecture the principle of con-
trast being even less frequently called in than
in the more highly decorated and varied forms
of medizval art. The geometrical form of
ornament also prevails in the former; in the
latter the forms of the vegetable kingdom are
the frequent types on which the artist has
modelled his compositions.”

After various illustrations of the truth of|],
these positions, drawn from the structure of],
the acanthus, the olive, the oak, the thistle, the
vine, and the convolvulus, and the works of||
antique sculpture and Italian painting, Mr.
Burchett ‘concluded by an earnest exhortation
to the students of the school'to follow up the
advantages they derived from the institution
by a zealous co-operation on their own part,
not only by a diligent attendance upon the ac-
tual instructions of the masters, but by a per-
petual cultivation of their sense of beauty
during every hour they live, assuring them||
that each day would then reveal to them new
sources of pleasure and delight, every object
which surrounded them would possess a charm,
and they would become cosmopolites of the
animate and inanimate worlds.—The stambler.

Cuinesr Ornament. — Chinese ornament
partakes somewhat of the nature of the Mores-
can, or arabesque, without its grotesqueness,
and in some measure, of that of the Alhambra
without any of that gorgeous massiveness by
which the latter style is distinguished. From
their exceedingly limited knowledge of per-
spective, the Chinese painters excel more in
decoration than in any other branch of deli-
neative art, as they are celebrated for their
fidelity of execution as copyists of natural
forms~on flat grounds. Of light and shade
they know absolutely nothing more than that
the former cannot penetrate opaque bodies, or,
in other words, that stone, metal, or wood isnot
transparent. The designs of the Chinese are
usually very pretty and graceful, and, in a very
great degree, make up, by their pleasing
effect, for the lack of creative genius which
they exhibit. The knowledge of geometry.
evidenced by the works of Chinese designers
is truly surprising, considering the compara-
tively poor resources which they possess in
their own country for obtaining it. If the
reader will just take the trouble to refer to the
piece of Chinese ornament engraved by us
last week [see page 75, ante], he will readily
perceive that nothing but a most intimate
knowledge of the science could possibly pro-
duce such a design—there is a gracefulness
and accuracy about it which would rival the
productions of the Italians of the 16th, and the
English’of the 16th and 17th centuries, to whose
styles it bears some analogy.

Woop Buocks ror Fioorine, &c-—It seems
very surprising to us that wood-blocks are not
more generally laid down for flooring on ground.
stories, at least, than the common deal board=|
ing usually employed. We are not sure that/}
the expense would be very alarming, but we}
are certain that in durability and comfort they
would stand unrivalled. Common elm logs
laid down, with the grain perpendicular, on a
good concrete foundation would last for ages.

To taxe Ink Svains out or Manocany.—|
Puta few drops of nitric acid in about a tea-
spoonful of water, touch the spot with a fea-
ther dipped in the mixture, and on the ink
disappearing, rub it over immediately with a
rag wetted in cold water, or a white mark will
remain which it will not be easy to efface.

| Chinese Pants.

|Tue peculiar beauty of Chinese drawings is
}owing not to the particular nature. of the co-
jlouring substances employed, but merely to
their bemg mixed with glue or size instead of
|gum-water, as is the common practice in
'|Europe. With regard to the preparation, two
|things must be observed: firstly, that the
beauty depends, in a very great measure, upon
the fineness of the particles of the colouring
substanee—a Chinese painter employs aman
for three or four days to grind a small quan-
tity of vermillion in a porcelain mortar, and it
is from this that they derive their fine reds;
secondly, it must be taken into consideration
that most mineral colours are prepared with
acids, alkalies, or other salts, and that a small
superabundance of those saline substances
generally remains with them, which sooner or
later produces considerable alteration: in their
brillianey, and often entirely changes their
colour. In order to obviate this inconvenience,
the paint after having been livigated must be
repeatedly washed in distilled or very clean
water. To effect this properly, put half an
ounce of the paint in a half-pint glass phial,
and fill it nearly to the top with water, shake

coloured powder may settle at the bottom;
then pour off the water by inclining the phial
gently, so as not to disturb the sediment; fill
it agaim, and so on for five or six times, after
which the colour being gently dried must be
re-ground, when it is fit for use. The glue or
size to be mixed with the paints is extracted
from parchment in the following manner:—
Take about four ounces of clean parchment,
cut it mto shreds, and put it to soak in a quart
of clean water for about twelve hours—then
boil the whole ona gentle fire, and carefully
skim off the scum that rises tothe top. The
vessel must remain always uncovered, and the
liquor must be stirred occasionally.
boiling about an hour, take off the pot from
the fire, and strain the liquor while hot through
a coarse sieve. The liquor must be again put
over the fire in'a clean pot and gently boiled
until haif evaporated; the remainder is then
spread very thinly upon panes of glass, which
being kept in a warm place for a day or two,
the size will dry and become very hard. When
it is required for use, put a small quantity of it
‘\into a eupfull of lukewarm water, and dip the
hair pencil in it. The properties of this glue,
whieh render it much superior to gum-water,
are the following:—It does not deaden, nor
otherwise alter the colcurs with which it is
mixed ; it does not crack like gum; and it
becomes so soon hard as not only to defend the
colours from being affected by smoke and other
vapours, but even to allow of the surface of
the drawing being cleaned by means of a wet
sponge.

To Srrarate THE Marauuic Portion From
EITHER GoLp ork Sitver Lace,—Immerse the
lace for a short time in nitric acid.

THE DECORATORS. ASSISTANT.

| paints, under the name of “ Prepared Residue

it well and let it stand awhile, so that the

After

Fish Orn Painrs.—Prep. dissolve white
vitrol and litharge, of each 14lbs. in vinegar
32 galls.; add whale, seal, or cod oil, one ton;
and boil to dryness, continually stirring during
the ebullition. The next day decant the clear
portion, add boiled linseed oil, 12 galls.; oil of

turpentine, 3 galls., and mix well together.||
The sediment left is well agitated with half its

quantity of lime-water, used for some inferior

Oil.”’ This oil is | used for various common
purposes asa substitute for linseed oil, of which

| the following paints are examples :—1. (green)
—a. Lime-water, 6 galls.; whiting and read-||

dust, of each 1 cwt. ; blue-black, 30lbs.; yel-

low ochre, 28lbs.; wet blue (previously ground) |
In prepared residue oil), 20lbs.; grind welll}
For use, thin with equal parts. of] |
Pale:—b.| |

together.
prepared residue oil and linseed oil.
Yellow ochre and wet blue, of each 1.ewt.;

road dust, 14 ewt.; blue black, 10lbs.; lime-.||

water, 6 galls.; prepared fish oil, 4 galls.; pre-

pared residue and linseed oil, of each, 74 galls.||

Bright green. ——2., (Lead colour)—Whiting,
1 ewt.; blue-black, 7lbs.; white-lead (ground
in oil), 28lbs. ; road-dust, 56lbs. ; lime water, 5

4
89

galls. ; prepared residue oil, 24 galls. ——3.( Red-
dish-brown)—lime-water, 8 galls.;

each, 4 galls.——4. ( Yellow)—suhstitute yel-
low ochre for Spanish-browm in the last re-
celpt.——5. (Black)—substitute lamp or blue-
black for Spanish-brown in No. 3.——6. (Stone-

white-lead, (ground in oil), 28lbs.; road-dust,
56lbs. ; prepared fish, linseed and prepared
residue oils, of each, 8 galls.——7. (Choco-
late)—Nos. 3 and 5 mixed together sa as. to
form a chocolate colour.——Remarks.—All the
above paints require a little “‘ driers.”’

and durability, for common out-door work.—
Cooley’s Encyclopedia of Practical Receipts..

To Propuce Nretio-Meratniic Ornaments.

—[German_method].—Cover the object tobe
ornamented with an etching ground, similar to

remove the etching ground with the proper
dissolving fluids (such as oil of turpentine,

quite clean and set for a moment with a weak
acid. Place it now in a galvano-plastie appa-
filled up. When all the lines and cavities are
in them is equally high as, or yet higher than,
the galyano-plastic apparatus, and the metallic
ground or planed off until brought to the same
level with the metal of the object, leaving
the etched lines, or cavities, full.
the metal of the object to be ornamented and

‘the metallic deposit must be different. . The

means cheap and simple.

wether, &c.),, and afterwards wash the object}

layer, which has beem raised by the operation,|

Spanish-| |
brown, 1 cwt.; road-dust, 2 cwt.; prepared]
fish, prepared residue, and linseed oils, of||

to that employed by copper-plate engravers);| |
draw the ornament with a needle, and etch it|)
by means of a corrosive acid: then carefully||

ratus and leave it until it becomes galvano-||
plastically covered, that is, all the etched lines}|

the plain surface, the object must be taken out of!)

Of course} |

effect produced: is extremely pretty, and thej||

colour)—lime-water, 4 galls.; whiting, 1 cwt.;||

They ||
are well fitted by their cheapness, hardness, ||)

completely filled up in this way and the deposit} |

1/90

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The Ghronotypist.

Mr. Bary, the celebrated electro-telegraphist,
who has just returned from America, has ad-
dressed a letter to a contemporary stating that
Mr. Bakewell’s ‘“‘copying telegraph,” [see
Chronotypist, page 8 ante] is not of that gen-
tleman’s invention. “The ‘Copying . Tele-
graph,’ says Mr. Bain, was invented by me in
1842, and patented in England in the year fol-
lowing.. Patents were also obtained for. the
invention: in. Scotland, France, and Belgium.
The English patent is now the property of the
Electric Telegraph Company, who purchased
itfrom me. The foreign patents are still in
my own hands. | The’ specification. of: my
English patent is deposited at the Inrolment
Office, in Chancery-lane, where it is accessible
to all inquirers. The ‘Copying - Telegraph’
is capable of transmitting the fac-szmile of any
communication in writing or printing, or of
any other. figure, including a profile of the
“human face divine,’ so that the physiognomy
ofa runaway could be sent to all the outports
of the kingdom in two or three minutes. _ This
telegraph has not yet been put in practice,
from the circumstance of its requiring greater
accuracy in the machinery, and more perfect
insulation of the wire, than has’ yet been
attainable for great distances; but these diffi-
culties are not: insurmountable, and daily. pro-
gress is making towards the necessary perfec-
tion in .this department of the yet infant
science of ‘electric communication.’-——The
following is a practical corroboration of the
axiom which declares: that “‘ Knowledge is
Power :’’—Jn the course of the pacification
conference of Sir Harry Smith with the
Kaffirs at King William’s: Town, a voltaic hat-
tery was fired on the opposite slope about a
quarter of a mile distant.» Here the waggon
had.been placed at. 300 yards’ distance from
the battery, communicating in the usual man-
ner by means of wires. The object of his
Excellency was to convey to the Kaffir mind
an idea of sudden and irresistible power. Ac-
cordingly, on a given signal from him—the
waving of a.small flag—the discharge instantly
took place. The explosion shattered the car-
riage of: the waggon,—canting up the body of
the vehicle, so that it remained fixed by one
end on the ground, at an angle of 45 degrees.
The action was.so sudden as scarcely to afford
time to his Excellency to direct the attention
of the Kaffirs to the experiment—but in those
who were looking towards thespot and saw the
power exercised on a distant object, the sur-
prise manifested was amusing. ‘‘ There,” ex-
claimed his Excellency, ‘‘is a lesson to you
not to meddle with waggons ;—as you now see
the power I possess, should you do so, to punish
you.’’——The Paris Society for the encourage-
ment of arts and manufactures have offered a
prize of 1,500 francs for the discovery and
practical working of new quarries of litho-
graphic stone in France. The Port Philip
Herald gives the following scale of wages now
obtainable in New South Wales:—‘*‘ Mechanics
—watchmakers, £2 10s. per week; beam-men,

£2 10s.; carpenters and joiners, 6s. and 7s,
per day; bricklayers, 7s. and 8s.; stone-
masons, 7s. and 8s.; stonecutters, 7s. and 8s. ;
plasterers, 6s. and 7s.; bricklayers’ labourers,
5s.; blacksmiths, 7s. and 8s,; painters and
glaziers, 6s. and 7s.; cabinet-makers, 6s. and
7s.; sawyers, £2 2s. per week. The prices of
provisions are very low, most articles of food
being, in fact, ‘dirt cheap.”——Baron Von
Ruthven is said to have invented a compressed
air locomotive, which will be entirely free from
all drawbacks.——The aspect of the timber
trade this year is very discouraging.——It may
be convenient to some of our readers, says the
Atheneum, to be informed that a portion of
the rooms commonly shown to the public in
Windsor Castle are for the present closed, in
consequence of the works there going on.
The. remainder are open to visitors as usual.
—A committee of Jiterateurs has. just
been formed at Paris for the purpose of
pointing out such works on the subject
of Fine Art as are deserving of minis-
terial encouragement.——Westminster is at
length about to be cleared of its “‘ rookery,’’
in, order to form a new street, to be called
Victoria-street, extending from the Broad
Sanctuary to Vauxhall-Bridge-road.—-A
small railway carriage, says the Stamford Mer-
cury, worked by hand, capable of carrying a
dozen persons, has been brought for use oh the
Lincoln and Nottingham line-——In a lecture
at the Manchester Mechanics’ Institute, Mr.
F, Warren said: ‘‘ The first cotton cloth was
made in Derby in 1773 by Messrs. Meed and
Strutt, and it was then prohibited by: law:from
being sold in the market.’——The Hants
Telegraph states that the cost of the new steam
basin at Portsmouth was £242,000—the basin
only !——The day after to-morrow [we publish
on Wednesday] is that appointed for the dis-
tribution of the prizes of the Irish National
Art Union.— According to the Suffolk Chron-
ticle, a two-storied brick house, at Ipswich, has
been moved, entire and uninjured, a distance
of 70 feet. The building was moyed by me-
chanical. means, along greased timber at the
rate of about a foot in five minutes.

To Porish VarnisH.—Take two ounces of,
tripoli powdered, put into an earthern pot or
basin with water to cover it; then take a piece
of fine dannel, folded four times, lay it over a
piece of cork, and after. wetting it with the
tripoli and water, proceed to polish your var-
nish. You will know when the process is done
by wiping a part of the work with a sponge,
and observe whether there is a fair even gloss,
then take a bit of mutton suet and fine flour
and clean off the work.

Water Gtipine upon Sitver.—TJake cop-
per flakes on which pour strong vinegar; add
alum and salt in equal quantities ; set them
on a fire, and. when the vinegar is’ boiled to
one-fourth part of its original quantity, throw
into it the metal you intend to gild and it will
assume a copper colour; continue boiling it,|
and it will change to a fine gold colour.

Se ee
ee TH é

No. 60.—Vol. III.

rics. 2, 4, 6, PINNACLES (ELIZABETHAN STYLE)

\B
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SCRAPS.—No.

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Fics. 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, STARTING-POINTS (GRECIAN.)

14d.

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'—three

PPRECIATION

of matured judg-

result

is generally the
ment, and is always the basis upon which
opinion—whatever may be its tendency—is
formed. This being the case, our appreciation

of a work of art, or of any other object, as-
‘sumes an important character, it being neither
‘more nor less than a verdict delivered by a

jury composed of taste, sympathy, and reason

intellectual elements invariably

: a Y z
| brought into action by ordinary operations of

the mind. But besides these mere attributes,
of which every one is in some degree possessed,
we require some artificial assistance to make

them work in unison, and to preserve one

element from preponderating over another, and
this assistance can only be obtained by educa-
tion, study, and experience—respectively the
chart, compass, and rudder of our efforts ;
thus, education exposes to us the beaten tract,
study informs us in what direction it leads,
while experience enables us to steer our way
safely through those narrow straits and dan-
'gerous breakers by which the Temple of Art
is surrounded.

| Of course, in the above recapitulation, we
have avoided mentioning prejudice, as al-
‘though, let whatever will be said to the con-
trary, it forms an unavoidable component of
opinion, it is not usually looked upon as such.

SATURDAY, | THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.
Nevertheless, so important an agent should
Appreciation in Art. not be wholly passed over unnoticed. How-)

| his most susceptible feelings must be some-

[Jury 1, 1848.°

ever much enthusiasm may warm into rapture
at the idea of fair and impartial judgment, it
must be obvious to every one who has had
experience of mankind, that strict impartiality
isa moral impossibility, that our very nature
operates against it, and that the person who,
could resist such influence acting directly upon’

thing more than a Drocenss, in fact— |
A thing of clay—yet so imbued’ |

With adamantine power, |

As to resist when Nature wooed, aN

And fight her from his tower ! |

But, to our thinking, partiality bears two)
distinct characters—one description being pro-'
duced by over sympathy, and the other by a)
. c ane 0 |
politic desire to misjudge. With regard to the,
first, we are all well aware that the prestige of

a great name, unison of subject, or method of
execution, with our own individual ideas of}
beauty, and various other concurring causes, |
all tend to render us partial in our judgment, |
while, with regard to the second, it would be.
unnecessary to explain further than by stating |
that disinterestedness is in these days so rare |
a commodity, that one must think and ponder |
well on the character of a man ere he receives |
his opinion with confidence on matters relat- |

ing to art.

Che Buty on iAsvicks. |
|

Unsusr and oppressive taxes, by a strange |
anomaly, are generally those that survive the |
longest. Looking back over a long course of
years, it is truly astounding to call to mind the |
manner in which our home trade has suffered
and our immense natural resources been |

wasted by the restrictive policy of the govern-
ment. And it has not been manufacturers
only that have suffered, but also the labourer,
the man of genius, and thousands of others, |
upon whose labours a clog is placed by the
enormous duties levied upon certain articles
produced in this country. Let us take bricks
as an example of this. Towards the latter end
of the last century, when warfare was abroad
in Europe and on the American continent, a}
tax of two shillings and sixpence per thou-
sand was levied upon these articles as a tem-

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

porary measure intended to relieve the
exigencies of the State, but like the income
tax and several others which we could easily
adduce, mere promises were soon forgotten,
and besides extending the tax to a permanent
one, Government thought fit to increase it
gradually in amount, until, at the present time,
we suffer under a burthen as cruel as it is im-
politic—a duty of five shillings and tenpence
per thousand! Truly there is much for us to
lament in this, operating, as it obviously does,
most disastriously against our best interests,
and but too often inducing the poor man, who
has suceeeded in saving sufficient money to
build a house in his own country, to forego his
intention and emigrate to some other clime
where he can mould his own bricks in safety,

Besides, this tax operates in another manner
against the very spirit of the age in which we
live, preventing us, as it does, from casting
those materials of which we form our houses,
into any shape we think proper, and compell-
ing us stillto adhere to the tasteless oblong
bricks of our ancestors, or, as aremedy, to have
recourse to stone, an article which but very
few can find the means to purchase.

Surely such a state of things as this should
not be allowed to continue, and the best exer-
tions of our reformers should, most decidedly,
be immediately directed towards the allevia-
tion of the sufferings of their prototypes—the
bricks.

Lonpon Srons.—A correspondent of the
|Atheneum has directed attention to a long
‘forgotten memento of ‘‘ old London:”’ on the
bank of the Thames, he remarks, near Staines,
at the very extremity of the County of Mid-
dlesex, close to Shire ditch, which divides that
county from Bucks, stands ‘‘ London Stone’’—
marking the western boundary of the city of
London on the River Thames. The stone
itself is very small, and appears to have been
placed on the pedestal where it now stands
in 1781, by Sir Watkin Lewis, Knight, Lord
Mayor. On the north side of the pedestal is
this inscription— ‘

THE ANCIENT STONE ABOVE
THIS INSCRIPTION 1S RAISED
UPON THIS PEDESTAL EXACTLY
OVER THE SPOT WHERE IT
FORMERLY STOOD, - INSCRIBED—
“GOD PRESERVE YE CITEY OF LONDON,

A.D. 1285.”

secure from the lynx eye of the exciseman. |

Co Correspondents, Ke.

Wo. 1 of the Decorator’s Assistant
Re-Issued this Week.

Cases for Vols. I, and II. are now ready;
price 1s. dd. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

** Any of our readers having complete

LPHABETS Of an ornamental description suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

*““ John Leech.”—Mr. Couch’s process for pre-
paring the ‘Stone Embalming Liquid’ is, we
believe, a secret known only to himself ; therefore,
we cannot supply you with the desired informa-
tion. All the numbers of the Decorator’s
ASSISTANT are not 22 print, but will be re-issued
weekly, commencing with this week. Your friends
by ordering the numbers of their bookseller can
now have them regularly supplied. Cases for
binding Vols. I. and II. may be hadin the same)|
manner, price 1s. 3d. each. The coloured}
designs will be continued at intervals, but there
is so much difficulty attending their production,
that we cannot, after trial, fulfil our promise of
bringing them cut monthly, for which we must
throw ourselves upon the hind indulgence of our||
readers. We are extremely obliged to you for
your friendly exertions on our behalf.

‘© Memnon.’’—We cannot say exactly, but we
think about jive shillings—at any rate, it cannot
be much more.

“T. M.”—Partington’s.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “‘the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readersas will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, Sc.

To Cotour Papsr-Hancincs sy Means or
Nirrats or Sitver.—M. Lerocque proposes
to produce coloured designs upon paper by
the following process:—Take of pure nitric
acid (sp. gr. 1°50), 2 parts, and of distilled
water, 1 part. Place the mixture in a porce-
lain capsule, and heat it; throw in from
50 to 60 grains of silver, and continue to
apply heat until the action of the acid on
the metal has ceased. By exposure to the
vapour of this mixture 700 or 800 sheets of
paper may be coloured by the above quantity.
In this operation but a very small loss of
silver will be found, for the residue can be
formed into. nitrate of . silver and sold; or, if
ealcined at a red heat in a crucible, with car-
bonate of soda, the metallic silver may be ob-
tained and employed for a new operation. In
order to obtain good designs it is necessary to
operate in a place well lighted and out of cure
rents of air. Pann dt

Anctent If omar Art.

Rome acquired her art through conquest; she

jimitated the buildings of countries subjected

by her arms, and transported statues, pictures,

Jand works of gold and silver, to adorn her

capital. The produce of Athens, Delphi, and
Elis, filled Rome with the rarest productions
of the fine arts. The increasing power, when
Julius Cesar and Augustus held supreme
sway. was auspicious to the general interests
of Fine Art; the emperors made great efforts
to increase the splendour and magnificence of
Rome, and their policy extended a similar
course throughout the empire, considering that
it tended to fix authority, give general security,
and contribute to the happiness of the people.
This example was universally followed by their

subjects, who had spirit to conceive and wealth
to accomplish the noblest undertakings. _
opulent senators of Rome and the provinces

The

esteemed it an honour, and almost an obliga-
tion, to adorn the splendour of their age an
country; the influence of fashion very fre-

‘quently supplying the want of taste or gene-
rosity.
that the luxurious adornment of Rome took

It was within a period of 300 years

place. The sculptors were universally Greeks,
and though wealth and honour drew men of

talent to Rome, and somewhat revived Grecian

excellence, the creative spirit, the spark of
vitality, infusing life and soul, originality and
thought into their productions, could not be
recalled. In the best age of Roman art the
demand was chiefly for statues of personal
representation, in which a vitiated taste often

required the embellishment of colour, by the

admixture of coloured marbles or bronze.
The same departure from simplicity pervaded
their architecture. The most extensive and

‘magnificent structures were erected, but in
‘heavier proportions than the elegant Greek.

Every member in the cornice of temple or
public edifice became encumbered with a pro-
fusion of ornament, and an imposing heavi-
ness of enrichment was the result. The in-

‘terior of their buildings was decorated by

sculpture and painting, and manufacturing
design entered freely into their general do-
mestic service.

The splendid and colossal edifices which
adorned their cities, temples, palaces, and baths,
were crowded with works of art. Trajan’s
Basilica was most magnificent; its forum,
temple, and approaches, crowded 12 acres ;
the hall, 540 by 168 feet, would have contained
our St.'Paul’s; and its column was enriched
by sculpture descriptive of the Roman_vic-
tories over the Dacians. The Theatre of Mar-
cellus was arranged in three tiers of columes,
the lower of marble, the next of vitrified
glass and the upper of gilded wood: it con-
tained 3,000 statues in bronze. The palace of
Diocletian at Spatro was very celebrated; his
baths accomodated 18,000 persons at one time.

|Those of Caracalla covered thirteen acres.

These baths were a sort of vast club, in which
every exercise of body or mind might be

|taken, every delight of the senses indulged,

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

93
and the whole people met there. Garden
were raised about 30 feet above the genera
level, adorned with pavilions, and a grea
central building having an immense hall
obelisks and fountains, fragrant shrubs, flowers,
and the finest statues. During the first 300
years of the Christian cra seven of these
baths were erected, well calculated to indulge
that love of luxury which rapidly corrupted
the Roman manners under the emperors,
gratifying the constant love of excitement in
novelty and splendour, which then gave popu-
larity to the government. The number and
beauty of their villas were amasing; built on
the model of the Persian palaces, their
interior decorations were full of choice designs,
chiefly executed in fresco, and by artists of
eminence. The luxurious description given
of the furnishing of these villas, their richly
wrought plate, &c., convey certain intimation
of the encouragement given to manufacturing
design. Hadrian’s villa, at Tivoli, enclosed
by a wall ten miles in circuit, contained the
most magnificient embellishments.

each had a garden of great splendour.

We must not overlook Palmyra, built by
Dionysius, whose magnificent ruins, replete
with elegant design, attracted the traveller’s
attention. Balbec, not less celebrated, boasts
of the well-known Temple of the Sun—

‘© Whose lonely columns stand sublime,
Flinging their shadows from on high,—

Like dials which the wizard Time
Had raised to count his ages by.’’

Everything appertaining to this enterprising
nation of conquerors was upon a mighty
scale. They lived constantly in public,
assuming an excess of vast magnificence in
their habits, public exhibitions, and triumphal
processions ; and 1 may also add, in their arts
and manufactures. They held tribute all the
civilised world, and have left monuments of
their greatness at the utmost confines of their
empire,—Crabb.

WEIGHT OF A SupERFICIAL Foot or Cast
Tron From ¢ To 23 Incuus 1n THicKnEss.—
zin., 9ib. Goz.; 3in., 14lb. loz.; $in., 18lb.
120z.; gin., 23lb. 7oz.; 3in., 28lb. 20z.; Fin.,
32lb. 180z.; lin., 87lb. 8oz.; 14in., 42lb. 38oz. ;
liin., 46lb., 140z.; 13in., 51lb. 9oz.; Ifin.,
56lb. 40z. ; 13in., 60lb. 150z.; 12in., 651b. 100z. ;
1din., 70lb: 50z. ; 2in., 75lb. ; 2gin., 79lb. loz. ;
zin., 84lb. Goz.; 22in., 891b. loz. ; 23in., 93lb.
120z.

Weicut or A SuperriciAL Foor or Leap
rrom 1-l6rtnH of AN Incu to One Incu IN
Tuickness..—1-l6in., 32lb.; 1-12in., 5lb. ;
1-ldin., 6lb.; 1-Sin., 741b.; 1-Gin., 10lb. ;
1-5in., 121b; 1-4in., 14glb.; 1-3in., 192lb.; gin.,
2941b.; 3in., 442]b.; lin., 571b.

To Sorren Ivory.—Slice half a pound of,
mandrake and putit into a quart of the best
vinegar, into which immerse your ivory ; let it
stand in a warm place for 48 hours, and you
will then be enabled to bend the ivory into any
required form.

Pliny’s..
d | villa and that of Lucullus were very celebrated;

Fife s] Seo) eathin Spo Mun gpoeeE.

\Tur above engraving shows the method of
istriking the tracery given in No. 59. To repre-
sent the form of the window it is first neces-
sary to ascertain the breadth required; the
engraving is drawn to the breadth of four feet,
\which having marked, draw a horizontal line
‘and lay off 20ft. 6in. inclusive. From the ex-
treme point on either side place the leg of the
compass and strike the external line of the
window; then divide the extreme width into
10 equal parts, one of which will give the
centre of the principal ogee moulding as
‘dotted (marked 4). Divide the space from 4
to the centre line into two equal parts (marked
1 and 3) then from the point 1 at a strike the
dotted line ats (it is necessary that the dotted
line should be first struck, as it gives a facility
for measuring the mouldings on each side and
‘produces a greater accuracy than could be
otherwise obtained) ; then place the leg of the
compass at the top point a, strike the reverse
‘curve B, terminating it at the centre line, the
shape of the ogee will then be obtained; then
take a third on the base between the parts
marked 2 and 4, from the point, as at £, strike

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Gothic Cracery.

: 72
ee — _ i=
i

the dotted line £, from the point c, strike the,
dotted line p to meet the lower arc.

A lengthened description of the other por-
tions is unnecessary, asthe diagrams of the

‘various portions show; after determining the

width of the moulding of the top window at a,
form the dotted triangular lines; for the inner
shape of window take half of each on the dotted
line, and strike the semicircles or arcs re-
quired.

_ The length of radius necessary to produce
the exterior line of window prevents the use
of the compass, but to enable it to be struck
with precision we here giye an illustration of
an improved trammel, the sketch having been
forwarded by a correspondent under the signa-
ture ‘“‘C. B. W.” The description for making
and using it is as follows:—a the beam or shaft
made of mahogany or other suitable wood to
any length. 8ses three metal slides with screw
on the top of each to fix it when placed in the
required position. c an adjusting screw, work-
ing through the slide. pp p threesteel points,
the point at the screw end acting as a centre. &
a pencil or pen as required.

}

lan Ellustratey Glossary of Cechnical
Terms used tn Architectural and
| . .£ntertor MBecoration, Ke. -

i *

[Continued from page 84.]

Ear (in painting, drawing, and sculpture),
that part of the organ of hearing which stands
prominent. The human ear is perhaps the most
difficult part of the whole figure to draw well,
and to affix in its proper situation. Much of
the character and expression of the head
depends upon it, particularly as cencerns
beauty or deformity. lian, in depicting the
beauty of Aspasia, describes her ears as small
and well-shaped ; and Martial places large ears

among marks of deformity. Agostino
(Caracci considers the ear as the. most difficult
to represent of the whole human form. He
therefore modelled one in relief much larger
than nature as a study, which he drew from in
every position. Jt was from this model that
‘were made those casts well known in the con-
jtinental academies as the Orecchionne d’
| Agostino.

Eaves (in architecture), the edges of the

roof which overhang the house.
Eee anp Rest, an ornament used in archi-

LC OGG Meanie. Cony
5 AS Cade Zs. 1G

tecture.

| Ecurnvs_ (in architecture), a moulding or
mmament in the shape of a chesnut, used in
the'ancient Doric entablature and capital. Its

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

95°

form is eminently beautiful, and of infinite,
superiority to the ovolo or quarter round of the)

Roman Doric. The above engravings repre-
sent the ovolo and quarterround enriched with
the egg and tongue ornament.

Encaustic Paintinc.— Painting in encaustic
is executed with the operation of fire. An-
cient authors often mention this species of
painting, which, if it had been described
simply by the word encaustic, which signifies
executed by fire, might be supposed to have
been a species of enamel painting, but the ex-
pressions encausto pingere, pictura encaustica,
ceris pingere, picturam inurere, by Pliny and
other. ancient writers, show that another
species of painting is meant. We have but
few: ancient pictures of this description, and,
therefore, the precise manner adopted by the
ancients is not completely developed, though
many moderns have closely investigated the
subject, and described their processes. This
species of painting appears to have been prac-
tised in the 4th and 5th centuries. Count
Caylus, and M. Bachelier, a painter, were the
first of modern times who made experiments in
this branch of art, about the year 1749.
Pliny, in a passage relating to encaustic paint-
ing, distinguishes three species; 1. that in
which the artists used a style, and painted on
ivory or polished wood (cestro in ebore), for
which purpose they drew the outlines on a
piece of the aforesaid wood or ivory, previously
imbued with some colour; the point of the,
style or stigma served for this operation, and|
the broad end to scrape off the small filaments
that arose from the outlines: and they con-
tinued. forming outlines with the point till
they were finished. 2.) The next manner
appears to have been one in which the wax, |
previously impregnated with colour, was spread
over the surface of the picture with the style,
and the colours thus prepared were formed
into smal! cylinders for use. By the side of
the painter was a brasier for keeping the styles
continually hot, with the points of which they
laid on the colours when the outlines were
finished, and spread them smooth with the
broad end; and thus they proceeded till the
picture was finished. 3. The third manner of,
painting was with a pencil, in wax liquefied by
fire. By this method the colours acquired a
considerable hardness, and could not be
damaged, either by the heat of the sun or the
effects of sea water. In this manner ships
were painted, with emblems and other pictures,
and therefore obtained the name of ship
painting. Few, of late years, have made
more experiments in this mode of painting

—————

than an English lady, Mrs. Hooker, who, for
her very successful exertions in this branch
of the polite arts, was presented with a gold
pallette by the Society for the Encouragement
of Arts, &c. Her account is printed in the
10th volume of the Society’s Transactions, for
1792, when she was Miss Emma Jane Green-
land. This subject has also been deeply in-
vestigated by the Chevalier Lorgna, in a small
but valuable tract, called Un Discorso sulla
Cera Punica. As the thing chiefly regarded
in encaustic painting was the securing of
permanence and durability, by the application
of fire, the word encaustic has been applied,
in avery general sense, to other processes, in
which both the material and the mode of
applying the heat are entirely different from
the ancient. materials and modes. The word
has been used, not only of wax-painting on
wood, stone, andivury, but also for painting
on earthen vessels, of worksin metal, where

igold and silver were inlaid, melted, or laid on,

and of everything which was gilt or silvered
by fire; which was called gold or silver en-
caustic. The moderns have also used the
term for painting on porcelain, and work in
enamel; and in the same way it was given to
the painting on glass of the middle ages, such
as is now seen in the windows of some Gothic
churches. Itis evident, that all these have
nothing todo with the wax-painting of the
ancients. Professor Reinagle has a painting
of Cleopatra executed in encaustic, which is
valued at two thousand pounds.—Partington’s
Cyclo. ;

[To be continued.]

To Strain Musicat Instruments Formep
or Woop.—l. A fine crimson stain: Take 1b.
of ground Brazil wood and boil in three quarts
of water for one hour; strain, and add 3oz. of
cochineal, boil it again gently for half an hour
and it will be fit for use. {Should more of the
scarlet tint be required, boil oz. of saffron
in one quart of water, and brush it over the
work previously to applying the red stain.

|Observe, the work must be very clean, and of

air-wood or good sycamore without blemish.
When varnished it will bear a very rich ap-
pearance.|—2. 4 purple stain: Take 1b. of
chip logwood, soak in 3 quarts of water, boil

|/well for an hour, and then add 40z of pearlash

and 2o0z of indigo powdered.—3. f fine black:

‘In general, when black is required for musical

instruments, it is produced by japanning—the

‘work being well prepared by size and lamp-

black ; take some black japan and lay on two
coats, after which varnish and polish.—4. 4

fine blue: Take 1b. of oil of vitriol in a clean

glass bottle, into which put 40z. of indigo, and
proceed as directed for No. 3.—5. A fine green:
Take 3 pints of the strongest vinegar, to
which put 40z. of the best verdigris powdered,
$0Z. of sap-green, and oz. of indigo.—6. 4
bright yellow: There is no occasion whatever
to stain the wood, as a very small bit of aloes
put into the varnish will make it of a good

colour, and produces the desired effect.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

Worresponvence.

Sir.—I forward you an algebraical solution to
the question asked by Mr. J. Whitaker, in
Vol. II., page 200, which may be of service
to some of your readers, if you think proper to
insert it in your valuable publication.

I am your obedient servant,
Rosert Hatcu.
Stockport, June 18th, 1848.

The given line to be divided is 10.
Let « = the side of the
[greater square,
the side of the
[lesser square,
x2 or by squar-

and 10—z#

.. per question 2 (10—2)2

2 22—40 2 +. 200 = 22 [ing,
Transposing 72— 40 x = — 200
Squaring (20)2 = 400
Adding (# —20)2 = +200

Extracting 2 — 20 “E 14:1421356

Transposing x = 5°85 78644
[the side of the
[greater square.
4'1421356 the

[side of theles-
[ser square.

-. 10—e2

Minerat Weattn or Soutrn AusTRALIA—
The whole colony is a mass of mineral wealth—
copper, lead, zine, and, silver are known, and;
there is little doubt that quicksilver, gold, and
precious stones abound. Quicksilver has been}
found in small quantities, the opal and garnet
are found, and there is every reason to infer
the presence of gold. Copper and lead are
the only mines worked at present. ‘The Burra
Burra mine is the wonder of the world; it ex-
ceeds the celebrated Pargo mines in the ratio,
of a million to one. The ore is seventy-five
per cent. of metal, a pure oxide, requiring no
flux to smelt it; a common blacksmith’s forge
producing sufficient”heat to run the metal.
The lode is seventeen feet wide, of vast ex-
tent, and is quarried out like stone, in immense
masses. Ten weeks working have sufficed to!
produce £1,700 value of ore. It is impossible,
to exaggerate when speaking of the minerals)
of this country. Iron is quite as plentiful as
copper. In one district it is collected on the)
surface, andso pure, that the fracture of the)
ore resembles that of cast-iron. Copper is)
likewise frequently found cropping out of the
ground in large rock-like masses; silver is
obtained in considerable quantities; and the
existence of tin is something more than sus-,
pected.

To Maxe a Cement or a Manocany
Cotour.—Take 2oz. of bees’ wax, and 4oz. of;
resin, melt them together, then add 40z. of
Indian red and a smali quantity of yellow
ochre to bring the whole to the desired colour. |!
Preserve in a pipkin for use. ;

i a

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Roval TEnstitution,

May 26.—The Duke of Northumberland,
President, in the chair.—Mr. Faraday read a
paper “‘Onitwo recent Inventions of Arti-
ficial Stone,” in which he explained the pro-
cess adopted and the object aimed at, first in
Mr. Ransome’s and afterwards in Mr. Buck-
well’sinvention. Mr. Ransome’s manufacture
having been already noticed in thisjournal, vol.

‘| |ii., p. 116, needs to be but briefly adverted to

now. Broken flints are dissolved in a solution of
caustic alkali at a temperature of 300 degrees
Fahr. When this solution is sufficiently eva-
porated, siliceous sand, or the flint grit of
roads, and alittle clay are worked with it, till
the whole is of the consistence of putty. Itis
finally pressed in moulds, dried, fired for 48
hours, and then slowly cooled. The 1mpres-
sion produced is very sharp; the stone re-
sembles white sandstone, and is said to resist
all atmospheric changes, and even acids.
Philosophically considered, this artificial stone
is a mass of sand cemented together by glass.
The glass, at first containing excess of alkali,
is diffused in a fluid state throughout the
particles of flint and alumina. These particles
absorb the superabundant alkali when the
stone is fired, and the resulting vitreous
cement resembles, in hardness and resisting
power, the portion of glass which, in -the
common manufacture of the hardest kinds of
that substance, is found in immediate contact
‘with the sides of the pots. To show the un-
stable nature of ordinary glass, Mr. Faraday
exhibited green bottles in which diluted sul-
‘phuric acid had been kept. In the glass of
these bottlesthe lime had been separated from
the silica by the sulphuric acid, and the insides
were in consequence studded with multitudes
of regular-formed cones of sulphate of lime.
\Mr. Faraday then entered on Mr. Buckwell’s
manufacture. Asthe artificial stone invented
by Mr. Ransome is chiefly applicable for orna-
‘mental purposes, so Mr. Buckwell’s invention,
termed by him artificial granite, appears ex-
‘clusively designed to supply the place of
‘blocks brought from the quarry for large
works, whether walls of houses or of acque-
ducts, sewers, &c. Mr. Buckwell uses the
‘following simple process:—Fragments of a
‘suitable stone (Portland stone for example)
‘are gauged and sorted into sizes. These are
‘cleaned and carefully mixed on a board with
cement in the proportion of 5 parts of large
fragments, 2 of smaller ones, 1 of cement,
jand a portion of water,—but the water is in
‘no greater quantity than will bring it to the
dampness of fresh deal saw-dust. This being
\done, the materials are put into a strong
mould to the depth of about 13 inch at a time;
they are then driven together by percussion,
‘more materials are now putin, these in turn
hammered together till the water has escaped
by holes pierced for that purpose in the moulds,
—and this process is continued till the block or
‘pipe has attained the required magnitude. It
is then taken out of the mould, and now found
We beso hard as to ring when struck, and in

{
|
|
|

ten days is fit for service. Itis affirmed to
harden under the influence of moisture, to
bear, when moulded in the form of girders, a
greater transverse pressure than any rock ex-
cept slate, and to be only one-sixth of the cost
of brick-work. It will be noticed that this
process is characterized by the use of frag-
ments, by the small quantity of cement em-
ployed (not one-fourth of the proportion used
in common grouting), and by water, instead
of fire, being made the means of bringing
the fragments into close union. Mr. Faraday
then noticed two scientific principles on which
the success of Mr. Buckwell’s process greatly
depends :—1. The use of water in effecting the
approximation of the particles and the exclusion
of air. It had been ascertained by Dr. Wol-
laston (Bakerian Lecture, 1828), that in order
to bring the particles of platina into close
contact, it was best to bring them together in
water. Whena freshly made road is watered
to make the materials bind together, the same!
principle assists in the result. Having filled
ameasured glass with sand, Mr. Faraday
showed that when the glass was first filled
with water and then the sand added with
agitation, it occupied less space than it did
when dry.—2. Zhe effect of percussion in
bringing particles together. Mr. Faraday
noticed, that simple pressure will not displace
intersticial air or water, but that a blow will.
Water contained in asmall cylinder of wire-
sauze was shown remaining in the open net-
work when subjected to the pressure of a)
column of the same fluid, though it freely ran
through the meshes when the cylinder was
gently struck. On the same principle the
moistened sand on the sea shore gives way and|
leaves a footmark under the impact of the
limb which strikes it.—In conclusion Mr.
Faraday noticed the remarkable fact that the
sedementary matter in sewers, &c., does not;
accumulate on Mr. Buckwell’s artificial granite
as it does in glazed pipes.

To rake a Puraster or Paris Cast From,
A Prrson’s Facr.—The person must lie on his
back, and his hair be tied behind, then put a'}
conical piece of paper, open at each end to
allow of breathing, into each nostril. The
face is to be lightly oiled over, and the plaster)
being properly prepared, it is to be poured over
the face (taking particular care that the eyes
are shut) until it is a quarter of an inch thick.
In a few minutes the plaster may be removed.
In this a mould is to be formed, from which a)
second cast is to be taken that will furnish
casts exactly like the original.

Tur Orcan ix Yorx Minsrer.—There
are in this magnificent organ (unquestionably
the largest in the world) .80 stops and 8,000
pipes. The great manual contains 4,818 pipes;
the swelling organ, 1,586; the choir organ,
1,399; and the pedal organ, 200 pipes. It has
eight elbows, eight couplers, eight composition
pedals, and eight wind trunk valves. The
compass, including the pedal organ, is seven
octaves from CCCC (32 feet) to C in alt.—
Novello’s ‘‘ Musical Times.”’

ee nnn nn ee nen InSSS SIE DESI

——

IR oof=CToberings.*

Tizes and slates are the materials most com-
monly used for covering the roofs of build-
ings; and they are, upon the whole, the best
adapted for the purpose when economy is to be
regarded, and when a sufficient pitch or slope
can be obtained to render them effectual by
the ordinary mode of applying them.
Whether tiles or slates are the better in any
case, will depend upon the quality of the article
obtainable,—well-formed and_ well-burned
tiles being preferable to soft and rough-faced,
or to thin and brittle slates ;—whilst in some
places the one kind of material, and in some
places thefother will*be found to be the cheaper,
according to the circumstances of the locality.

Tiles for the purpose of covering roofs are
made of different forms, and are susceptible
thereby of different modes of arrangement
jin use; and slate is, in like manner, applied
in more than one form and more than one
manner: but when tiling and slating are
spoken of without any term of qualification,
‘plain-tiling, and slating with slates brought to
‘the shape of a plain tile, and applied as plain
tiles are applied in roof-covering, are under-
stood.

As between these two familiar kinds of
roof-covering, tiling with tiles of the best
quality is preferable to slating in one par-
ticular only, and that is, that the material con-
ducts or transmits heat less freely than slate
does; and consequently, other things being
the same, a plain tiled house’ is warmer in
winter and cooler in summer than a slated
house, whilst slates are obtainable of so much
larger size than tiles can be conveniently
made, and require thereby fewer joints in the
same space to be covered; and, at the same
time, so much thinner, that they allow of the
lap without tilting as tiles tilt, and so lie closer,
course upon course, than tiles can be made to
lie; and, as a material, slate is less absorbent
of water than tile material, and may threfore
be laid flatter ; and because of the more com-
pact bedding of slate upon slate than tiles can
be laid, slating will admit of a flatter pitch
than tiling.

The principle upon which tiles and slates
are laid to cover roofs is the same, however.
Whether tiles or slates, they are laid side by
side, but not lapping over, nor, indeed, touch-
‘ing one another sidewise; and so in a long
straight row, to the extent of any side or face
of a roof.

In the case of the lowest or eaves-course,
the slates first laid, are not of the whole length
of the slates employed, for a reason to be ex-
plained, though it be tolerably obvious; that
is to say, the second course of slates must
cover down to their lowest edge, or drip, the
slates of the course first laid, to prevent the
water from passing through between their sides
‘lor edges, and this process is called doubling;

* From a paper read by Professor Hosking at King’s
College, London.

—

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

but to prevent the doubling of the eaves-
course from tilting up the drips of the slates
of the next course above, the first slates laid
should be no longer than the gauge and bond
united of the work to be executed. The
eaves-course being laid and doubled, the
second course is laid above it, to cover and
break joint with that below, and so on, course
after course, to the ridge or other termination
of the side or face of the roof, when the im-
perfect breaking off of the tiling or slating is
rendered harmless by a ridge or saddle-tile or
by lead laid over a ridge-roll and extending
down on both sides to produce the same
effect.

But the placing of slates, side by side, in
courses, the course: above: curing the defect in
the course below, by covering the open side
joints which they all exhibit, requires to
be regulated carefully, so that every side
joint shall certainly have a slate. below
as well as a slate above it, and not only to the
extent of the drip of the slate above, but so
much further up as to provide against the),
effect of driving rain and snow as well as to
cover and protect the pin or nail, as the case
may be, by which the tile or slate is hung up
or otherwise kept in its place upon the roof.)
Take slates, of the size known in the London)
market as Duchesses. These are considered||
torun 2 feet long each, and when they are of
such length in every part, they may be laid
with a 103 inch gauge, that is to say, 104 inches
of every course may be left uncovered by the
course next above it, by which means there
would be a bonding tail of 3 inches, in about
the middle of which length the nail holes).
ought to fall, leaving in such case, however a
true bond or overlap upwards of not more,
than 14 inch. But if the length of the
slates be, as it commonly is, less than 2 feet,|
by 1 or even 2 inches, a 10% inch 1s more than!
they will bear, so that the arrangement of
slates ought to be always determined by the
bond or overlap upwards, and not by the
gauge, whilst with tiles which are of certain
length, it is indifferent whether gauge or bond
is specified. ‘The doubling eaves course, that||
is to say, the first course laid, ought to be in
length equal tothe gauge and the bond, and
consequently always more than half the length
of a slate.

STENcILLING. — Stencilling is performed
either upon papered or plastered walls in the}|
following manner :—a sheet of thin brass or
vellum is first taken and perforated with the
required pattern ; and in doing this it should
be observed that in cutting or punching out
circles, squares, &c., small bands must be left
to join the various portions, otherwise, the
pieces will tumble out. The sheet is then laid
flat against the wall, and your colour, which)
must be mixed with size, being handy, it is||
brushed evenly over the pattern, when the],
colour penetrating the interstices, attaches
itself to the wall. Patterns of two or more
colours are produced by employing different}
stencil-sheets.

_THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

On the Materials Employey in
_ Mousepainting.

White lead, besides forming a white oil paint

‘in itself, when diluted with oil, is employed as
the basis of all paints possessing a light colour.
It is simply a carbonate of lead, and is pre-
pared in various manners; but that called the
Dutch process is most generally adopted by the
manufacturer. In this process, according to
Professor Brande, lead in various forms is
subjected to the action of acetic acid, which
gradually corrodes the surface of the metal,
upon which a crust of subacetate is succes-
sively formed and converted into carbonate.
This carbonate is then collected, and being
washed and ground up toa thin paste with
water, is finally submitted to grinding with
linseed oil—100Ibs. of the carbonate, or white
lead, being formed into a proper consistence
with eight pounds of oil. White lead is some-
times very much adulterated, being mixed
either with chalk or‘sulphate of baryta. When
imixed with chalk, the adulteration may be
detected by the comparative weight of the real
and artificial material, and when the presence
of barytes is suspected, the plan is generally
adopted of proving the solubility of the whole
mass in dilute nitric acid, when, if such be the
case, the sulphate of barytes will remain undis-
solved. When employed as a paint, the white
is reduced to a convenient consistence with
\linseed oil and oil of turpentine.
Litharge, or protoxide of lead, is formed by
‘exposing the grey powder which gradually
collects upon the surface of melted lead, to the
further action of heat and air, until it acquires
an uniform yellow colour. It is employed by
painters as a ‘‘drier’’ for first coats and rough
outside work. ©

Sugar of lead, or acetate of lead, is prepared
by gradually sprinkling oxide of lead into strong
‘|vinegar or pyroligneous acid, contained in a
copper boiler, heated and rendered negative-
electric by having a large flat piece of lead
jsoldered within it, constant stirring being em-
ployed until the acid is saturated, when the
\whole is allowed to settle till cold. Thisis also
employed as a “drier.”’

Ried lead and orange lead, according to Hay,
are other oxides of lead produced from
litharge, and are converted into paint by
being mixed with linseed oil and reduced to a
smooth paste by the painter.

Chrome yellow is produced by adding a fil-
tered solution of nitrate or acetate of lead to a
like solution of neutral chromate of potash
and collecting the precipitate, washing it well,
and drying it out of the reach of sulphuretted
vapours. This substance is the beautiful pig-
ment employed by painters. Four shades are
usually met with in the shops, namely, pale
|\yellow, or straw colour; yellow; full yellow;
_|\and orange. The former are made by adding
{ja little alum or sulphuric acid to the solution
|jof the chromate before mixing it with the
solution of lead; the latter by the addition of
a little subacetate of lead. The darker colour

appears to arise from a little dichromate being
thrown down intimately mixed with the
neutral chromate, and the paler shades from a
slight excess of acid. Mr. Cooley states that
in some samples of pale chrome yellow, ana-
lysed by him, he found a liltle alumina, and, in
one instance, a little sulphate of lead.

[To be continued,]

Furniture Woops or New Zratanp.—We
learn from the New Zealand Journal that the|
furniture woods of New Zealand are daily|
becoming more widely appreciated.—Like
all new articles in the market the furniture)
woods of New Zealand met with much opposi-
tion in their introduction into this country, |
and it is solely owing to the perseverance of|
Mr. Levein, and the countenance shown to
him by the New Zealand Company, that they|
have become so favourably known. Now
almost any price might be obtained for really
fine specimens. Some two or three years ago,
a specimen of totara and inaw was shown by
the Editor of this paper to a cabinet maker of
celebrity. He wasstruck by the beauty of the
wood, but dogmatically pronounced that it
would not retain its colour, This is the
general impression with regard to new woods:
from most countries, and it is generally true;|
but experience has now shown that not only
do the New Zealand woods retain their colour, |
but that they increase in richness with age,|
like the finer specimens of mahogany and
other woods in ordinary use. ‘The cabinet-
maker of whom we have just spoken would
give a high price for the article could he now
obtain it. We trust that this wide appreciation
of the furniture woods of New Zealand will
make the colonists alert as to a highly valuable
export, and anxious to preserve what must’
eventually become of great importance to the
colony, instead of indiscriminately destroying
the magnificent forest trees which supply a
material of so great value. They must resort)

to the same method as was practised by Mr. ||

Levein himself when in the colony, viz., to’
select with great care only the most valuable
specimens of wood, and to export it in the log,
not inthe slab. It is the latter practice, toge-
ther with the want of care in the selection,
which has led to disappointment in the,
woods which have been thus carelessly ex-
ported from the colony. Many specimens are

now lying in the docks which cannot find a) |

purchaser, and no wonder, for they are not}
worth half the amount of freight for bringing!
them from New Zealand. ‘This alone has)
been a serious injury to the reputation of the
woods. It does not follow that because wood
comes from the colony it must be of. fine
quality ; there is as much inferior timber there
as elsewhere. We should have mentioned that
Mr. Levein has opened an establishment for
the sale of cabinet work from New Zealand
woods, at the west-end of London, in Davies-

street, Grosvenor-square, in the immediate
vicinity of Mivart’s Hotel.

———.

120

The Chronotppist.

——

Ir is stated that the expense of the great
trigonometrical survey now in progress will be
rather under 10d. an acre—including the ex-
pense of engraving the maps on copper-plates
on ascale of six inches'toa mile.——It has
been resolved at a public meeting in Birming-
ham to establish a model lodging-house for the
poor there. A scheme on an extensive scale
for providing dwellings for the working classes
of Edinburgh isin contemplation. It is said
that about £20,000 will be invested in the un-
dertaking——A considerable number of oper-
ative masons of Glasgow have struck on their
employers attempting to reduce their wages
about 10 per cent.——An invention promising
important results in the speedy annihilation of
fires in buildings has been introduced -to the
parish authorities of St. Pancras, but as its use
isnot at present legal, measures have been
adopted to obtain a revision of the act of par-
liament which operates against its employ-
ment. The fire annihilator, as it is called, is a
small machine of about the size of a common
pail, containing several iron encaisments, and
in the middle 7lbs. of nitre, carbon, and
gypsum, in the proportions of 6, 2, and 2, and
also 1 quart of water; at a touch of the-finger
on asmall piston charged with a small quan-
tity of chlorate of potash and sugar, the com-
pound is in a moment converted into steam to
an amount so enormous, that it equals the
quantity produced by a_five-horse steam-
boiler, and is equivalent to a brigade fire-
engine. ‘The whole machine can be made for
£1, of which the combustible spent. is worth
lonly 1s. 2d. Its mode af extinguishing a fire
appears to be by the steam emitted in a dense
column on the lower part of the flame, or on
the ignited combustibles, cutting off instantly
the supply of oxygen, and the momentary
vacuum being followed by a rush of cold air.
The proportion of heat is thus reduced below
the flame tempezature, and if the quantity of
heat be not very intense, searce a spark will
‘escape being smothered.’ Experiments to the
extent of the debris of several tar-barrels
‘sprinkled with turpentine have been made
‘with good effect—a flame thirty feet high being
‘put out, as if by magic. A further test will

\|soon determine its powers, for the result of

which we will watch with great interest.
We learn from a New York paper that Mr. D.
Isham, a machinist of Hartford, Connecticut,
has invented a process by means of which a
ton of iron can be’ converted into steel of the
best quality in twenty minutes, in place of
ifrom six to ten days as formerly.—The Exhi-
bition of Paintings at Knightsbridge was
opened’ to the public gratuitously on Monday,
the 26th ultimo, and will remain open for a
month.—The Vernon Gallery, No. 50, Pall
Mall, is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, by
tickets obtainable on Mondays and Wednes-
days, at the National Gallery. The number of
persons assembled to obtain them is usually
very great, and they are all disposed of in
stantly on opening the door at 10 o'clock a.m.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

‘Visconti.
weights, was the great improvement which

‘lof the wheels, and about the year 1700.

‘British Lrwstituttorn.

eae

Tuer annual exhibition of paintings by the old
masters has recently been opened at the above
institution. To expend criticism upon works
which have been before the world for centuries
would be entirely useless, so that we shall
content ourselves merely with a few remarks
upon the ensemble which the society has this
year produced. In the first place we havea
great deal more of variety than heretofore—
diligence and taste have been alike freely,
expended in the task of collection and arrange-'
ment, and the result is that we have a perfect)
chronology of art in all its stages, from the!
time of Giotto down to that of the latest mas-
ters of ourschool. The term perfect must not,

however, be understood as implying that the |
best works of each master are selected for)

exhibition, as such is not the case, but that the
series is complete, so far as it is necessary for;
the purpose 0f comparison. ;

That such an exhibition as this is of the
highest importance to the art student, no one

can for a single.moment doubt, as it places |
within his reach, iz his own land, the same),

facilities for study for which he is often forced
to seek abroad on the continent..
Among the most celebrated artists repre-
sented in the present exhibition, we may men-
tion Giotto, John Fouquet de Tours, Giovanni,
da Fiesole, Fra Filippo Lippi, | Francisco
Ubertini, Lorenzo da Credi, Lucas Cranach,
Raffaelle, Michael Angelo, | Hemlinck,
Giovanni Bellini, Van Eyck, Vasari, Quintin
Matsys, Zwoll, Piero della
Verrochio, and Dominico Campagnola.

- Watcuss.—At a recent meeting of the)

Society of Antiquaries, Mr. Morgan, M.P.
read a paper on watches.
formation regarding the original construction
and gradual improvement in what are still
called in Germany pocket-clocks... Nurem-
burg was, as far as can now be ascertained,
the, place of their invention; and several
of the specimens shown by Mr. Morgan, in
his own collection and in that of the Clock-

makers’ Company (which were all upon the)

table), were what are known by the name of
‘““Nuremburg eggs.’’ The claim of Nurem-
burg reaches as far back as 1479,—whereas
no other part of Europe can produce any
evidence earlier than 1494, when a notice of
these watches occurs in a sonnet by Gaspar|
The spring, as a substitute for

led to the manufacture of pocket-clocks or;
watches,—and' this was not employed until
near the latter end of the fifteenth
century. Matters afterwards remained sta-
tionary for about 150 years, when the minute-
hand was introduced by Quayne; and finally
Facio inserted jewels, to facilitate the action

Francesca, ||

Tt was full of in-|)

naa es

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tt
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Saturpay, |

Enthusiasm and Miscretion.

—_—

HE young artist,
but too often sur-
rounded by appa-
rently insurmount-
able difficulties, na-
turally seizes upon
opportunities which
appear best suited
to his purpose, ra-
ther than wait until time and experience
shall, in some measure, have qualified him
for making a judicious selection, with re-
gard to his present capabilities and future
‘prospects; but this principle is erroneous,
nay, injurious. Enthusiasm, though a good
leader, is, at the best, but a sorry tutor,
and though it may in arriving
at the wished-for goal, it generally car-
‘Ties in its track evident marks of haste,
inattention, and carelessness. Art is essen-
tially the product of deep and earnest study,
and not of mere superficial observation ;
therefore, we can never hope to attain its
highest pinnacle unless we first, by our own
labours, well pave the road that is to lead to it.
Like the traveller that.wends his way across
the Arabian Desert, the young artist is ac-
quainted with a certain prescribed route
which others have traversed before him, but,
still, he has to carefully avoid, by his own
prudence and forethought, the fatal blast of

succeed

-THE DECORATOR’ ASSISTANT.

(Jury 8, 1848.

those scorching winds, which otherwise, com-
ing unawares, would utterly exterminate him.
With regard to such accidental but looked-for
occurrences, he must be well prepared by
knowledge, perseverance, and skill; he must
have learned that to bend is not necessarily to
be conquered, but to be saved.

At the outset of his career, of course, he
cannot be expected to entertain other than the
brightest hopes as to his future success; and
to a certain jextent, this is commendable,
but he should never allow his mind to be
so far carried away by glittering prospects
as to induce him to mistake the too fer-
vent aspirations of his own brain for reali-
ties, and, fostering his error, indulge in rhap-
sody when practice is required. Such vagaries
lead merely to instability of purpose, inaction,
and ultimate disappointment; and the person
who gives himself wholly up to day dreaming,
like the opium eater, who at first first charmed
by those delicious reveries which the perni-
ious drug occasions, finds after considerable
time has elapsed, that he has entirely lost that
natural impulse which is the real charac-
teristic of the man of genius, and that his only
resource consists in the: artificial and by no
means adequate assistance with which his
early folly sc unfortunately made him ac-
quainted.

The poet has stated that “discretion is the
better part of valour,” and although this
avowal was made in a satirical vein, yet the
truth of the axiom may be as successfully
tested in the arena of our daily existence as
upon the field of battle. Discretion should
ever be present in our minds and the regulator
of our actions—without it we become mere
creatures of impulse and fancy, in fact no
better than brute animals devoid of their
natural instinctive faculties. But many, too
apt to entertain false views of genius, declare
that to be exhibited in perfection, it should be
entirely untrammelled by laborious operations
of the mind. This is a mistake: true genius
never yet denied itself the opportunity of
profiting by experience and advice,—other-
wise the world would have long since been
tired of itand its productions.

Daily do we see men of consummate ability,
artists whose labours, properly directed, would

\T02
probably create for them riches and fame—so
bolstered up by egotistic feeling and. over-
weening pride, that they assign to themselves
a higher standing than they are entitled to
take. They forget that, after all, Nature is
their superior, and that they
their paintings represent in an abortive
manner—the effect of their self-sufficient
course of reasoning—she represents in the eye
of man ina more graceful form; and_ that
mere conventuality of style, or, with some,
downright obscurity of delineation, can never
obtain for them a niche in the Temple of
ames)

Let us hope that the rising generation of
Artists will lay these facts well to heart; and
that, at any rate, they never will allow
their enthusiasm to get the better of their
judgment.

what in

Art Cxyposttions.

Tue number of persons,-happily, is daily in-
creasing who entertain a full appreciation of
the delight derivable from the fine and deco-
rative arts. It is with much pleasure that we
chronicle the increase and success of insti-
tutions for the encouragement of the orna-
mental arts, the cultivation, contemplation,
and love of the beautiful in connection with
our manufactures, and the moral and social
improvement, refinement of taste, and mental
enjoyment of the masses. The numerous
provincial expositions recently closed and
those still remaining open have this season

been decidedly successful. In our opinion the

||“ ornamental” may be considered as so impor-

tant a feature in connection with human
existence and happiness as to render these pro-
gressive attempts at its wider extension worthy
the approbation and patronage of all classes
of the community. The Creator or ALL
THINGS would not have made his own works so
lovely—would not have adorned all Nature,

animate and. inanimate, with so much beauty

|had He not intended that man should take
jample draughts of pleasure from all that tends
|to charm his réfined senses, during his brief
jsojourn here below. On the other hand, on
|what is not innocent and pure Hx. has so laid
| Has seal. of condemnation that the distinction

‘pieces about twelve inches square and one-im

wing will also be covered with this material,
which itsprojectors have named ‘‘ Kumpto-
lite.” Its chief recommendation is, that it}
ideadens all sound, rendering the passage of a}

Herald.

ASSISTANT,

between right and wrong cannot be mistaken’
That man, therefore, should imitate, and, as

expected, approved, and fostered, for to as-
sume a poetical metaphor—what comes by
instinct comes from Gop.

Co Correspondents, S&e.

Cases for Vols. I. and IT, are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra. :

** Any of our readers having complete
Aupyasets of an ornamental description suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

“J F.’—We are much obliged for the article
sent, which we will carefully peruse and insert
next week, We always answer the inquiries of
our correspondents as soon as possible after re-
cewing their letters. The one you refer to we
first received under the signature of “J. B.,”’
and we replied, as you will own, on reflection,
very justly, that 2w was inadmissible to our
columns—relating as it did to a medical subject.
We have, however, since received the same query
under the signature “‘ A. B.C.’ With regard to
the designs, see answer ‘to ‘‘ John Leech,” last
week,

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §:c., to be addressed to ‘the Editor

of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-|

street, Strand, London.’’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readersas will favour us with local. information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c. \

To Maxe Invisiste Gotp Inx.—Put as
much gold in as small a quantity of nitric acid
as will dissolve it, and when this is done dilute
with two or three times the quantity of dis-
tilled water. Next dissolve, in a separate
vessel, fine pewter in nitric acid, and when
well impregnated, add an equal quantity of
distilled water. Write your characters with
the first solution, and let the paper written
on, &c., dry in the shade. To make them
appear, draw a hair pencil or sponge dipped in
the same solution over the paper. —

Kumprouirr.—The court-yard ef the Ad-
miralty, Whitehall, has been covered witha
paving of Indian rubber. It is laid down in

thickness. The quadrangle at Buckingham
Palace formed by. the erection of the new

vehicle or horse perfectly noiseless.—Morning

THE ‘DECORATOR’S

far as he can, create beauty, is alike to bell

ee ™.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 103} |

the handle, the wedge piece is drawn up, the
| elastic tube restored to its cylindrical form,
and a free way afforded for gas or fluids—the
‘passage through being the full and unob-
structed size of the tube. In conclusion, we
intreat all our readers residing in or near the
metropolis, and who feel interested in such
matters as we have been at pains to describe,
to pay a visit to Mr. Jennings’s establishment,
where they will find practical proof that we do
not flatter when we designate him an exceed-
ingly useful member of society, and one who
has done much, and promises to do still more,
towards obviating many difficulties and incon-
veniences, which, however grievous, are not
deemed worth the notice of more pretensious,
though decidedly not more ingenious inven-
tors. In our eyes, an invention tending
in the least degree to increase our comfort,
assumes as much importance as one to increase
our wealth: we may manage without the
latter, but the former is indispensable.

CLOSETS, SHOP-SHUTTER SHOES AND
FASTENERS, AND HERMETIC COCKS.

——

A. Few days since we paid a visit to the estab-
lishment of that prolific inventor, Mr. George
Jennings, of No. 29, Great Charlotte-street,
Blackfriars-road, in order to inspect some of
those useful novelties which he, from time to
time, introduces to the notice of the public,
and were certainly gratified beyond measure
at. their ingenuity, simplicity, and , adapta-
bility to all the purposes to which they are
intended to be applied. The old-fashioned
method of fastening shop-shutters with iron
bars haslong been voted a clumsy and by no
jmeans efficient expedient, but it is now, we
jare happy to say, entirely superseded by the
patent shutter-shoes and fasteners of Mr. Jen-
nings. Neatness, durability, and protection are
obtained in a greater degree than by any other
means, while the comparative cheapness of
jthese elegant articles must surely obtain for
|them, in a short space of time, almost uni-
versal. patronage. The water-closets being
entirely divested of all cumbersome apparatus,
are most decidedly the best and most econo-
imical. of any that we have heretofore seen.
They are without pan or valve, and perfectly
jair-tight and innoxious. Of the joints we can
only speak in terms of unqualified approba-
|tion. They entirely supersede the former pro-
cess of plumbing, and ensure perfect security
from leakage, &c. Moreover, they may at
jany time be removed without involving any
|necessity for cutting the connected piping, as
|the latter is merely united by means of a
screw which may be either fastened or unfas-
tened with the greatest ease. The hermetic
jeocks are perfect marvels of ingenuity. In
\external appearance they do not vary in the
slightest respect from those in common use;
Jinternally, however, there is. a, most essential
difference. Inside the external metal casing
jof the cock is alining ortube of vulcanised
Indian-rubber, one end of which is secured
by flanges. Lying above and directly across
this elastic tube, is a cylindrical \/-shaped
wedge of metal, prevented from turning by
{|two projecting ribs, which’ slide up and down
in grooves on each side of the cock. The
upper part of this wedge is formed into two
‘inclined planes or horns, on opposite sides of
‘the cylindrical part thereof. Within a cap-
piece there is.a corresponding pair of inclined
planes attached to and turned by the handle.
When the cock is open, the projections of the
upper pair of inclined planes fit into the
hollows of the lower pair, but on turning the:

JaPANNING.—First provide yourself with a
small muller and stone to grind any colour}
that you may require; secondly, provide your-
self with white hard varnish, brown var-
nish, turpentine varnish, japan gold size,
and spirit of turpentine, which you may keep
in separate bottles until required; thirdly,
provide yourself with flake white, red lead,
vermillion, lake, Prussian blue, King’s and
patent yellow, orpiment, spruce and brown
ochre, mineral green, verditer, burnt umber,
and lamp-black.. Observe that all woodwork
must be prepared with size and some coarser
material mixed with it, in order to fill up and
harden the grain of the wood—such, indeed,
as may best suit the colour intended to be laid
on,—which must be rubbed smooth with glass-
paper when dry; but in case of accident it is
seldom necessary to re-size the damaged places
unless they are considerable. With the fore-

use for japanning—always observing to grind
pyour colour smooth in spirit of turpentine,
add a small quantity of turpentine and spirit
varnish, and lay it carefully on with a camel-
hair brush, then varnish with brown or white
spirit varnish according to colour. For a
black, mix up a little good size and lamp-black,
and it will bear a good gloss without varnish-
ing over. To imitate black rosewood, a black

take some finely livigated red lead, mixed up
as before directed, and lay on with avflat, stiff;
brush in imitation of the streaks in the wood;
after which take a small quantity of lake,
ground fine, and mix it with brown spirit var-
nish, carefully observing not to have more

going colours you may match always any one in|)

ground must be given to the wood, after which|,

colour in it than will just tinge the varnish;
but should it happen on trial to be still too red,
you may easily assist it with a little umber
ground very fine, with which pass over the
whole of the work intended to imitate black
rosewood, and it will have. the desired effect.
We have seen work done by a good japanner,
according to the foregoing rule, which, when

handle the upper pair are carried round, and
force down the lower ones to the extent. of the
projections of each, which causes the wedge to
press upon the elastic tube and squeeze it
together, thereby effectually closing the pas-
sage through it. Thereare two neutral points
onthe summits of the upper and lower pro-
jections which are. perpendicular to each other
when the cockis shut, and prevent it flying
open by any internal pressure; but on turning

tinguished from the real wood.

varnished and polished, was scarcely to be dis-

104

An EHlustrates Glossary of Cechnical |
Germs used tn Architectural anv
Enterior Becovatton, Ke.
[Continued from page 96.]

EaseEt (in painting), a frame used to support’
a picture while it is being painted. They are of

various forms and sizes, according to the size
of the picture and the habits of the painter.

Eeyetian Ancuitecture.—The _charac-
teristics or elementary principles of Egyptian
architecture are walls of great thickness, roofs
generally of a single block of stone, which
‘reached from wall to wall, a multitude of
columns of various forms, proportions, and
ornaments; seldom with bases, and when with
that addition, they are mostly simple plinths.
The capitals vary considerably, as may be seen
in the works of Denon, Dr. Pococke, Belzoni,

Sil

\—-A
SSS

Tea)

eae SSS SSE SSS SSDS SESE SOS SESS uss nS

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

{called by either name, for something resem-

| architecture is a peculiar narrowness of in-|}

| peculiar characteristic of this original and

|viction. And the president De Goguet, in|

and other travellers. In some instances they
are ornamented with foliage, in others they
resemble a vase, and again in others a bell
reversed. In Egyptian architecture there is
no frieze, nor, correctly speaking, any cornice
or architrave, and their substitutes may be

bling them may be traced in the epistylia,
or beams of stone which reach from column to}}
column. Another characteristic of Egyptian |}

tercolumniation, being often not more than||
three feet and a half in width. The absence|}
of arches, which are supplied by epistylia or

stone beams, or lintels, is also another and||

singular style. Dr. Pococke thinks that the
ancient Egyptians were not ignorant of the}
construction of the arch, but does not give
satisfactory proofs of the cause of his con-

his Jearned dissertation on the origin of laws,
arts, and sciences, assumes from their not)
using it that they did not understand it. The}

proofs which he gives of this ignorance might|| —

with as great propriety be adduced of their||
contempt of this mechanical means of covering
apertures, The nearest approach to the
principle is to be seen in the entrance of the
great pyramid at Memphis; of which an
engraving is given in that work. Belzonij|
agrees in opinion of their knowledge of the
arch, and found specimens at Thebes and at|}
Gournon, under the rocks which separate that|}
place from the valley Babel el Malook.}}
However conjectural the origin of the|}
Egyptian style may be, thus far at least is

certain, that it is the fountain whence all suc-|}
ceeding people have drawn their most copious|}
draughts, and is deserving of minute investiga-||
tion. This style bears all the marks of fresh-
ness of invention drawn from native materials|}
and national symbols. Itis in the country of
its origin that those colossal wonders, those
architectural monsters, the pyramids, are
situate. It is needless to dwell upon a long
description of these structures. They have|}
been the theme of literati and travellers for||
centuries, and bear authentic testimony to the||
truth of history. ee

[To be continued.]

“Tue Mortuer’s Biesstnc, AND YOUNG
Nunse’s Constant Frienp.’’—lLondon: F. L.|}
Smith, 2, Princes-street, Westminster.—An||
interesting little pamphlet containing a detailed) |
description of Dr. John Davies’s remedy for|}
those serious evils with which mothers are||
eften afflicted when suckling infants, namely, |}
sore nipples, excoriations, eruptions, &c.|
Everyone who has committed matrimony ought||
to provide this tract for the perusal of his wife. ||
The} preparation recommended we can safely||
denominate the best for the purpose that has
ever been brought before the notice of the}}
public. ‘The ‘* Mother’s Blessing” is also re-}
commended for inflamed eyelids, scurfy heads,
irritation of piles, &c. ee fe

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 105

Life Guards, it appears to have been worn b
Gorresponvence. the ancients for a similar purpose, namely, to

Ancient Drinking Cups and Brain Cap.

Srr,—The annexed drawings (figs. 1 and 2)
represent two ancient drinking-cups in the

Fig. 3.

defend the head from the blows of an enemy;
and if we imagine this iron Brain Cap (as it is
termed) surmounting the head of a warrior,
we may readily conceive that it would afford||
no slight obstacle to the blow of an antagonist’s

sword.
Yours, &c.,
London, June3s0th, 1848. W.T.R.

Artists’ Mru1-Boarv.—It is a fact that
many artists cannot afford to pay the high
price charged by artists’ colourmen for pre-
pared mill-board, and they, therefore, purchase
the rough mill-board at a wholesale stationer’s
and prepare it themselves. The mill-board
Museum at Boulogne, which the authorities | commonly sold by stationers is made from old
of that place were anciently accustomed to use | ta'ry ropes, consequently there are to be ob-
when they received the visits of distinguished | Served on the surfaces a great number of black
persons. Fig. 1 has the armsof the town, a| Spots, which the artists remove by sizing with
thin glue and water, and subsequently spread-
ing a coat of white-lead overit. At first the
mill-board so prepared will look very well,
but in about six months the whole picture will| |
be destroyed by the reappearance of the black
spots, which this time cannot be got rid of
withoutrubbing out the drawing. The best plan
to be adopted to prevent this evil is to size the
board with thin glue as usual, and when dry
to brush it, over with a solution of one ounce
of shell-lac in eight ounces of wood naphtha;
let this dry and then lay on the white-lead.
On mill-board prepared in this manner no
spots will ever come out. This process can
also, be applied with advantage in ‘‘ renovating
pictures.” The artist before retouching
should apply a film of the above varnish, when
the spots will disappear.

Fig. 1.

Tue Pacxer Snurp.—The packet ship isa
curious triumph of modern times. We are
domiciliated upon the ocean. I hear the

Fig. 2.
swan, and three pellets on it. Fig. 2 is of the| notes of a piano, the lowing of a cow, the

fashion of the 14th century. eackle of hens, indeed all the noises of a barn-
A curious relic of antiquity (fig. 3) may also| yard! We have fresh meat and milk, warm
be seen in a case at the same place. Itis|bread, &c. Sea travelling, however, is
formed of a few stout bars of iron crossing | capable of being yet more improved upon.
| each other in a peculiar manner, and which are | Warm baths might be introduced, and stoves
fixed together by a number of iron studs. | to destroy the effluvia of bilge-water. Cabins
{|Your readers will, in all probability, take some | might be so constructed as to admit the air
jjlength of time to guess the use to which this| through a small side window to each. The
uncouth looking article was applied; but, dis-| berths, sofas, and dinner tables, with their
{similar as it is in form to the helmets of our! seats, might be hammock-swung.—Fay.

106

dh ebiclo.

—_——

Homes for the Working Classes; or, Hints to
those about to Select House Property cither
for Investment or Occupation. By Francis
Cross, Surveyor.—Islington: J. K. Star-
ling, Upper-street.

This is a well-timed little pamphlet devoted
jto an important subject. In his preface the
jauthor remarks that his object has been to lay

'i\hefore the members of different Buiiding

‘Societies, in a clear and concise form, a col-

lection of remarks for their guidance in the

|'selection of house property—and in it he has

eminently succeeded.

Mr, Cross’s instructions to the purchasers of
shouses are of the most valuable description ;
there is something beyond mere technicality in
the following passage—there is sound friendly
advice :—
| Speaking of a certain class, alas, too many,

jhe observes that, ‘‘ The old maxim holds good,
‘fools build, wise men buy.’ ‘They, therefore,
'buy a house of the extreme value, which has
been built by some speculative builder for
immediate sale; itis let for a series of years,
until, as it were, it has purchased itself. Then
and then is the time, it ought to become the
‘home without expenses—the shelter for old
age—and asylum for those to whom the cares
and troubles of this world are lessened, and
themselves the happy owners of premises
adapted either for trade or private occupation ;
instead of this, however, sundry serious repairs
show themselves as wanted—cracks in plaster-
ing without apparent cause. Inconveniences
begin now to strike the owner of the property,
and he becomes dissatisfied ;—now, if not be-
fore, the woodwork has shrunk, the rooms are
filled with draughts; the chimneys smoke, the
walls are so thin that on a winter’s night it
makes one miserable to hear the wind whistle;
the floors are so weak, and the vibration so
great, that you are almost afraid to let the
children run about for fear of the ceiling under-
neath.. The joints of the floor boards are so
\wide apart, through their shrinking, that the
space between the floor and the ceiling be-
comes the receptacle for dust, dirt, pins,
meedles. and halfpence ; and, may be, worse
than all’ the preceding evils, the drains, when
the weather 1s warm, in a state to produce
‘fever.
“‘ We becomes convinced that, had he seen
‘that house built, he could have prevented
many of the grievances, and that to have real
comfort, that house must be constructed accor-
\dingly.
“The smaller the dwelling the more simple
‘should be its form, and the greatest considera-
ition should be given to the relative position
of the doors and chimneys; and, in small
rooms this should never be lost sight of, or the
||poor dwelling becomes a wretched habi-
tation.”

With regard to the receptacles for water in

dwelling houses, Mr. Cross gives some. useful
information:—‘‘The supply of water to a

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

dwelling-house forms at once an important item| |.

of comfort and’ cleanliness; and this generally
depends upon (at least in London) a quantity
supplied twice in a week, when the turncocks
are busy. It is therefore requisite, when||:.
the main is on, that the cisterns or reservoirs) |’
to the house should be filled.
‘““ The materials of which the cistern is com-| |
posed, and the situation im which it is placed,
form important considerations, as often the
impurity of the water may be entirely owing)|.
to one of these points having been neglected ;|
and, whatever inconvenience it may be, the}|
occupier must patiently wait the next supply,}
before any remedy can be applied. .
‘* Most small houses have but one cistern,!| -
and upon this only has the house to depend
for a constant supply; and this cistern often)|-
situate in the kitchen, which frequently serves
as sitting-room for one family, and as cook-
shop and wash-house for the house, it will
not surely require one to arise from the dead,
to say the water will be lukewarm and unfit to,
drink. Again, sometimes we find it just out-
side in the yard, like a water-butt with its
mouth open to catch the rain that falls. This:
has not so many objections as the preceding, ||.
had it -a proper covering to prevent stray |
bricks, pieces of mortar, dust, rubbish, andj}

insects, forming a conglomeration of sand ati) ©

the bottom. In selecting a place outside the |:
premises, great attention should be given to a\J.
shaded corner; for the cooler the situation, the}}
more pleasant, pure, ‘and refreshing will be the
water. The cistern should be of easy access,'
both for the periodical cleansing and conve-||)
nience in the performance of the necessary |:
repairs.
.““The supply is often regulated by a ball-||
cock. It sometimes becomes necessary to see) |’
that the same is acting properly.

“The materials generally employed for cis-|/
terns are deal, lined with lead or zinc ; stone,
or slate. Lead cisterns were the most used in|;
the good old houses erected a century ago, and!
certainly has proved its durability; while zinc, |
is of but modern introduction, and, without it)|
is of the very best description, we should be|/
sorry to run the risk of exposing it to the wea-||
ther during frost; the only recommendation |
being cheapness. In the first instance, itis so;)|_
but then old zine is worth nothing, while inj}
changing the old lead for new, whether in
the lining of cisterns or ‘gutters, a liberal|
allowance is made bythe builder. Stone is|}
cumbersome, and but little used; slate isa
very successful modern introduction, and has
been found durable, not at all affected by the
weather, if properly made, ard is more cleanly
than any other material.

‘*Those persons whose residences are situated
beside some mountain stream, cannot suffi-
ciently appreciate both iis purity and cheap-
ness, and, more than all, its constant supply;
forming a’ wide contrast to the monopoly that},
exists in our large towns: ‘Take London, for
instance, with its different water companies;
one of which imposes an annual tax that
nearly, if not quite, exceeds the original capital,||
yielding a per centage surely unknown even)
to the clutch-alls of. Houndsditch;;: inj sae

seems as though they considered it would be
\|most unfair to supply an abundance of pure
and wholesome water, at a small fraction of
cost of the present stinted and miserable

supply.”
{| This little work ought to be in the hands of
every one who is about to erecta house, and
is particularly useful to such as have not had
the advantage of a professional education.
Itis clearly written, and devoid of technicali-
ties.

Movine Hovses.—In the ‘‘ Chronotypist,”’ a
week or two back [see page 90, ante] we spoke
of a house having been removed from its
original foundation; we now present a state-
ment of the details of the operation, on the
authority of the Suffolk Chronicle. It appears
the removal was performed upon a two storey
brick-built house, measuring 26 feet by 18,
at Messrs. Ransome and May’s, Orwell
Foundry, Ipswich. ‘The edifice was moved to
a distance of 70 feet, and raised 2% feet,
without sustaining the slightest crack in the
walls or ceiling, or even in the papering of the
rooms. The removal was accomplished under
the direction and ‘superintendence of Mr.
Worby, the manager of the works. A series
of holes, six inches square, was first made
through the brickwork, close to the ground, at
intervals of three feet all round the house.
Through these holes were inserted cantalevers,
or pieces of timber about four feet long, and
the earth inside and out, having been cleared
away, the ends were made to rest on blocks of
wood; so that during the removal of the
foundation, the superstructure would rest
entirely onthem. The next operation was to
remove the foundation, and to lay in its place
long pieces of timber, 11 inches square; these
had a coat of mortar laid on as abed for the
brickwork, and were then lifted up to the walls,
forming a kind of frame-work, on which, the
cantalevers and blocks being removed, the
house stood as firmly as it did on its original
foundation. The building was then raised to
the required height, one side being elevated at
‘a time, and a number of longitudinal timbers
of great strength laid underneath, and con-
tinued along the ground as far as the new
foundation. As a precautionary measure, the
sides of the house were bound in by means of
stout planks run up at the angles, and fastened
together with iron rods. The whole of this
preliminary work occupied some time to com-
‘plete, the workmen only turning toit when
they had nothing else to engage them. ‘The
timbers, along which the house was to slide,
having been well greased, three bottle-jack
lscrews were brought to bear upon one end of
ithe framework, and the process of locomotion
commenced. The rate of travelling was about
one foot in five minutes, but as along delay

and got into play, not more than 25 feet:could
be accomplished in a day. The house is now
standing on its second foundation, none the
worse for the experiment to which it has been
subjected.

2 eo

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

occurred each time the screws were refixed.

107,

Tranauitising Errect or Pictures.— |
Every good picture, by which I mean every
picture that has something good in it, is not.
mere surface and colour; it has a countenanee, |
like the countenance of a friend or lover, of
which extent certain expressions are revealed.
only to certain eyes at certain moments. |
These are the associations of long acquaint-
ance; accidental gleams of lamp or sunshine
have lighted up the shadowy nooks, and.
startled the eye with revelations of hidden
beauty and meaning; or, in hours of lassitude
and sorrow, hours when the “ fretful stir un-,
profitable’”’ of this painful actual world, has.
hung heavy on the spirit, the light breaking:
from behind the trees of far-off distance, |
stretching away, and leading the fancy after it,
till it melts into Elysium, or rural groups, |
revels of satyrs, or clouds, or face of pure-,
eyed virgin or serene saint, has arrested the
troubled course of thought and stamped a
consecration on certain pictures which it }
would be a pleasure to see commemorated, but |
which no accidental visiter can enter into.)
‘““T cannot express to you,’’ said a distinguished |
statesman of the present day, as we stood in.
the midst of his beautiful pictures, ‘I cannot
express to you my feelings of tranquility, of
restoration, with which, in an interval of,
harassing official business, I look round me)
here.” And while he spoke in the slow quiet
tone of a weary man, he turned his eyes on a
forest scene of Ruysdaal, and gazed on it for a
minute or two in silence—a silence which [|
was careful not to break—as if its cool dewy'
verdure, its deep seclusion, its transparent |
waters stealing through the glade, had_ sent)
refreshment into his very soul.—Mrs.. Jame-';
son’s Companion to Picture Galleries of
London. |

Lorp Bacon’s Derinition or Art.—Art is.
usually considered as a thing very different:
from Nature; and artificial things from natural
ones: whence arises another more grievous
error, that Art is supposed a different principle |
built upon Nature, and of such power as to be)
able either to perfect what Nature had begun, |
to rectify and amend. her when disordered, or
to free her when confined—though not utterly ,
to divert or transmute her, but the truth is,'
artificial things do not differ from natural ones!
in nature or form, but only in the efficient :)
man has no power over nature beside what he
has in motion—in virtue wherof he can apply |
natural bodies or to remove them from one ano-'
ther. Where such application or joining of
active things to passive ones is practicable, |
there may be men do anything—where itis.
not nothing. Gold we sometimes see purified
by the chemist’s fire, and sometimes find:it.
perfectly pure in the sands—Nature, herself, |
having done the business : so in the rainbow)
is sometimes formed on high in the water of a)
cloud, and sometimes here below by a sprink-
ling of water. Nature, therefore, governs all)
things; under this subordination of the course),
of Nature, the latitude or evagation of Nature
and art, or man superadded to hex other works.|
—De Augmen. Scient., lib. ii.

[x08

Anti-fniammable Budstances.

ammonia and dried, the inflammability of such
paper is destroyed.

We were induced by this observation in the
winter of 1836 to prosecute this subject; and
at that period, calico, wood, and paper were
kept immersed in various saline solutions for
days together, in order to ascertain the com-
parative energy of such solutions in destroying
inflammability, As the object of these ex-
periments was altogether practical, those
saline solutions only were tried which could be
obtained at a sufficiently low rate for general
use. Accordingly, for the phosphate of am-
monia proposed by M. Gay-Lussac, the muriate
was substituted; and this was found to have
the greatest effect in destroying the inflam-
mable property of wood, calico, or paper.
Wood should remain a week or ten days im-
mersed in a saturated solution of it; for
calico and linen twenty minutes; and for
paper two or three hdurs at furthest is suffi-
cient. If either of these be dried after such
immersion, and then put into the flame of a
candle they turn black, but do not take fire,
and on being removed from the candle they
do net continue to keep alight like tinder,
ignited as it were, but without flame.

But as neither the muriate of tin nor the
muriate of ammonia is sufficiently cheap for

fixed alkalies, in reference to the property
under consideration.

The subcarbonate of potass, or soda, seems
sufficiently efficacious, though not to an equal
degree with the salts first mentioned. There

either of these alkalies. They both prevent
inflammability; but neither of them prevents
ignition, if we may so speak, that is to say,
{when paper or linen is prepared by them and
held in the flame of acandle and then removed,
no flame is communicated, but the ignited
part or spark continues to spread slowly until
the whole of the material is consumed. And
||this it does, whether the substance be held in
one direction or another; though of course
the ignited margin extends most quickly when
it is held in such a position that it can rise
upwards. It is to be observed that whether
calico, linen, or paper, be soaked twenty-four
hours or a week, in solutions of the alkaline sub-
carbonates, makes a little or no difference in
reference to this power ofignition. It is hence
obvious, that the muriates of tin and ammonia
are more decidedly anti-inflammables than
the subcarbonates of potass or soda; but
it seems not improbable that these latter may

retain their powers longer.
|| As there is little orno difference in the
power of these alkalies, and as the latter is
||now very considerably cheaper than the
former, we give it the decided preference.

For practical purposes, the subcarbonate of
||soda_ will, except in very particular cases, be
found sufficiently anti-inflammable’; for no

M. Gay-Lussac some years ago stated that if
paper be dipped in a solution of phosphate of

extensive use, we are now to examine the

is little or no difference in the efficacy of

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

sudden destruction of property which had been
prepared by its solution could take place. Fire
falling on one of the leaves of a book in a
library so prepared, could scarcely be able to
extend itself even through the book on which
it fell; and certainly could not communicate
to other volumes: and whether a child’s dress,
or the scenes of a theatre so prepared were
set on fire, there would be little difficulty in
extinguishing it. Although, therefore, the
muriate of ammonia is a more complete anti-
inflammable, its great expense compared to
subcarbonate of sodais a formidable objection
toits general use. Papers saturated with it
might sometimes be used,instead of parchment,
where it was the wish to give the greatest
degree of security to the documents or produc-
tions.

In reference to wood, muriate of ammonia
seems to have no advantage over the subcar-
bonate of soda. When wood, although cut
in the thinnest form, is prepared by the solu-
tion of this alkali, the ignited part will not ex-
tend, as we have observed is the case with
paper or linen under the same circumstances.
The subcarbonate of soda then is what we re-
commend for the preparation of all articles
composed of wood.

But it is fair to consider the grand objection
to preparing wood by immersion in the saline
solutions (for muriate of ammonia is equally
liable to this objection with subcarbonate of;
soda. The objection alluded to is, that all
these saline impregnations are completely
removed by immersion in water, or perhaps}
still more quickly by immersion in solution of
soap and water. This was the case equally
with muriate of tin, and some other solutions
that were tried.

The objection then, just mentioned, will
apply to wood that may necessarily be exposed
to the rain, or which may require cleaning by}|
soap and water. This is the case with thej|
deck of a ship and the floors of dwelling
houses, as at present constructed.

But such seem the principal, or the only
exceptions to the general advantage to be
derived from the adoption of anti-inflammable
wood. A great part of the wood used in|;
building is placed between the floors, or on the
sides of houses, which are usually painted.
In either of these cases wood prepared by sub-~
carbonate of soda will retain its anti-inflam-
mable properties unimpared.

Of course the preceding remarks, though
applicable to all structures of wood, or partially
of wood, are more particularly so to all offices
and premises in which, from the trade pur-
sued, or the number of documents kept in
paper, the risk of fire is increased. And not
only are they applicable to public and private
buildings, but also to ships, and particularly
to steam-boats.—Phil. Trans.

ORNAMENTS FoR Oaxen Doors.—Our ances-
tors used to give a very pretty and harmonious
effect to their oaken doors by employing plates
of sheet iron, cut into various devices, and
simply secured by nails. These plates may
be either painted black or rubbed bright.

The Gronoty pist,

We (Salisbury Herald)’ understand it is in-
tended to erect batteries at the Weymouth har-
bour, and also on the Nothe; the necessary
surveys have already been made.——“ The
correspondence,” says the Atheneum, ‘‘ that
passed between the Trustees of the National
Gallery and the Lords of the Treasury res-
pecting the gift made by Mr. Vernon to the
British nation has just been printed, pursuant
to an order of the House of Lords. There is
not much in it that is new. The selection of
the pictures was made by Lord Monteagle and
Sir Robert Peel: and an application and
plans ‘for enlarged accommodation for the
public pictures and an improved Sculpture
Gallery at the Royal Academy’ were laid, it
appears, before the Lords of the Treasury in
the summer of last year ;—but their iordships
signified to the trustees, in their reply, ‘that
they do .not feel themselves justified in
authorising so large an expendittre as would
be required for the proposed alterations of the
National Gallery without the previous sanction
of Parliament.’ Their lordships go on to say,
“they will be prepared to take into considera-

;/tion, before the time arrives for submitting to

Parliament the estimates for the ensuing
year, @ matured plan for affording such ad-
\ditional accommodation as may be required for
ithe National Gallery, and, in connection with
‘that object, for improving the Sculpture
Gallery of the Royal Academy.’ This was
written on the 20thof August, 1847; and now
we are past the longest day inthe middle of
1848 without hearing a word about ‘a matured
iplan’ or finding a penny in the estimates for
making good empty promises to too easy
trustees.”——A correspondent of the Dar-
lington Times recommends a vigorous: system
of operations to effect some amelioration in
ithe condition of the mining population of the
north of England; mechanics’ institutes,
literary societies, and the like having not been
‘sufficiently extended into the hearts of col-
lieries to produce, as yet, much change. ——
Lord Ingestre has written to the Morning
Post to express his sense of the responsibility
incurred by ministers in not having Captain
Warner’s inventions ‘“‘throughly sifted and
examined, instead of allowing themselves to
be deceived by others, instigated either by
self-interest or vulgar prejudice.”’ We think
Lord Ingestre had better let well alone, else
most likely the stink, if raised a second time,
will be effectually deodorise€d.——We learn
with pleasure that it is the intention of Father
;Mathew to finish the beautiful church on
Charlotte Quay, Cork, as soon as possible.
The erection of that building was, at one time,
the dearest object of Father Mathew’s; but,
jlike many other cherished objects, it was
saerificed for the promotion of that glorious
work, which has given to this country an
jundying reputation, and to himself a world-
wide fame.—The testimonial to John Bright,
Esq., M.P. is now ready to be presented. It
‘consists of a library and bookcase, which were
jon view at the Public Hall, Ballic-street,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

1u9

Rochdale, on the 16th, 17th, and 19th ult., to}
the subscribers and friends. The bookcase is)
of oak, and has been made at Chester. On|
the doors are beautifully carved the initials of
Cobden, Villiers, and Bright, besides many
devices upon various subjects, such as ships
laden with grain, emblems of plenty, &c.——
Letters from Alexandria state that Ibrahim
Pacha intended gradually abolishing the manu-
facture of cotton-cloths in Egypt, and had dis-
charged the chief superintendent of his cotton-
mills. ——“ The committee for superintending|
the arrangements. connected with the visit of
the British Associations,’’ says the Swansea
Herald, ‘“have made an appeal to the public
of Wales for additional pecuniary means of|
securing for the Association nof only a
proper but a hospitable reception.””—— The
present season has been more than commonly)
abundant in sales of old pictures—chiefly of;
the Dutch school.—Prince Albert has sent’
a contribution of £25 towards the erection of
the monument of Mrs, Siddons, in West-
minster Abbey. —A grand fancy and full!
dress ball is announced to take place on Friday, |

the 7th instant, at the Theatre Royal, Drury- |

lane, the proceeds of which are to be devoted!

to the adyancementof the Spitalfields School ||

of Design. The entertainment will take place
under the immediate patronage of the
Queen, H.R.H. the Duchess of Cambridge,
H.R.H. the Duchess of Gloucester, H.R.H.
the Duchess of Kent. And above eighty-three
of the wives of the principal nobility and'
gentry, including the Duchesses of Norfolk,
Somerset, Richmond, Grafton, Beaufort; Bed-
ford, Marlborough, Montrose, Northumberland, |
Leinster, Sutherland; Marchionesses of Down-|
shire, Ely, Londonderry, Ailesbury, Clanri-
carde, Westminster, Kildare; Lady G.Cod-
rington; Countesses of Chesterfield, Jersey,
Eglinton, Kinnoull, Dartmouth, Tankerville,
Hardwicke, Malmesbury, Sefton, Clanwilliam,
Kenmare, Craven, Wilton, Grey, Brownlow,
Morley, Eldon, Howe, Litchfield, Granville;
Lady C. Egerton and M. Alford; Viscount-
esses Sydney, Palmerston, Dungannon, Beres-
ford, Combermere, Canning, Mahon; Lady
Ashley: Viscountesses Jocelyn and Seaham;
Ladies Mary Stanley, L. Moncreiffe, S. Chol-
mondely, C. Sandford, D. Duncombe, A. G.
Hallyburton, M. Hill, A. Paget, Ernest Bruce,
Robert Grosvenor, . Willoughby de Eresby,
Southampton, Carrington, Rokeby, Wharn-
cliffe, Feversham, Cowley, Stanley, Strathe-
‘den; the Hon. Mesdames Cadogan, Heath-
cote, and Ferguson; Ladies Foulis, Dymoke,
Clay ; the Lady Mayoress, the Baroness de}:
Rothschild, Mrs. Sheriff Cubitt, Mrs. Sheriff
Hill, and Mrs. Matheison.—Committee of Ma-

nagement: Viset. Cranley, Hon. H. Fitzroy,

M.P., Lieut. Col. Malcolm, S. De Hornsey,

Esq., G. E. H. Vernon, Mr. Garner. The

audience part ‘of the theatre, including the

private boxes, will be separated from the ball

room. It is stated that the majority of the

ladies will be attired in silk of Spitalfields

manufacture.——The British Museum esti-

mate for parliamentary grants this year, pro-

vides for the following purchases, &c., relating

to the fine arts:—Drawings from the collection

|jand then. be broken up.

of the Baron. Verstoelk de Soelen, £566 16s. ;
purchase of a collection of etchings and
engravings from Messrs. Smith, £4,200; esti-
mate for the expense to be incurred for con-
tinuance of excavations in. Assyria, and for
the transport of antiquities to England, £500.
——By the liberality of the council of the
Manchester Botanical and Horticultural
Society, the teachers and pupils of all schools,
without distinction—including those of the
various parochial unions, are admitted free on
stated days in each week, an example worthy
of imitation elsewhere. In the recent Whit-
sun week, the gross number that availed
themselves of this treat amounted to 13,215.
——The hall and permanent gallery of the
Royal’ Manchester Institution, containing
casts, bronzes, paintings,, and statuary, and
lother works of art, is now open to the indus-
trious classes} at a charge of twopence each
for admission.— I. F. Marsh, Esq., has.
jmunificently presented that now~ valuable
institution, Warrington Museum and Library,
with 800 volumes of books in various depart-
ments of literature——We learn from the
Builder that the City of London is about to be
excluded from the Great Metropolitan Survey,
and the space it should occupy on the map is
to be represented by 24 square feet of blank

Liverpool, in course of construction for several
years, are drawing to aclose. The docks are
to be opened the end of July or beginning of
August.—~A Mrs. Mathewman has left about
£30,000 for the purpose of building and endow-
ing churches in Leeds, of which place she was
a native. The Chester Courant says: ‘‘ It is
rumoured that,'as soon as the works in Holy-
head Harbour are completed, the Admiralty
intend that port to be the station for the West
Indian mail ‘steamers, as being the most cen-
||tral in the kingdom, instead of Southampton.
——We learn from the Hanis Independant that
the bottom of an ancient vessel supposed to
have been under water for many centuries,
was lately dug out of the mud, off the Ame-
rican Wharf, Chapel, and landed © at Cross
Honse :Hard, where it was.to remain a week,
It issupposed to be
of Danish build, is. about 66 feet long by the
keel, very sharp, witha. great rake at the bow,
all close timber, and the outside. plank from
three to four inches thick. . There are no signs
of any iron-work found about her. It appears
that she had but’one mast, which: stood in the
middle; her ‘timbers and planks are perfectly
soundi:—_—The last number of the Bombay
Times states that some of the Nimroud: mar-
bles have been despatched to England from
thence'on board the-Jumna. :

To Crean anv: ResTore THE ~ Evasrscity
or Cane ‘Cuarr Bortoms, Covcnes, &c.—
Turn up the chair bottom, &c., and with hot
water and a sponge wash the cane-work well,’so
that it may become completely soaked; should
it be very dirty you must add soap; let it

- THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

paper.——The dock-works (New North) at|

influence of the plants and’ flowers: of our

beautiful allusions to! the ‘well-known’ wild

\great descriptive poets; and exhorted ‘the
students to peruse their works, with the view of|}

remarks, introductory to a more minute

‘Obituary.
We learn with sincere regret the demise, which
took place last month, of James Watt, Esq.,
the last surviving son of the illustrious ‘im-
prover of the steam-engine. His name will
long be remembered in association with that
of the late Mr. Boulton; as they were for
nearly half a century successfully engaged in
carrying out thosé inventions and improve-|
ments by which the genius of his father was
immortalised. The deceased’ gentleman was
born on the 5th of February, 1769, and was,
therefore, in his 80th year. ‘ Inheriting a large
share of the powerful intellect’ of his dis-
tinguished father, to the extension of whose!
fame he had for the last thirty years shown
the most zealous and truly filial devotion, he
united to great sagacity and a masculine under-
standing the varied acquirements and literary
tastes of a well-cultivated mind. For the
last eight years of his life, he had com-
paratively retired from active business, and
had devoted much time and attention to the
improvement of his extensive estates in the
counties of Radnor and Brecon, where his
tenantry will have to lament the loss of a

sind, energetic, and liberal landlord.

Government’ Scnoon or Drsten.—On the
23rd ultimo Mr. Redgrave delivered to the
scholars of the Government School of Design)
the second of a course of Jectures on Artistic
Botany, in the spacious apartment in Somerset
House formerly the Council-room of the Royal
Academy. He first treated of the advantages
of the study of plants and flowers as supplying
a knowledge’ of the natural sources and true
types of ornament ; and especially of its value,
in correcting the tendency of the student to
reproduce only the antique vonventionalities of
Art—noticing the great propensity of manu-
facturers to perpetuate a merely mechanical
treatment of ornament. He adverted to the
diligent study of ornament by the celebrated
imasters of the middle ages; and to the m an-
ner in which the designers of the arabesques
of the Vatican made use of natural objects,
with due attention to the seasons and to their
poetical suggestions. Upon this!the lecturer
largely descanted ; “illustrating ‘the associative

ar ae ae ena ee ee

wenden

natiye land on our sentiments and afféctions,
and hence their peculiar fitness‘as materials of]!
ornament. He adduced many instances of!

flowers of our hedgerows’and meadows'’by our

enriching their faculties of ilustration, refining |

their sentiments, and developing a national]!

style of ornament. In proceeding with these
expo-

sition of the structure of plants, he directed

attention to the three principal classes of the
vegetable kingdom—indicating their essential
differences of structure and growth, in regard
‘to stems, leafage, and efflorescence. i

dry ‘inthe open air, if possible, or in a
place where there is a thorough draught, and
it will become as tight and firm as when new,
providing that it has not been broken. ,

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Saturpay, |

Lowell.

UST now when an
awful monotony has
taken the place of
a frightful disturb-
ance, in this coun-
try, it may not be
uninteresting to
take a trip across
the Atlantic and
see how Brother
Jonathan is getting
on amid his pine-

| wood forests, and maple sugar estates.

Everybody has, of course, heard of Lowell
—that romantic workshop, where young ladies
||go for a season to work hard and earn money
as willingly and joyfully as our boarding school
misses betake themselves to the seaside to
bathe, and study conchology; and every one,
no doubt, entertains his own individual notion
of the place; thus, some might suppose it a
seminary for females on a large scale, while
‘others would have.an indistinct idea of an
amazonian colony; but such thoughts as these
can hardly give us a conception of the wonders
and curiosities of Lowell. In the first place it
is a city of remarkable growth: thirty-six
years since the traveller would have encoun-
tered on the spot where it now stands nought
but a solitary wilderness, now it possesses the
greatest number of cotton factories in the
United States. The origin and progress of
this prosperity is thus described by a recent
writer :—.

The war between Great Britain and the
United States, depriving the latter of the
‘necessary manufactures, induced two specu-
‘lators to erect a small cotton factory at Lowell,
where the water-power given by the falls of
the Merrimack and Concord rivers. might be
readily made use of. After changing hands
|\once or twice, this factory was purchased by a
|\company in 1826—one of the firms formed on
||the principle of limited partnership. The
success of this factory in the new hands was so.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[Jury 15, 1848.”

marked, that it led to the formation of other
associations on the same principle and for the
same purposee. Mr. Bucxrncuam, who visited
Lowell in 1841, writes, there “‘are now ten
companies or corporations, with a capital of
about 10,000,000 dollars, occupying or working
thirty mills, giving employment to more than
10,000. operatives, of whom 7,000 are females,
and paying out 150,000 dollars a month in
wages, for the manufacture of more than
8,000,000 dollars’ worth of goods in the year.
There are upwards of 52,000,000 yards of cot-
ton cloth worked here in the year, 14,000,000
yards of which are dyed and printed, and
about 18,000,000lbs. of cotton. are used for this
purpose, besides a large quantity of wool.”
This represents Lowell seven years ago. Since
then, her manufactures have very largely in-
creased, particularly during the year 1847.
The mills at Lowell are worked by water-
power. It is produced by a canal, completed
in 1823, which isa mile and a half long, sixty
feet wide, and eight feet deep. A portion of
the water of the Merrimack river is forced
through this canal by a dam at the head of
Pawtucket Falls, and is distributed in various
directions by channels branching off from the
main canal, and discharging into the Merri-
mack and Concord rivers. The entire fall is
thirty feet, and the volume of water which the
canal is capable of carrying is estimated at
1,250 feet per second, furnishing fifty mill
powers of! twenty-five cubic feet per second.
Mr. Bucxineuam says, ‘This water power is
held to be of sufficient force to carry 286,000
spindles with all the necessary machinery ;
but as there are only as yet 150,000 spindles
employed in 4,800 looms, there is yet power
sufficient for 136,000 spindles more, or enough
to turn ten large mills more than the present
number, making forty in all, before the pre-
sent water-power shall be. exhausted, or it may
be necessary to have recourse to steam.” In
1848 these anticipations of 1841 have been
realised ; and as the water-power of Lowell is
now fully employed, a new cotton-city to be
called Lawrence, situated on the Merrimack,

‘about eight miles above Lowell, is now being

built; and the intention is to make it the

metropolis’ of the cotton manufactures—the

Manchester of America.

“ Pacquering,* —

JLacqurrine is a process by which a glossy,
lgolden appearance is given to various metallic.
jarticles by means of a more or'less pale yellow;
varnish. Its object is chiefly to prevent such’
goods from becoming oxidated or tarnished by
exposure fo the atmosphere or immersion in’
water. If. made well, lacquer is exceedingly!
durable; and if laid. on and burned with,
attention and care, it adds much to the beauty.
of the brass or other metal to which it is ap-'
plied .

ledge to’ insure facility of manipulation and
‘ber of minute operations not easy to describe

‘|ltecipts will, we trust, assist, if not, perfect,
those who may wish to attain an intimate ac-
quaintance with the process. ~
- Fo Prepare Brass-work, §c.—As- the object
of lacquering is not to impart. a brilliancy, but
to preserve one already obtained, it. will be
evident that the brighter the surface of the
article intended) ta be operated upon is, the
better. Some goods are turned in the lathe
|jand then polished, and sometimes, as is the
case with philosophical instruments, &c., bur-
nished also, which latter process renders them
sufficiently bright. Other goods, as, for exam-
ple, those having chased surfaces, which,
therefore, cannot be turned. ‘with a cutting
tool,, are held against .a ‘‘ scratch brush’—
formed of wire, which is fixed to the lathe like
a chuck, and made to revolve rapidly. This
removes all asperities, and renders’ the surface
fit to receive the lacquer. A. third and more
common process consists in, after the surface
is rendered’ by other means as clean as possi-
ble, putting the goods into “ pickle,’’ 2. e., imto
aqua fortis diluted with wafer, and there suf-
fered to remain for several hours. The acid
eats. away the surface of the articles toa cer-
tain distarice, leaving a perfectly bright appear-
ance. The goods are then put into bran, and
shaken about until dry, when they'are cleaned
and made ready for'use. | - yee? Fig
To Re-lacquer. old Brass-work.—First boil
a strong lye of wood-ashes, which you may
strengthen with: soap lees; put in your brass-
work, and the lacquer will immediately come
off, then have ready a pickle of aqua-fortis
and water, strong enough to take’ off the dirt,
dip in the article, and wash it immediately
after. in clean water, dry it well and lacquer
it.
- Laying on the Lacquer.—This is performed
in two ways, called respectively cold. and ‘hot
lacquering. By the first process, the. brush,
which should be a common camel ‘hair one,
similar to those used for laying: on varnish, is
dipped in the lacquer and rubbed carefully.

* Under the heading ‘‘ Varnishes,’ we lately. gave some
receipts for lacquers, but‘ as’ this article contains much’
valuable additional information. we have thought proper to
insert it entire.—Ep. Ce ee a tom Mai Re

_THE DECORATOR’S,. ASSISTANT.

|posed to the heat for’a:‘minute or two, by,
‘|which time the lacquer will become set and

aa " to ei |attending this process is, to ktitow exactly)
_ The art of lacquering, like all others of a:
similar character, requiring practical know-
complete success asia result, consists in,anum- |

in writing; but the ‘following remarks’ and |

‘ture is poured over the ‘dragon’s blood, gum

Lmoulded ornaments with which furniture is
‘often decorated. If the dragon’s blood: be of

colour ;in this case: the .proportion may be

‘lessened, and this remark applies equally to
‘the other colouring matters.

‘cases, but they keep the . process entirely

leasily communicated .to this mixture, but they] |

|ixelation. to. that of lacquer, which has been|}

and evenly over the work, which is then
placed in an oven or on a hot stove, and ex-||

the work be finished... By the second method,
the article is first heated to about the tempera-|
ture of a flat iron as‘used by laundresses, and
the lacquer quickly brushed. over it before it]
cools. The work may afterwards be subjected)
to heat. as above; but this is often dispensed)
with. However, if the article be very small)
it will require this, as most of the heat will)
have been lost ‘during’ the time required for
laying on the lacquer. , The greatest difficulty

the degree of' heat required, and this know-|!
ledge can. only. be obtamed by experience, as
the mixtures often vary greatly in their pro-

portions. pee hae ree a
nt 1. Lacquer for Brass. ia}

Amber or copal, ground on porphyry, 202, ;)
dragon’s blood, 40grs.; watery extract,of red
sandal wood, 30grs.; oriental saffron, 36grs. ;
pounded-glass, 40z.; very pure alcohol, 40o0z.|’
To apply this’ lacquer to articles of: brass: 'ex-
pose them to a gentle heat, and dip them into):
the lacquer.. Two or three coats maybe
applied in this manner if necessary. This)
lacquer is durable and has a beautiful colour.).
The articles may be cleaned with water and a
bitiofadnyaged vac ag xiii re 1 aS Bos
+ 2. Lacquer for Philosophical: Instruments». «

This.lacquer changes. or modifies the colour)!
of those bodies to which.it is applied. Gum}}
gutte, 202.; gum’ sandarach, 2oz.; gum
elemi, 20z.; .dragon?s. blood, of the: -best
quality, loz.; seed lac, loz.; terra merite,
%0z.; oriental saffron, 2grs.; pounded glass,
30z.; pure alcohol, 200z. The tincture of
saffion and of terra, merite is first. obtained by
infusing them in alcohol for twenty-four hours,
or exposing them to the heat of the sun in
summer. The ‘tincture must be strained
through a piece of clean linen: cloth, and
afterwards subjected to pressure. This tinc-

elemi, seed-lac, and gum .gutte,.all pounded
and mixed with the glass. The lacquer is then
applied according to the directions before
given. It may be applied with great advan
tage to philosopical’ imstruments, and its use
might be ‘extended to coat many of those

the finest quality it may give too high aj

Tt is with a
‘similar kind of Jaequer to the above that the
artists of Geneva give a golden-orange colour
‘to the small nails employed to ornament wateh|

secret. . A: beautiful bright colour might be}
.prefer the orange colour produced by certain||
ieompositions, the preparation of which ‘as no! |

‘successfully imitated with saline ,mixtures in|}
which orpiment isa principal ingredient. - The

‘nails.are heated ‘before: they)are: immersed:in}

THE -DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

+H
it

‘ithe lacquer, and they are th

sheets of dry papers =) >
3. Gold Coloured Lacquer for Brass-worl,

Watch-cases, ,Watch-heys, Sc,

| Seed-lac, 6oz.; amber, 20z..; gum guttz, 202.;
extract of red sandal wood, in water, 24grs.; dra-
igon’s blood, 60grs.; oriental.saftron, 36grs.;
pounded glass, 40z.; pure alcohol; 360z. Grind
|the amber, seed-lac, gum, guttz, and dragon’s
blood ona piece of porphyry, then mix them
with the pounded glass, and add the saffron,
after forming with it an infusion of the alco~
hol and an extract of the sandal wood. The
preparation must then be completed as before.
The metal articles which are destined to be
covered with this lacquer are heated, and,
where ‘they will admit of it, immersed in
packets. The tints of the lacquer may be
varied by altering the proportions of the

colouring substances.

en spread out’on |

4. Lacquer of atess drying quality.

Seed-lac, 40z.; sandarach or mastic, 40z. ;
dragon’s blood, 302. ; terra merite, 36grs.; gum
(guttz, 36grs.; pounded glass, 5oz.; clear turpen-
|time, 2oz. ; spirit of turpentine, 320z. Extract, by
jinfusion, the tinctures of the colouring sub-
stances, and then add the resinous ingredients
jaccording to the directions given for compound-
ing mastic varnish [see page 127, vol.i]. Lac-
quers of this kind are called ‘‘ changing,” be-
cause, when applied to metals, such as copper,
brass, or hammered tin, or to wooden boxes
and other furniture, they communicate to them
a more agreeable colour. Besides, by their
contact with the common metals, in conse-
quence of peculiar intrinsic qualities, or cer-
tain conventual laws, a much greater value
becomes attached to the articles. It is by
means of these “‘changing”’ varnishes that the
artists are enable to communicate to their
leaves of silver and copper those shining
colours. observed in foils. This product of
industry becomes a source of prosperity to the
manufacturers of buttons and work formed
with foil, which, besides, in the hands of the
eweller, contributes with so much success to
produce the rays of light. which double the
lustre and sparkling quality of precious
stones. Itis to lacquer of this kind that we,
are indebted for the manufacture of gilt lea-
ther, which has, however, lately become
superseded by papier maché. In theatres, it is
by the effect of a foreign tint, obtained from
the colouring part of saffron, that the scales of
silver disseminated im. confection d’hyacinthe
reflect a beautiful gold colour. The colour
transmitted by different colouring substances
require tone suited to-the object for which they
are destined. The artist has it in his own
power to vary them at pleasure by the addition
of annatto to the’ mixture of dragon’s blood,
saffron, &c., or some alteration in the propor-
tions of the colouring ingredients; it is, there-
fore, impossible to give limited formule.

5. Lacquer for various tints.
Mix separately 40z. of gum gutte in 32o0z.
of spirit of turpentine; and oz. of annatto
and 4oz. of dragon’s blood, also in separate

easily made in the sun. After fifteen” day’s

‘quers, but in tliis case the use of saffron, as

| both disseminate a love of the arts and multiply)

113]

doses of turpentine. These infusions may be
exposure pour a certain quantity of the liquors
into’a flask, and by varying the dosés different
shades of colour will be obtained. They may
be employed also for changing alcholic lac-

well as that of red sandal wood, which does
not succeed with. essence, will give the tone
necessary for imitating with other tinctures
the colour of gold.

apart

Mr. Fittays’ Starve or Sir James Suaw.
—This cclossal statue in. marble is worthy of;
notice on several accounts. First, asit is a work
of considerable merit and very great labour.
It is of colossal proportions, being eight feet in
height. Sir James is habited in the mantle of
his mayoralty, and the rest of the dress—though
indicating the costume of the period—is so
managed as to permit of that freedom of attitude
and contour so. necessary to the grace and
dignity of art. The pose of the figure is firm
and judicious, and there is a freedom and bold-
ness in the whole conception which give an air
of much dignity to the statue. The artist has
been so far fortunate that Sir James hada fine
figure, and while the likeness is. well preserved,
it is at the same time agreeable as a work of art.
The face is expressive, and the whole animated||
and peculiarly natural, being perfectly free from
any taint of mannerism or affectation. It is
pleasing to see such a.statue, not only on its own.
account, but as a mark of the appreciation of a
man most useful and respected in his .sphere.
The erecting such a monument in the birthplace
of an individual, who alike distinguished him-
self by his success in life and his benevolence,
is anadmirable application of art, and more
likely to kindle beneficial impressions than in
the midst of a crowded city, like the metropolis.
If every distinguished man was thus to be made} |
the means of adorning his native ploce, it would||

wholesome incentivesto exertion. Mr. Fillans’||
studio contains also some characteristic and)
interesting busts of modern northern worthies,| |.
amongst which we observed those of Mother-
well, Kennedy, Professor Wilson, and Cunning-|,
ham : and one or two groups that bespeak con-||
siderable powers of conception and execution.
—Douglas Jerrold’s Newspaper.

Green Bronze Liqeuips.—Take one quart
of strong vinegar, half an ounce of mineral)),
green, half an ounce of raw umber, half an
ounce of sal ammoniac, half an ounce of gum)},
arabic, two ounces of French berries, half an|}.
ounce of copperas, and about three ounces of} ||
ereen oats, if these can be procured, although
if they cannot, the preparation will sueceed||:
perfectly well without them. Dissolve the}
whole ina strong earthern vessel, adding the
berries and the oats, over a gentle fire; bring
the compound to boil, then allow it to cool,|’
and filter it through a flannel bag, when the}
bronze will be fit for use. ths COE TAA

f14 —, THE DECORATOR’S \ ASSISTANT.

tint produced; and the drawing has the great f
‘advantage of not being reversed in the print. |

An Elustratey Grlossarp of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
Interior Mecovation, Ke.

Exevatron (in . architecture), the height of
a building above the ground. The word eleya-

—=

{Continued from page 104.]

Exectro Parntine, a new process recently|
invented by Dr. F. Branson of Sheffield. Its
object is to engrave in copper the very touches
of an artist’s brush, so as to produce a fac-
simile of the drawing. The modus operandi is
as follows:—Obtain a perfectly smooth, un-
burnished metal plate (German silver answers
capitally for the purpose) the exact size of
the intended drawing, and on this, by means of
an ordinary painting brush, draw whatever
is to be represented with a pigment composed
of two parts of tallow and one of wax, mixed
together in a melted state, blackened with the
finest lampblack, and previous to using, rub
hed down with turpentine, by the aid of a
palette knife, to the consistency of oil paint.
The paint will flow readily from the brush, and
from raised touches on the smooth plate—the
touches intended to print the darkest being
raised the highest. ‘‘ Various methods of
working,”’ says the inventor, ‘‘ will suggest
themselves to artists. A leather pad is very
useful in producing broad flat tints, and good
effects may also be obtained by using a leather
stump. Even the palette knife may occa-
sionally lend its aid. The artist can judge
of the effect of the print from the colour of
the drawing; the tints of the one corres-.
\ponding very closely with the tints of the
other. The highest lights are obtained either
by leaving the German silver plate bare or by
wiping out portions of the paint. When the’
drawing is finished, the finest French bronze
powder (the same as that used for printing
gold letters) must be freely dusted over its
surface with a large soft camel’s hair brush,
care being afterwards taken to brush away all
the bronze which does not adhere to the
jdrawing. A drawing with a metallic surface
is thus obtained; on which an electrotype
copper plate, a perfect cast of the original
drawing and of sufficient thickness to bear the
pressure of printing, may be readily de-
posited.”” The inventor proposes that the
term “‘Electro-painting” be given to this
process. The electrotype plate when taken
off the drawing must be carefully washed with
turpentine to remove any bronze or paint
which may adhere to it, the edges must be
cut square, and the back cf the plate filed
smooth:—and it is then ready for the printer.
The prints thus produced have all the richness
and depth of etching, and at the same time
distinctly show the. touch of the} artist’s
brush.’’ This process is extremely simple, the
cost of the materials trifling, and the only skill
jrequired is that necessary for painting in oil
jor water colour. The artist has the power
of making alterations in his design if neces-
sary ; the finest touches may be given, ‘the
|\finest lines can be executed and any depth of|

Ao. |

LAN —— TS

tion technically means the. geometrical repre-||
sentation of an edifice measured vertically to
the horizon, without regard to projections.
EntasLature (in architecture), the hori-
zontal part of an order that is supported by the
column, and consists of the cornice, frieze, and

architrave, which differ in all the orders. (See |
order, capital, column, cornice, architrave,||
frieze.) ae

Erruscan Art. The Etruscan style of art is
that which prevailed in that school from its
foundation down to a certain epoch, which the

|
Latins distinguished by the word Tuscanicus.
This style, according to Strabo, resembled the

Quintilian calls it dry, and Cicero hard.

|statue of a man on horseback. Pliny, in the
‘beginning of the thirty-fourth book of his

to those in their alti rilievi of the metopes of

the Parthenon, they must have surpassed all
succeeding ages. The Greek$ erected eques-
trian statues, says Pliny, in honour of those
who obtained the prizes at their public games,
in the horse races, or with chariots. The
Romans adopted equestrian statues in their
commemorative statues very early. '

[To be continued.]

Master Carpenters’ Sociery.—The anni-
versary dinner of the Master Carpenters’
Society was held on the 28th ult. at Blackwall;
Mr. H. Biers, president, in the chair. Mr.
Stephens, in proposing the health of the
chairman, took occasion to animadvert upon
the present defective state of the Metropolitan
Buildings’ Bill, which he declared to be most
unsatisfactory and discreditable. He said they
allknew that a Commitee was selected by
Lord Morpeth in October last, but up to this
period (the end of June) they were, as
regarded the Metropolitan Buildings Bill,
precisely in the same state that they were in

this time last year,

To Bronze witn O11 Corour.—First give
the work a coat of white or red lead, ground in
oil, and when this is’ perfectly dry, apply
another coat consisting: of the colours before
named ground in oil and mixed with a small
quantity of japan varnish; this is to be suf-
fered to dry until it becomes tackey, when a

bronze powder is to be applied to it,

‘THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Egyptian, or rather the early Greek. style. |

Equestrian Statve (in sculpture), the]

'|Natural History, attributes the invention of
Jequestrian statues to the Greeks, and if their
success in single and isolated figures was equal:

quest,

‘| readersas will favour us with local information

jupon fine grained moist sand, in a perfectly

115.

To Correspondents, &e.

Cases for Vols. I. and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-;
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

*.* Any of our readers having complete
Avruasets of an ornamental description suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

“J. Athins.’—You may make razor pastes
in different ways: the snuff of « candle mixed
with grease; diamond dust mixed with chalk or
red ochre; emery mixed with'spermaceti oint-
ment; and jewellers’ rouge, suet, and black-lead,
are varieties.

“ Leonard.’’—We will not forget your re-

“ W. Tyler.’—You will much oblige us by
informing us of the exact ‘date of the al-
phabet.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to *‘the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial

connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, Sc.

To rake Praster Casts or Fourace.—Mr.
Deeble recomends the following process :—Lay
the leaf as soon as convenient after gathering,

natural position—having that surface upper-
most which is to form the cast, banking it up
with sand in order that it may be perfectly
supported. Then by means of a broad camel
hair brush covered over with a thin coating of
wax and Burgundy pitch rendered fluid by
heat, carefully brush it over. The leaf must
now be removed from the sand and dipped in
cold water, when the wax becomes hard and
sufficiently tough to allow of the leaf being
ripped off without altering its form. ‘This
being done the wax mouldis to be placed on
moist sand and banked up as the leaf itself
was. It must then be covered with plaster of
Paris, made thin, care being taken that the
plaster is accurately forced into all the inter-
stices by means of acamel hair brush. As
soon as the plaster is set, the warmth thus
produced will soften the wax, which, in conse-
quence of the moisture is prevented from
adhering thereto; and with a little dexterity
it may be rolled up and parted completely
from the cast without sustaining the least
injury. Casts thus obtained are very perfect,
havea high relief, and are excellent models
either for the draughtsman or the moulder of

| architectural ornaments.

|a great deal about Sanitary Reform—have
‘pointed with admiration to splendid terraces
jand squares, the houses in which would put |

116

Rebdielo.

———

Sanitary Ramblings: being Sketches and Illus-
-trations of Bethnal Green—a Type.of the
Condition of the Metropolis and other large

, .\Touns, By Hector Gavin, M. D., &c.,
ea John Churchill, Princes-street,
oho.

For twenty years or. more people have talked

many royal palaces to shame, that is, were
bricks and mortar capable of blushing—and
have asked triumphantly if those were not
signs of improvement. ‘‘ Certainly not,” has
invariably been our reply; ‘‘ these fine man-
sions which you point out to us bear as much
relation to the advancement of the poor man
in the scale of civilised existence as the estab-
lishment of a new bank would bear to his
future prosperity. The fact is that these
splendid buildings are not for the poor but the
rich—‘ the pigs,’ reason the purse-proud ones,
“can very well continue to wallow in the filth
to which they have. always been accus-
itomed.’”’

Of late we have seen many public meetings
convened for the avowed purpose of endea-
vouring to improve the homes of the working
classes, and of building them excellent habita-
‘tions in lieu of their former wretched hovels ;
‘and sometimes a large sum of money is ex-
pended in comparatively magnificent erections,
which are to be let out to poor persons at
exactly double and, in some cases, treble the
amount which they could possibly afford to pay.
Many benevolent-hearted but mistaken indi-
‘viduals would, no doubt, be surprised to learn
‘that there are thousands in the metropolis
jalone, who had they not the opportunity of
‘hiring apartments—wretched and loathsome
though they be—at a rental of from nine-
pence to one shilling per week would be com-
pelled to become inmates of the parish work-,
house! Long personal experience has enabled
us to put forth with a sorrowful confidence this
fact, and we cannot help lamenting that 4
movement founded upon ‘a good principle
should be led in a wrong direction by want of
actual knowledge and sober forethought.*

The work now before us, which has elicited
the foregoing remarks is an heart-rending
portraiture of the physical debasement of the
greater part of the labouring population of Lon-
don, located in a quarter which has long been
noted as the abode of misery, destitution, and
crime—whence hundreds are annually drafted
\to the pauper’s grave, theworkhouse, the prison, .
and the hulks,

_Of one particular portion of this locality,
denominated, it must be confessed very aptly,
“the Botany Bay of Bethnal Green,” Dr.
Gavin remarks that, ‘‘'The houses are situated

*In Westminster and St. Giles’s it is no unusual thing for |
four individuals to club three-pence each together per week

a }

ee to pay the rent’ of an apartment in which they al/
reside, : } ,

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

eighteen inches below the level'of the roadway, |
and are, therefore, very damp. ui

. © The drainage'is most ‘imperfect, -and un-|

worthy of the name. Thee are dust-heaps and

garbage collections near most of the houses,|

and reeking dung-heaps close by the’windows.
One stand-tap. supplies every three or four
houses. This row is the most abominable

state of dirt and filth that can well be ima-|

gined. ‘The path is most ‘unequal, full: of
puddles of mud and filth, and nearly impass-
able. The centre gutter or surface drain is

‘full and most filthy. The miserable yards in|
front of these houses are abominably filthy ;)

the privies are full” and offensive. The yards

‘themselves are. covered with open surface||
drains and shallow pools, full of offensive and||

foetid slimy mud. All kinds of slops and

garbage are strewn on the surface. The houses}

are very wretched.”

The houses are very wretched, truly;
Imagine within this place a rising generation,
youth of both sexes, who know not even the
virtue of cleanliness, let alone that of morality,
and ask then whether our magnificent edi-

fices which strike the foreigner with wonder)

and admiration have not contributed to the
physical advancement of the masses !

Another little picture, however, and we have
done—

‘* Hepworth-plaée, Fountain-alley, 43.—This
court isin a most disgraceful and disgusting
condition. It is below the level of the alley
which leads to it; theré is no drainage what-
ever. The fcetid fluid which ever covers its
surface (receiving the soakage of the dust-heaps,
in the centre, and disolving the vegetable and
animal refuse lying about), whenever the rain
falls, pours itself into the houses on the
northern side and inundates them.”

In conclusion we. earnestly recommend Dr.|
Gavin’s work to all who would be better]

acquainted withthe actual condition of the
metropolis. It is true that the descriptions
are almost revolting, but were’ they not so
they would not be truthful:—the vapour
which rose above the dark waters of the Styx
could hardly have been more deleterious, phy-='
sically and morally, than the polluted atmos-|
phere of Bethnal Green.

Ow or Bricx.—This peculiar oil, employed
by lapidaries as a vehicle to hold the diamond
dust which they use for polishing precious
stones, is prepared by immersing a portion of;
red hot porous brick in olive oil. The vessel

in which both are contained is immediately|)

covered over with a still or alembic head, and.
fire being placed beneath, the oil is distilled.
When thus treated, it possesses very peculiar
and valuable properties. It is extremely

limpid, almost. like water, is colourless, and}|
does not dry up readily, nor clog when drying} }’
—nor is it fat and greasy like the fixed oils. |

Sorper ror Goip.—Pure’ gold, 12 dwts. 5,

silver, “2dwts.; .copper, 4dwts.; fuse toge-|
ther. HH! feo Wurier Oteo ie

-|hart. of building ornamentally,

.
ly honey
iS RAE

eed

é ie Ropal.. Lnstitution

Ne “nizo ;
pbseei
© e i

eG Ay S233) IW ; ‘ :
Junz 9.—Admiral Sir E. Codrington, V.P., in
the chair.—Mr. J. Fergusson “On : Progress
in Architecture.”—Mr. Fergusson commenced
by defining’ the fine art architecture as the
or of ela-
'|borating beauty: out of the corresponding use-
|ful art of building—which all the countries of

(Europe anterior to the Reformation in the 16th
|/eentury, and’ in all other countries down to,

|the’ present hour, was accomplished by a

‘}igradual, steady perseverance towards a well-

|defined aim :—though in modern Europe the
art had degenerated, instead of this, into)

||mere correct copying-of the details, of Greek!
or Gothic or some other style of extinct
\lexotie or art; and as a consequence of this that

all other nations, however inferior they might
be in all other matters, had been able to élabo-
rate for themselves an. appropriate and beauti-
ful style of architecture: perfectly suited to their

|) wamts' and purposes; while in modern Europe
|\alone men gave up all hope of inventing any-

thing new. He proceeded to illustrate what
he conceived to be the process by which
architecture had been invented and perfected
by other nations, by-showing that it was the
identical process by which we invented or
perfected any of the sciences or arts which have
been successfully cultivated in this country ;—
dwelling more particularly on ship-building as

| the most distinct, series and parallel instance.

He proceeded. to show how,’ by following the
/Same process during one thousand years men
had elaborated the perfect medizval cathedral
|—such as Cologne—out of the Roman basilica ;
and from a series of plans of English abbey-
churches showed by what gradual bit-by-bit
improvement. this had been effected. He
referred to a diagram to show low a concealed
arch of construction in a Roman portico had
grown, by alike process, into the universally
arched architrave of Christian architecture;
and then taking a series of windows, from the
plain round-headed window of the Norman
period, showed how that was gradually elabo=
rated into such a splendid work of art as the
celebrated nine-light window at the east end
of Carlisle Cathedral. Lastly, taking a series
of views from Indian architecture arranged
chronologically. he showed how out of avery
rude original a perfect style of art had been
produced by a people infinitely inferior to
ourselves in every respect. Mr. Fergusson
then taking an ordinary design for a Pro-
testant church attempted to show how he
conceived a perfect model of the kind might
be produced by gradually altering and im-
po arangs the original through a series of suc-
cessive erections, rejecting whatever was found
in an earlier one to be either useless or hurtful,
and in approving of anything that was either
appropriate or beautiful,—always bearing in
mind that the object in building the church
was to erect the best possible edifice for the
performance of the Protestant form of worship
which should accommodate the greatest num-

THE! | DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘|'the/same fime be'the most beautiful’and most
|| expressive of the sacred purposes for which it
_|was erected. To show that the faculty of

‘he contended that'if we cultivated architecture
manner in which we had cultivated the art of

‘the medisval- cathedral as we had
‘passed their contemporary the old London

‘explanation.

following traditionary story.

ber of people at the least possible expense and at

invention isnot dead in us, Mr. Fergusson
adduced the instance of the sister art.of civil
engineering ; and: from the examples of the
London bridges showed that within the last
hundred years we had progressed from the
very clumsy structure of Westminster Bridge
to the perfect one of new London Bridge :—and

with the same earnestness and in the same

bridge building, we might as easily surpass;
sur-

Bridge. |

Tas Watcu‘Diat in THE: QUADRANGLE IN
Somerset Hovss.—To many of our metro-
politan readers the following extract, from Mr.
Weld’s ‘‘ History of the Royal Society,”
recently published, may be interesting, par-
ticularly as it tends to settle, authoritatively,
what has long been a moot subject :—“ During
the first months of my residence in Somerset
House, I was considerably surprised by in-
variably seeing the visiters cross the quadran-
gle in a straight line, and planting themselves
within a convenient distance of the opposite
wall, gaze eagerly upwards, pointing always
toone spot which presents no architectural,
decoration, and, in fact, only forms part of the
plain wall. Utterly unable to solve this
riddle, I applied to an older resident for an
He smiled at my query, and)
asked had I never heard of the watch. .On
my answering in the negative, he told me the!
When the wall,
to which I have alluded, was being built, a
workman had the misfortune to fall from the
scaffolding, and was arrested in his descent by
his watch-chain catching some portion of it.
Thus wonderfully preserved, his gratitude led
him (he must have been a Milesian) to insert’
his wateh in the face of the wall as a memento
of his escape. So runs the story; how
traditionary in its origin, may be judged by
the fact, that the watch-face was placed in its
present. situation, some years ago, by the
Royal Society, as a meridian mark for a
portable transit instrument in one of. the)
windows of the ante-room.” Mr, Weld adds,
in a note, that Captain Smyth informed him
that he assisted in mounting this instrument,
and perfectly recollected seeing the watch-face
placed against the opposite wall.

To Maxe Crayons ror Drawrne on Grass.
—Melt together equal quantities of asphaltum
and yellow wax; add lamp-black, and pour
the mixture into moulds for crayons. The
glass should be well wiped with leathér, and in
drawing be careful not to soil the glass with
the fingers. In trimming these crayons, if the),
edge be bevelled, like scissors, the point may
easily be rendered very fine. ~ Ses

{118

Chlovine Gas as a Misinkectant or
| eovoniser.

Mr. F. L. Smith, of No. 2, Princes-street,
Westminster, has. lately submitted to us. for
inspection a very. ingenious. apparatus for
.|jereating and liberating chlorine gas in suffi-
cient abundance to: entirely disinfect apart-
ments pervaded by an unwholesome atmos-
phere arising from various causes. It is, at
once, simple, effective, and economical, and,
besides,. portable enough to allow of its
jemployment in all cases. Fig. 1 is a repre-
sentation of the exterior of the apparatus,
and fig. 2 a vertical section of the same. The
apparatus is divided into ‘hree portions, two

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

||of which serve as receptacles for the chemical
ingredients to be hereafter described. It is
formed of unglazed stoneware and is moulded
in a very pretty pattern. In the first portion
(a) is placed three ounces of black oxide of
manganese mixed with eight ounces of common
salt, dried; the centre part (z) is made with an
interior shallow ring, to hold five ounces by
weight of sulphuric acid, mixed with four fluid
ounces of water. The acid isslowly combined
with the manganese and salt by means of a
few threads of common cotton wick that
should be moistened in water, and then im-
mersed in the acid so as to hang over the side
of the interior ring or trough, the lower ends
of the threads reaching beyond the bottom of
the ring, by this arrangement they act as
syphons by their capillary attraction, and a
supply of chlorine gas is kept continuously and
effectually generated.

Of the great value of chlorine gas as a dis-
infectant we can have no doubt.

Dr. A. T. Thompson, in his ‘‘ London Dis-
pensatory,”’ page 740, says ;—‘‘ But the most
important use of chlorine is in its gaseous form,
as afumigation for neutralising putrid mias-
mata, and correcting the infectious atmos-
phere of hospital wards, and rooms in which
have been cases of contagious fevers;” and
several other eminent chemists have borne
equal testimony to its wondrous efficacy.

It may be interesting to many of ourreaders,
especially such as take an interest in chemistry,
to briefly describe the chemical decomposition

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

that occurs in the before-mentioned pro-
cess :-— , ' pity : lt

One equivalent: of sulphuric acid expels a
portion of the oxygen of the protoxide of},
manganese, and uniting with the protoxide,
forms a proto-sulphate of manganese. The}
disengaged oxygen of the manganese unites
with the sodium, forming soda, which, com-
bining with the sulphuric acid, forms sulphate
of soda, and the chlorine of the decomposed
chloride of sodium is evolved.

The sulphuricacid and black oxide of manga-
nese may be had at a cost of threepence per
pound each, and the gas may be generated atan
expense of one penny for twenty-four hours.

How to Make Works 1n TorTorsEsHELU.
—The treatment of tortoiseshell is essentially
the same as that of horn, but on account of its
very much greater expense, it is economised
as far as possible. Before the shells are
worked they are often dipped in boiling water to
temper them ; three or four minutes commonly
suffices, but they require a longer period when
they are either thicker or more brittle than
usual : excess of boiling spoils the colours of
the shells, renders them darker, and covers the
outside with an opaque white film. Others
flatten and temper the shells with hot irons,
such as are used by laundresses; the shell is
continually dipped in cold water to prevent its
being scorched; but as a general rule, the less
tortoiseshell is subjected to heat, or to being),
pulled about, the better, as from its apparent
““want of grain,” or. fibre, it becomes in con-
sequence very brittle. Many of the works in
tortoiseshell are made, partly by cutting them
out of the shell, and partly by joining or ad-
hesion, called by the French souder. Thus in
the ‘Manuel du Tourneur,” the artist is
directed to form the ring of tortoiseshell for|
the rebate of a box, by cutting out a long
narrow slip of the shell; the ends are then to
be filed, with a clean rough file, to thin feather
edges to the extent of three-quarters of an
inch of their length, the one on the upper and)
the other on the lower surface, to constitute
the lap or joint; the slip is dipped into boiling
water, and when softened it is bent into an
oval form with the intended joints on the flat
side; the ends are held in firm and accurate
contact with the finger and thumb, and the
piece is dipped into cold water to make it

SS eee Ses

retain the form. A pair of tongs is required,
such as those in fig. 1., with flat ends measuring
about one inch wide and three or four long,
and that spring open when left to themselves,
but fit perfectly close and even when com-
pressed: these are made warm.—Holtzapfel.

Vp : ‘

camera are fixed an
{|tion of:chloride of gold, According to Dr. Ure

|. Coloured Daguerreotype portraits, views

|Claudet effects, the same end by mixing the

The BWaguerreotyye.

pt pty
ee

oa _ [Continued from page 73.] /
tints of the prciurs produced in the

enlivened by the applica-

* A small grate being fixed by a clamp to the

edge of a table, the plate is laid upon it with
|the image uppermost, and overspread evenly
with solution of chloride of gold, by means of

a fine broad camel. hair brush, without letting
any drop over the edge. A spirit lamp is now
brought under the plate, and moved to and
fro till a number of small steam bubbles
appear upon the image. The spirit lamp must
be immediately withdrawn. The remainder of
the chloride solution must be poured back into
the phial, to be used on another occasion. It
is lastly tobe washed and examined. This
operation has been repeated three or four times
with the happiest effect, of giving fixity and
force to the picture. It may then be wiped
with cotton without injury. .

&c.,. possessing a beautiful and natural
appearance are produced in various ways, but
the utmost care and attention are required in
order to insure success. The simplest. process
consists inemploying ‘‘dry colours ground to
a fine powder and mixed with a fine camel
hair pencil, taking up very little colour at a
time, and will adhere to,the plate by breathing
over,it; the picture must be well set. The
best. colours for this purpose. are carmine, rouge,
chrome yellow, and,ultramarine, by combining
which any tint may be obtained.’’—Willat’s
Practical Hints on the Daguerreotype. Myr.

colour with spirit of wine, and applying it
thinly to. the plate.. Mr. Page, of Yale Col-
lege, has, however, thrown out some very ex-
cellent suggestions with regard to this subject,
which we give entire :—

“© As copper assumes various colours, accord-
ing to the depth of oxidation upon its surface,
it follows, that ifa thicker coating than the first
mentioned can be put upon the plate, without
impairing the impression, various colours may
be obtained during the fixation. It is impos-
sible for me to give any definite rules concern-
ine this last process; but I will state, in a

igeneral way, that my best results were obtained

by giving the plate such a coating of copper as

||to change the tone of the picture, thatis, give

‘it a coppery colour, and then heating it over a
spirit lamp until it assumes the colour desired.
I have now an exposed picture treated in
this way at the same time with the two
above mentioned, and it remains unchanged.
It is of a beautiful green colour, and. the im-
pression has not suffered in the least by the
oxidation, Should this. process be perfected,
so asto render it generally available, it will

be greatly superior to the present inartistical
mode of stippling dry colours upon the im-
pression; for the colour here is due to the
‘surface of the picture itself... For pure land-

THE,» DECORATOR’S. ASSISTANT.

| scapes, it has a pleasing effect, and by adopting,
| some of the recent inventions-for stopping out,
| the deposit of copper, the green colour may
| be had wherever desired.
‘a curious variety of colours is obtained, owing |
to the varying thickness of the deposit of |

‘119

In some pictures,

eopper, which is governed by the thickness of
the deposit of mercury forming the picture.
In one instance, a clear and beautiful ruby
colour was produced, limited in a well defined)
manner, to the drapery, while all fother parts
were green. :

[To be continued.]

Socrat Importance or THE WorkING
Cuass.—The three elements of the resources of
the great commonwealth are labour, intelli-
gence, and capital—the last is. gathered and’
administered by the wealthy; the second.
is contributed by the gifted and studious: but
that first great contribution of endless toil is|
supplied by the working classes. There are
they in your fields and your mines, your
factories and your ships, your warehouses and.
your workshops, giving an amount of manual
and physical effort which no nature, no
patience, but that of men bred to labour,
could sustain. Hardly less consumers than}|
producers, they form that great elastic
power inthe community which endures pri-)
vation and adjusts demand and _ supply.
Amidst scarcity and high pvices, their un-)
avoidable privations diminish consumption ;
and amidst plenty and cheapness, their in-||
creased enjoyments restore the remuneration)
of capital andthe profits of trade. In)
national policy their judgment, once enlighten-)|
ed would have immense force and equal value||
—their voice, raised in favour of religion, peace,
rational liberty, and just government, would
be irresistible. These multitudes, once en-
lightened and virtuous, would render the social
fabric immovably secure and peaceful.— Wells’s|
Crosby Hall Lecture. ;

A New Mrvnerst Usnerun in tun. Arts.—
We learn that Mr. Blake, of Akron, Ohio
(U.S), has discovered a mineral, in the neigh-
bourhood. of the latter place, which promises
to be of great value.. He has visited Washing-
ton, and obtained a patent for it. ‘‘ When
first-dug up, it is of the consistence of tallow,|
and gradually hardens in a few days, so as to
resemble slate, and finally it becomes as hard
as rock. It is of the colour of indigo. It.is im-
pervious both to water and fire, and admits of
the finest polish. When reduced to powder,
and mixed up with linseed-oil, it has the ap-
pearance of black paint, and may be spread
over wood, canvas, &c. Roofs have been
guarded by it against fire; and as it does not
absorb the rain, it protects the rafters from
decay. It consists of about one-half of silica,
one-fourth of alumina, with less proportions of
mafinesia, black oxide of iron, sulphate of
iron, lime, and carbon.” —Sheffield: Iris.

120

The Chronotypist.

Tuer Railway Chronicle says it Mr. Brunel is

the ruins, on the re-construction in timber of
the late bridge of the Usk, which was destroyed
by fire. Appliances will; however, be adopted
to obviate the inflammability of the material.”’
——Australasia, with a population of 280,000
souls, is stated to: be‘consuming more British
manufactures than America did in 1774 with a
population of 2,000,000.—Building societies
are on the increase, the number registered up
to the 24th of June was 1,455.——It has been

bricks employed for the purpose of erecting
bridges passing over newly made: drains,

‘parapet walls, and other small erections for the

public safety are to be exempt from duty.—
A telegraph has been erected.at the Portobello
station, Edinburgh, for the purpose of announe-
ing the. arrival of trains. .It consists of a tall
pillar. up which a ball ascends slowly, and

begins to fall ten minutes before the trains

from Edinburgh are due so that it may reach
the base by their arrival.——The entire length

of the telegraphic line between Newhaven and
Toronto, in Upper Canada, is 900: miles.
Complaints are begining to be made respecting
the gradual encroachment on, the xights of
footway in nearly all parts of the kingdom.
——The Bank of England is about to undergo
considerable. improvement, ornamental and
defensive, The bill. which ‘was about to be
introduced ffor rating Mechanics’ Institutions
has been abandoned and withdrawn.—The
members’ of the Builders-Benovolent Institu-
tion will partake of;their anniversary dinner
on the. 19th instant.—~A. surveyor lately
brought an action against‘ one of the provi-
sional directors of a railway for the sum of
£3,821, odd, being .at. the rate of ten guineas
per. diem, for surveying . expenses, .and reco-
vered £500. Mr. Jeffrey, the inventor of
the ‘‘ marine glue,’ has been very badly re-
quited by Government for his services—they
having only offered him a low price for every
ton. of the material used.——It is stated that
several ‘very: important “improvements are
about to be effected in the neighbourhood of
Holborn-hill.— Railway . calls are much on
the decrease this year. Mr.’ Ternouth
has completed another of the alto relievos
intended to decorate the base of the Nelson
Monument, the subject being the battle of
Copenhagen.—An agreement has been en-
tered into with the Board of Ordnance for an
entire survey of the country, and if the wea-
ther continues. clear, the. survey will be com-
pleted in ‘about ‘six. months at a cost of
£19,945 for the block plan—the cost being only
one-tenth more than that of the civil engineers’

\/tender, while the work done will be more than

double. The cost of the survey willbe entirely

||defrayed out of the rates. —— The ‘ateliers

'|nationauz, or national workshops, in France,
|{have been dissolyed. ’

. THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

reported to have determined, after a survey of| ‘Patent Pearl Glass,” executed in, combina-)

: December last, giving an account of a visit to

decided’in the Court of .Queen’s “Bench that,

been invited to inspect them.—Midland Coun-

Peart Guass.—Within the last few days wel
have inspected, at the papier mdché works of||

our townsman, Mr. Lane, in Great Hampton-
street, Birmingham, several very striking and|
elaborate specimens of what he denominates)

tion with his patent. method of gem painting
on glass, which are intended to - be forwarded
to Buckingham Palace for the inspection of her
Majesty and ;her.royal consort. In an article
which appeared in'the ‘Herald of the 12th of

the establishment of Mr. Lane, we endea-
voured to describe. some of the results which
had then. been obtained by both those pro-
cesses, but. they have. since been carried to a
much higher degree of perfection—particularly
that of gem painting. In the one first named
«a number of novel and brilliant effects are pro-
duced by the. execution of landscapes and
architectural subjects. in inlaid pearl of various
hues and colours attached to plate glass. To
understand .these effects it is necessary that
they should be seen. Some of them, indeed,
are more brilliant and -successful—especially
in representing sunlight, or moonlight—than
could -be obtained by any — other ‘means.
In many ‘instances,’ however, there -’ is
want of attention to local’ colour, and
the general effect is too ‘glaring to please
an educated and ‘artistic eye. The pervading
tone of the majority of subjects requires to be
subdued and’ chastened, and when this is at-
tained, and the very great resources of “the
material employed under skilful* adaptation
shall have been more fully developed, the}
result wil! be to attract and gratify the most
fastidious eye.. As we have already intimated,
Mr. Lane is successfully labouring to improve
the process.. The ‘‘gem paifting,’’ as it is
termed, is effected by the ‘ combination of
various and different coloured | substances;|
under plate’ glass, and generally on‘ a black
velvet ground. In ‘this' manner representa-
tions of gems, flowers; fruit, and other ob-
jects are produced, the: brilliance of colour;
novelty of arrangement, and richness of eftect
being very surprising.;'so.much so, as to make
any adequate description of it appear over-
charged... The-articles which we were, invited
to inspect were produced by a combination of
both ,the methods spoken -of, and are highly
beautiful . as .well as . costly .in. appearance.
They consist of two panels for a cabinet or
cheffionere, and the tops for two boudoir tables.
They are most creditable to Mr. Lane’s taste,
skill, and perseverance in the improvement of.
his patent processes, and. have elicited the ap-

a a ef

probation of , the’ numerous parties who have

ties’ Herald.

To Erasr Crayon Marxs.—This is much
more difficult than ‘to erase those 6f the black-
lead. pencil—Indian-rubber. smearing ‘ instead
of cleaning. A piece of the crumb of bread
is the best material to erase crayon marks;
water will occasionally clean a paper thus
marked, though rarely with certainty.

I i) ip ,

IAA

‘

—— 2S aX = —
= | S—=aaa=ez =|
— 7 ——— = —<<<=— xz

ITALIAN ORNAMENT.
Fies. 1 & 2, rrom tue Patace Det Tz. Fic. 3, rrom tHE Ducan Pazace, Mantua.

» 63.—Vol. III, ~

ade

if eat “ V3

om read ral

ll ltl ae eal SY
eee EEE ee
THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

Saturpay, |

Government School of Design.

fffion KT

| ONSIDERABLE
|\been effected by the committee of management
of this school in filling up a vacuity by the
appointment of Mr. R. N. Wornum, author of
“The Epochs of Art,” to the office of Lec-
turer on the History of Art in Relation to
Ornament. His position, itis stated, will be
‘independent of the masters:—“ An arrange-
‘ment,’ says the Atheneum, ‘‘that need not be
| disadvantageous to codperation and unity of
| purpose.” His course is to consist of ten
| lectures, one to be delivered every month—
‘commencing on the redpening of the school in
October.

Some minor circumstances are also worthy of
note. We learn that the class of form super-
‘intended by Mr. Townsend has been rendered
‘complete by restoring to it the section of
‘Figure Drawing from the Antique, which, as
‘a temporary arrangement, had hitherto been
included in the Class of Colour.

Prizes are announced for the best specimens
of the productions of the students—the exhi-
bition of subjects and distribution of the
prizes to take place at the close of the school
before Christmas.

improvement has lately

aay

[Jury 1848.

deficiency of space for the business of the
school is under the consideration of Govern-
ment—with the view of remedying this serious
disadvantage.

The Exhibition at the Honvon
HHlechanics’ Institution.

—-

Ir surely does not require a messenger
from the grave to inform us of the ex-
tension of feeling in favour of the progress
of the Fine Arts in this country when we
find our very mechanics—men more. used
to. the work-bench. and the anvil than the
studio or the easel—pursuing as a branch of
education the art of Drawing and Design. |
When we see such tokens as these of national
sympathy and attention, the natural enthu-|
siasm with which we regard the cultivation
of the pure and beautiful soars even above the
common-place observation of every-day life,
and expands with a warm glow of admiration ||
into a. feeling somewhat akin to rapiure,
albeit, we are not ordinarily given to forget
the character which we are expected by our
readers to maintain, namely, that of fair and
impartial critics.

About this time last year, as near as we can
remember, we received a polite note from Mr.
Joseru Asu, the promoter of the drawing
classes at the London Mechanics’ Insti-
tution, Southampton-buildings, requesting
our attendance to inspect the various speci-
mens of ornamental drawing executed by the
members. Unavoidable circumstances, how-
ever, did not permit us then to avail ourselves
of the opportunity.

This year, the exhibition is on a larger
scale, and comprehends many new features
chiefly introduced by the assiduity of the
above-named gentleman, such as the produc-
tions of the classes for drawing and modelling
from life.

_ The general appearance of the whole exhi-
bition is of a high order of merit, and indi-
vidual instances of talent and genius are by no
means wanting to impress upon the mind of
the observer the fact that all our great painters)|
and designers are not Royal Academicians—

however much the latter may plume themselves

It is reported than the long complained of| with the gilded feathers of royal patronage.

a a gn Uo em ITU NTN gE

lee iy THE, DECORATOR’S» ASSISTANT.

Such. an Institution (or rather part of an
institution) as the one now under notice isnot
merely valuable to the parties immediately
concerned, but to society at large, and if that
society do but foster it now im its infancy, its
rapid growth. we may safely predict will ulti-
mately advance both the fame and resources:
of the British Empire in extending abroad.
along with the products of native industry
those of a native genius. .

Co Correspondents, Ke, soul

WRITE LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH
THY WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MAY BE REA-
DILY DECYPHERED' BY THE RECIPIENT OF THY
COMMUNICATION, ...—

— nee

“SF. S.°"—We hardly know ‘howto advise you.
You say you have a little influence, but we think
that. unless you can count upon a certainty of em-
ployment resulting from it, you had better remain
at home for awhile, until things take a change for
the better, which circumstance we will be among:
the first to announce.

** Merthyr.’ — Gwilt’s Encyclopedia of Archi-
tecture. i

Gohyright of Designs.
‘BORROWING A SUGGESTION.”
In acase lately tried in the Court of Exche-
_|iquer*,it was decided that ornamental’ goods
being registered under the act gave to the
proprietor not. only the copyright of the aetual
design, but also that, of the style-in which it
was executed! If this eccentric precedent. is
to be carried out, people must be: on: their
guard against even receiving a suggestion from
a registered pattern. Of course, we haveno
right to suspect that the twelve individuals

who formed the jury on this occasion, and who Institutions, the fine arts, science, §¢.

‘| |delivered so sapient.a verdict, knew anything ri ter tel ae ip ee ie eady,
| \at all about the matter, or were in the remotest | ¢g/ie to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
degree acquainted with any rules which might | marbled, Gd. extra.
have assisted them in judging where originality

** Any of our. readers having complete
ended and imitation commenced; but, certainly,

Aupuazets of an ornamental. description suit-
: . >? | able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
that seems to us a palpably unjust decision ”
which would prevent a man’s receiving: a}

by lending, or'sending copies of them.
“suggestion” from a previous work of art.

Part 15 is now ready, price 7 d.
We suppose that were Micnann Ancznxo, and | - ae - THEATRES moe THE OLDEN
i : -Trme.—-The following memorandum occurs in
oi Vanienouen Wren ‘contemporaries, and Pepy’s Diary, bearing reference to old Drury
living in these days, we should have: the| Lane Theatre, builded on'the site of pra ee
former bringing an action against the latter—| one——‘‘ Before the play was done, it fell such a
| oe oe . mt __|storm of hayle that we, in the middle of the
and gaining his cause, too—for receiving a
““suggestion’’ from St. Peter’s at Rome; or

pit were fain to rise, and all the house in a dis-
order.” This passage may be explained by
Heroof Alexandria prosecuting, under:similar
circumstances, James: Wart of Greenock, for

stating that-in the time of that celebrated
autobiographer the plays being chiefly per-

the latter’s availing himself of the principle of

|the eolipile in the construction of. his steam

formed ‘during’ the middle of theday, any other
Jengines !

“TL. M.S.”—We cannot sayijust at present.
QUERIES.
Required—A receipt for.making the black paint
used for marking the letters on marble monu-
ments, &c.

—_—_—

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §:c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readersas will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics”

light than. that of the sun was thought unne-
‘cessary, so that the pit lay either open to the
weather (as in ruder times) or was glazed in;
anditiis easy to conceive ‘that a storm of hai
would easily penetrate through sky-lights com-
posed of the thin glass of Mr. Pepy’s period||
(veign of Charles II.).. ‘The middle of the
pit,” immediately; under the sky-light, was}}
necessarily most exposed. Lord Braybrooke,
‘in anote on this subject, remarks that, ‘‘the}}
_Blackfriar’s Theatre was asinine ‘over,
Survey of Ireland, £6,000; Steam'Commuii- kets had apis instead ef 1a mane onglase’ yard
: : } whilst the stage portion alone of the public
cation to India, £12,500. Total; 99,500., Ni CAE play houses were. protected from ‘the wea-
*- Holdsworth versus M‘Alpine. it aie beratiri [ 5 mite Pie asso pehiore t ih

|. Sums Vorrp sy THE Comitrrsen’ or Sup-
Puy, Juny.7th.—British. Museum, £20,000;, on
account of Public Buildings, £30,000 ;. works
at Buckingham Palace, £10,000; expenses
connected with the.-New. Houses of Parlia-
ment, £15,000; School of Design, £3,000;
Royal Dublin Society, £3,000; Geological

eed

he Rights of Labour and Welle,

{The following remarks by M. Thiers, ex-
tracted from a speech delivered in the National
Assembly, are characterised by so much good
sense and sound argument, bearing directly
jupon the’ moot question of the day, that we
cannot refrain from giving them a placein our
columns.— Eb. |

“TI think we should do all we can for the
people, keeping in view at the same time what
is possible, but I do not think we should pro-
mise them whati is impossible. ‘To promise
that which is impossible is to deceive them, for
which they will afterwards take vengeance
by insurrection. Let the right to relief: be
|proclaimed. I see no great danger in this;
for, with charitable institutions well adminis-
tered, more loyally developed, and better
endowed than those which exist, this promise
|may to a certain extent be realised. Besides,
society does its duty in succouring old age,
in tending sickness, and assuaging the infirmi-
ties which render labour impossible. But to
proclaim the right to employment ‘is. not to
make an absolute engagement to furnish at all
times and at all seasons occupation to those
have it not. If we can possibly fulfil this
engagement [ will not oppose its being entered
into; but is there one whom I address who
will assert that it can be fulfilled? I have
reflected a great deal upon. what is now, called
‘the organisation of labour’ (a new name for
an old thing), and I have deplored the impru-
dence with which questions have been raised
that are incapable of. solution. It is indis-
pensably. necessary that) in the assembly we
should havea calm and deliberate discussion
on this subject, with: all the principal chiefs
and supporters of this sect, in which-all res-
pect shall be shown to men and opinions; for
we must ascertain if any one possesses the
jsecret of remedying all the miseries of the
people. If any one possesses such secret he
must impart it; but if.no, one. possesses it,
then by none must such a. promise be made
—for to promise and not to perform in sucha
case is to -ensure the effusion of blood. Of
this the horrible scenes we have lately wit-
nessed are the unanswerable proof. Doubtless
an able government can, by legislation, by
good finanical measures, contribute to favour
production, and increase employment; but in
the richest and most industrious countries can
‘|jany one prevent the industrial crises which
arise from over production, and which are
followed by a suspension of labour? Can any
one in these cases, which happen too fre-
quently, assure employment to . the. opera-
tives? Would not to promise it be to renew
the recent and unhappy experiment of the
ateliers nationaux. The draining the marshes
and agricultural colonies have been proposed
as a means of furnishing employment at

crises for the unoccupied. But
this would be.a.sorry, resource to. offer,to the
unemployed ouwvriers.. How. could you. offer to
weavers or engineers to go into:a. distant: pro-

THE “DECORATOR’S “ASSISTANT.

193:

vince to dig the earth. Their removal, their],
inability, their inexperience, would render this
resource more cruel than misery. I donot,
however, renounce, I confess,’ the possibility of
proposing. some means, which, to a certain
point, may satisfy the double condition of
occupying the unemployed in periods of indus-
trial crisis, and of furnishing .them with
various employments befitting their several)
callings: Without becoming a. manufacturer
or an agriculturist, the state manufactures
linen, cloth, shoes, and arms, for the troops; it
builds walls of fortresses, carriages for artillery,,
and steam-engines. Now, in creating these es-
lishments, the priaciple of which should be to)
work, little in times of industrial prosperity,
and much in times of distress, it would not be
impossible to provide for times of suspension
of labour. I have thought much and laboured
much, on a system which would tend to re-
serve the works which the state must perform
for such times as throw many operatives out of|
employ ; but this system, which would require
a corresponding financial system, would be)
difficult to establish;and very costly, and the
state would, as usual, do its work well, but at
great cost. Iam, however, of opinion that a
trial of this kind should be made; for it would
be well thus to reserve the works of the
government to offer to the operatives when
private establishments could not find them
occupation. As, however, we cannot make any
certain promises, I.think we may express the
earnest desire of the state, and guard our-
selves against any positive engagement. To
make any positive engagement as to the right
of employment is an imprudence, a false prin-
ciple; im: brief, to speak plainly, a lie thrown
in the face of the people.”

Art-Union or Lonpon anp THE Boarp oF
Trapt.—On Wednesday, the 12th instant, a
deputation of gentlemen, representing various
bodies of metropolitan artists, had an inter-
view with the Right Hon.:H Labouchere, at
the office of the Board of Trade, to present
a memorial agreed upon ata general meeting’
of artists in May last, deploring the intention
of depriving the’ prizeholders of the right of
selecting the prizes, and praying the Board of
Trade to: withdraw any interference in this
respect with the Art-Union of London, and to
permit it to carry out its objects according to
its original and vital principle. The deputa-
tion ‘consisted of the following gentlemen :—
Mr. C.; Lushington, M.P.; Mr. J. Jackson,
M.P.; Sir W. C. Ross (Royal Academy) ; Mr.
J. H.Illidge, Mr. G. R. Ward, and Mr. F.
Gush (Institute of Fine Arts); Mr. J. Faliey
(New Water Colour Society); Mr. G. Fripp
(Old Water Colour) Society; and Mr. E: T.
Niemann (Free Exhibition). The Society of
British Artist had previously sent a deputation
for the same purpose. The memorial was
signed by’ more than 300 artists, including
half the members and associates of the Royal
Academy. Mr. Labouchere said it was a very
weighty document, ‘deserving the most serious
consideration of the Board, and should cer-
tainly receive it.

124

lm Ettustratey GAossarp of Technical
Germs used tr Architectural any
Interior Becovation, Kc.

—=

[Continued from page 114.]

Exein Marstes, (in the archaiology of
architecture and sculpture), a series of

ancient sculptured marbles, named _ after
Thomas Earl of Elgin, by whom they were
rescued from the barbarous hands of the Turks,
brought to England, and finally sold to the
British Government, who have deposited them
in the British Museum for the use of the

public.

These miracles of ancient art belonged
originally to the temple of Minerva Par-
thenon, and to some other edifices on the
Acropolisat Athens. Their ancient history is
well known; they were imagined and
directed -by Phidias, and executed in parts
by his chisel, were for more than seven hun-
dred. years the admiration of the ancient
world; and have been regarded by all com-
petent judges as inimitable for their perfection
in art. During the period of Lord Elgin’s
embassy to the Porte, some eminent artists in
England recommended the object of this
collection as one of-the highest importance
to the fine arts.. ‘It was proposed as such to
the English government who -declined the
undertaking, which appearing of doubtful
issue, his lordship engaged in the pursuit en-
tirely at his own risk and expense.

Lord Elgin, in pursuit of this patriotic
scheme, took six of the first artists from Rome,
and employed them several. years upon the
undertaking, and continued.-his establishment
at Athens for sixteen years, and succeeded,
by unconquerable exertion and perseverance,
in achieving what powerful and favoured
sovereigns had, in successive ages, attempted

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

jseen.* ~~ .

: ‘And that, while Lord Elgin negotiated as

-|in. authority on the spot, on every occurrence,|,

in yain : ‘what Canova would have been con-|}
tented to have come to London. alone to have|}

It is to be considered among the difficulties|}
of Lord Elgin’s undertaking that he had to|}
remove the enormous and ponderous pieces of|},
marble a distance of nearly five miles from||
Athens to Piergzeus, the port of maritime||
Athens, in a country without roads, without||.
machinery, and without any other resources|}
than manual exertion. He had to convey|}
them to England, to bring them from the out
ports to London, and tokeep them there ata
considerable expense. His lordship had also|}
the misfortune to lose:a valuable vessel of his|}
own employed in the service, that was wrecked||
off Cerigo, while having on board.a number of||
these marbles, which he afterwards recovered||
with infinite labour, perseverance, and cost.|}
Besides. these, it is well known that.no opera-
tions can be conducted in Turkey without
the distribution of presents; which are always
proportioned tothe rank of the parties, and
the eagerness. or difficulty of the pursuit.

ambassador with the officers of the empire at
Constantinople (the city of Athens being the.
jointure of the Sultan’s: mother), his artists
had to purchase the good will of the persons

wherever any assistance was required.

EmpeE.uisn, EMBELLISMEHNT. (From embellir,||.
Fr.) In all the arts. Ornaments, adventitious) |:
beauty, decoration.—This word, though ap-}})
plicable to all the arts, is more particularly ||.
used in architecture, which is embellished by||
sculpture, painting, and other ornaments, to||:
make it more beautiful. Embellishments are||
more extensive than ornaments, and if used||
profusely, or with bad taste, will mar the||
finest composition. The embellishments of|}
exterior architecture are its sculptures and||
carvings, and of interior architecture pictures,| |
statues, and bassi rilievi, furniture, mirrors,||
gilding, &c.

EmrLecton (in ancient architecture), a
mode of construction of walls ‘used by the|}
Greeks, and so named by their ancient archi-|}
tects and by Vetruvius. The front stones of|}
this manner of building were wrought, and
the interior left rough and filled in with stones||
of various sizes or rubble, The implection||.
of the Romans was an inferior kind of
masonry to that of the Greeks, for they||
mostly omitted the diatonoz or bond stones, ||
which the Greeks never did. ,

Seats in THE Parxs.~By order of thel{
Woods and Forest upwards of 200 chairs have| |
been placed in Hyde Park, and a propotionate||
number in St. James’s Park, for the public/|
accomodation.

* See Canova’s letter to Lord Elgin of the 10th November,
1815, often reprinted; and which has already produced the)
most beneficial effects upon the fine:arts of the country.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Public Amusements.

VAUXHALL, GARDENS.

Tus delightful place of rational recreation is
now open, and affords a pleasing ensemble of
taste, harmony, and general amusement. The
fittings up are on an unprecedently magni-
fient scale.

We select asa specimen of these a pretty
little bit @ 7a Watteau, taken from the end of
one of the boxes on the left hand side of the
orchestra. The ornamental portion is painted
ina purple tint, and the flowers, &c., in their
natural colour—the ground being white encom-
passed by a broad blue line. The sides and
roof of the box are coloured with a delicate
pink tint, and altogether have a very pleasing
effect.

The walls of the supper room in the prince’s
gallery are divided off with pilasters and
ornamented with landscapes, round which is
tastefully placed an ornamental border. The
appearance by night is of a gorgeous descrip-
tion, it being the room where the elité of the
visitants regale themselves between the various
amusements.
| We should like to see other portions of the

gardens more liberally decorated. The boxes
on the right side of the orchestra being of a
‘very plain description, having merely a plain
tint washed over them. We think that the
ublic would appreciate the change; and we
_\thope ere long tosee the royal property one of
the most decorative as well as one of the
j\most pleasant places of public amnsement in
the metropolis.

Present Sanitary Conpition or West-
minsteR.—[Lrom « Correspondent|.—l have
lately had an opportunity of inspecting several
of the habitations of the poorer classes in this

densely packed locality, and I may well de-
scribe what I saw as loathsome and horrible in
the extreme. The houses are mostly old and
rotten, and the passages are not covered with
boards but with dirt, which in wet weather
becomes quite as sloppy as the mud in the
streets. The yards which are extremely cir-
cumscribed, are generally filled up by a privy, |
a water-but, and a dust-bin—the two former
being in close proximity. Curiosity urged me
to glance into one of these privies, but one of
the most revolting stenches that ever saluted
my, or any other person’s, olfactory organ,
instantaeously compelled me to retreat in dis-
gust, but not, however, before I saw a mass of
human exuviz floating within a foot of the
seat! This pestinential closet, too, be it
remembered, was situated within four feet of
the window of an apartment in which dwelt a
labourer, his wife, and five children, while
underneath this very window was an unoccu-
pied cellar which had not been cleaned out
for years, and which waschock full of decayed
vegetable matter, filth, and garbage of every
description. The apartments in this edifice
were most miserable: the walls were broken
and the ceilings continually fallingin. [learned
from a lodger, as I was departing, that there
resided in this habitation (if such it could be
called) no less than thirty individuals, of whom
twenty-one were young children—the eldest

scarcely above eleven years of age.

lw he
Pe ‘THE DECORAT

Esometrical Perspective...

‘A new process for drawing in perspective,
under this title, has been introduced by Pro-
fessor Farish of Cambridge. It is~ preferable

_to the common perspective on many accounts,

especially for the exhibition of machinery.

| It is both easy and simple in its principles. It

is effected by the help of a common drawing-

table, and two rulers; so that there is no dif
| ficulty in giving an almost perfectly correct

representation of any object adapted to this

‘perspective, to which the artist has, access, if

he hasavery simple knowledge of its prin-
ciples and a little:practice.

| It is unnecessary. to describe the accom-
panying drawing-table any further than by
observing that it ought to be so contrived as to
keep the paper steady on which the drawing is
‘to be made.

There should be a ruler in the form of the
letter T, to slide on one side of the drawing
table. The rulers should be kept, by small
prominences on the under. side, from being in
immediate contact with the paper, to prevent
its blotting the fresh drawn lines as it: slides
over them; and a second ruler, by means of a
groove near one end on its underside, should
be made to slide on the first. The groove’should
be wider than the breadth of the: first ruler,
and so fitted that the second may at pleasure
be put into either of the two positions repre-
sented in the engraving, so as to contain with
the former ruler, in either position, an angle of
sixty degrees. The groove ‘should be of such
asize that, when its shoulder wis in contact
with and resting against the edges of the first
ruler, the edges of the second ruler should
coincide with e«. When the shoulders d c rest
against the edges of the first ruler, the edge
of the second should lie along’ ae, the other
side of the equilateral triangle. The second
ruler should have a little foot at /, for the
same purpose as the prominences on the first
tuler; and both of them should have their
edges divided into inches and tenths, or eighths
of tenths. j *

It would be convenient if the second ruler
had also another groove, 7s, so formed that
when the shoulders 7 and s are in contact with
the edges of the first’ ruler the second should
be at right angles to it. For representing
circles in their proper positions, Professor
Farish made use of the inner edge of rims cut

‘| represented” in the figure; of these he had a||

» -|and of the manner ‘in which they act’on one||
|} another, is very simple and intelligible.. ‘The

| | peculiar, circumstance of its exhibiting’ the
| lines in the three -principal dimensions on the
‘same scale, which the Professor denominates

OR’S’ ‘ASSISTANT.

out from’ cards into isometrical ellipses, as}

series of different sizes, corresponding to his)
wheels. :

The Professor states that ‘‘ by this apparatus].

we nay represent the straight lines which lie
in the three principal directions, all on the

same scale. The right angles contained by

such lines. ave always represented either by||
| angles of sixty degrees, or the supplement of)
sixty degrees: and this, though it might look
like an objection, will be understood on the
first sight of a drawing on these principles by
any, person who has ever looked at a picture ;
for he éannot fora moment have a doubt that
the angle represented is aright angle, on in-
spection. . ti My.

And we may .observe further‘that an angle
‘of sixty degrees is the easiest to draw of any
angle in nature., It may. instantly be found
by any person who has a pair of compasses,
and understands the first proposition in Kuclid.|
The répresentation, also, of circles and wheels,

principles of this perspective, which, from’ the

‘-/isometrical,”’ will be understood from the;
following detail:—Suppose a cube to be the
object represented, the eye placed in the dia-
gonal of the cube produced, the paper on which
the drawing is to be made to be perpendicular
to that diagonal, between the eye and the object,
at a-due proportional distance from: each,
according to the scale required. Let the
distance of the eye, and consequently that of,
the paper, be indifinitely increased, so that the
size of the object may be inconsiderable in
respect of it. Itis manifest that all the lines
drawn from any points of the object to the
eye may be considered’ as perpendicular tothe
picture, which becomes, therefore, a species of
orthographic projection ; and the projection will
have for its outline an equi-angular and equi-
lateral hexagon, with two vertical. sides, and!
an angle atthe top and bottom. The other
three lines will be radii drawn from, the centre
to the lowest angle, and to the two alternate
angles; and all these lines and sides will be
equal to each other both in the object
and representation; and if any other lines
parallel to any of the three radii should exist
in the object, and be represented in the
picture, their representations will bear to one
another, and to the rest of the sides of the
cube, the same proportion which the lines
represented bear to one another in the object.
If any one of them, therefore, be so taken
as to bear any required proportion; to its object, |,
as in the representation of models, the others||
also will bear the same: proportion ‘to their
objects; that is, the lines parallel to the three),
radii will be reduced toa scale. ee eee
By the use of the simple apparatus already),
described, the representation of these lines ‘im
ithe objects may be drawn on the picture, and,
measured to a scale‘with the utmost facility:)
the point at the extremity being first found or
‘assumed. The position of any point in the,

{

| | picture may be easily found - by. measuring its

\three distances; namely, first its perpendicular
distance from. the regulating horizontal, plane

||(that.is, the horizontal; plane passing through
the regulating point) ; secondly, the perpen-

dicular distance of that point where the perpen-

dicular meets the dexter line; and, thirdly, of |.

the point where that perpendicular meets the
j\dexter line from the regulating point; an
then taking those distances reduced.to tht
seale, first along the dexter line, secondly

along the ,sinister line, and thirdly along the

yertical.line, in the picture. These three may
be called the dexter distance of the point, its
sinister distance,, and. its altitude. And itis

manifest they need. not be taken in this order,
butin any other that may be, more convenient,
to the artist, there being six ways in, which

this operation may be performed.

If any point in the same isometrical. plane.
with the point required-to be found be already |

represented in the picture,, that point. may. be
assumed as anew regulating: point., If itis in
the, same isometrical line with the point, it is
found’ by’ taking only one. distance. And this

last simple operation. willbe found in practice.

all that is necessary for. the determination of
most of the points required. Thus, any paral-
lelopiped, or any .frame-work or other object
with; rafters, or lines lying in isometrical direc-

tions, may be-most- easily and accurately. ex- |.

hibited on any: scale required: But if it be

necessary to; represent lines in other directions, | .
they will. not.be on the same'scale, but may be

exhibited, if straight lines, by finding the
extremities as above, and drawing the line
from. one to the other; or sometimes more
readily in practice by the help of an ellipse, as
hereafter described.

» (If a curved line be required, several. points
may be found,,éach being sufficient to. guide
the artist to that degree of exactness which is
required... F ;

The method of exhibiting the representations
of any machines or objects the lines of which
lie as'they generally do, in the isometrical
direction, that is, parallel to the three directions
of the lines of the cube, has been already
shown ; and likewise the mode of representing
any other straight lines by finding their ex-
tremities, or curved lines by finding a number
of points.. But in representing machines and
models, there are not only isometrical lines,
but also many wheels working into each other
to be represented. These, for the most part,
lie in the isometrical planes. And it is for-
tunate that the picture of a circle in any one
of these planes is always an ellipse of the same
form, whether the plane be horizontal, dexter,
or sinister ; yet they are easily distinguished
from each other by the position in which they
are placed on their axle, which is an isomet-
rical line, always coinciding with the minor
axis of the ellipse.

The fact aboye alluded to willbe obvious
from considering the figure of a cube with a
circle inscribed.in €ach of its planes, and con-
sidering the circlesas wheels on an axle. ‘The
two other lines, (or spokes of the wheel) in
the ellipse, which are drawn _ respectively
|through the opposite points of contact. of the

THE, DECORATOR’S, ASSISTANT:

ci rele with the circumscribing figure, are isomet-
rical lines also ;, for the points of contact, bisect
the sides of the circumscribing parallelogram, |

| and therefore the lines are parallel to the other)

sides. They likewise give the~true’ diameter
of the wheels, reduced to the scale required.

- The ellipse itself may be ‘drawn by: an
elliptic compass, as that instrument may be
properly set, if the major and minor axes are
known. If it be intended to represent a wheel
on an axle, care must be taken to maké the
minor axis lie along that axle. ‘In the absence
of the instrument, it may be drawn from the
concentric ellipses annexed, which may be
placed under the paper, in the position above

described, and seen through it if the paper be
not too thick ; and in this methad the smaller
concentric circles of the wheel maybe
described at the same time, as they may be
seen through the picture; or, if they should
not be exactly of the right size, it would ‘be
easy to describe them by hand, between the
two nearest concentric ellipses; and thus also
the height of the cogs of a wheel in the dif-
ferent parts of it. may be exhibited, longer and
narrower towards the extremities of the major,
and shorter and wider at the extremities of
the minor axis. Their width may, be deter-
mined from the divisions of the ellipse. In
most cases, this may be done with sufficient
accuracy from the cicumference of the ellipse
being divided into eight. equal divisions of the
circle, by the two axes and two isometrical
diameters, each of which parts may he sub-|
divided by the skill of the artist; and not
only the face of the wheel in front may be

thus exhibited, but the parts of the back circles
‘alsoy which areoin sight may. be exhibited

by pushing back the «system of concentric’
ellipses on the minor axis, or axle, through a
distance representing the breadth of, the wheel,
and. then tracing both the exterior and interior
circles of the wheels, and of the socket on
which it is fixed, as far as they are visible.’
Care should be taken to represent the top)

of the. teeth, or cogs, by isometrical lines,
parallel to the axle, ina face-wheel, or tending

toa proper point in‘the axle in a bevil-wheel.
And nearly in the same way may the floats of
aiwater-wheel be correctly represented. Ifa
Series of concentric ellipses, such as have been

described, be not at hand, it will still be easy |-

for an artist to draw the ellipses with sufficient
accuracy for most purposes, by drawing,
through the proper point in the axle, the
major and minor axes, and two isometrical
diameters, thus marking eight points in the
circumference to guide him.

If in any case it should become necessary to
represent a cirle which does not lie in an isomet-
rical plane, we may observe that the major axis
will be the same in whatever plane it lies; and
it will be the picture of that diameter which is

the intersection of the circle with the plane, .

parallel to the picture, passing through its centre;
and the major axis will bear to the minor axis
the proportion of radius to the sine ofthe inclina-
tion of the line of sight to the plane of the circle.
The representation of every other line parallel
and equal to any diameter of the circle may be
exhibited by drawing it equal and parallel to
the corresponding diameter in the ellipse. ,

To describe a cylinder lying in an isometrical
direction, the circles at its extremitie should be
represented by the proper isometrical ellipse,
||and two lines touching both should be, drawn;
and in a similar waya cone, or frustum of a
|/cone, may be described. A globe is represent-
ed by a circle whose radius is the semi-major
axis of the ellipse representing a great circle.

It would not be difficult to devise rules for the
representation of many other forms which might
occur in objects to be represented. But the
above cases are sufficient to include almost
everything which occurs in the representation
of models, of machines, of philosophical instru-
ments, and indeed of almost any regular pro-
duction of art. Buidings may be exhibited by
this perspective as correctly, in point of mea-
surement, as by plans and elevations, under the
advantage of having the full effect of a picture.

A bridge, or any circular or Gothic arch, con-
sisting of portions of circles lying in isometrical
planes may be represented by portions of
isometrical ellipses, which will easily be adapted
and drawn,upon the principles alreadyexplained
by which wheels are exhibited on their axles.
The centres of these circles must be found, with
which the centres of the ellipses must be made
to.coincide, their minor axes lying along the
lines drawn from those centres perpendicular
to the planes of the circles.

The shaft ofa pillar consists of a frustum of a
cone and acylinder united ; or perhaps of a cy-
linder alone, or a congeries of cylinders: and we
have already shown the method of exhibiting
these, as well as their’ bases. And on the
same principles the position and size of the
volutes and ornaments of the capital may be
found, and such guiding points as will make it
easy to trace their forms. Thus the different
courts and edifices of a cathedral, a college, or
a palace, may be correctly depicted; and
even the rooms, and internal structure, though
less in the form of a picture, may be exhibited
in such a way as to enable an architect, or his
employer, to contemplate their situation, their
ornaments, funiture, or any other circumstance

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

‘it with ‘precision.
to make a picture, the guiding lines may be}

belonging ‘to their appearance; and to mar

down exactly what he would have done, in|
such a way as could hardly be misunderstood ||

by an attentive agent, though at a distance.

In the instances which have been given, most
of the lines are ‘isometrical: but the art is
applicable to many cases where there are few
or none such. It may be necessary, in many

them, to draw isometrical lines, or isome-
rical ellipses, by way of ‘a guide, to determine
the. position of certain lines and points, to
enable the artist to describe with accuracy
what he has in view: and there is scarcely any
form so anomalous as-to preclude the artist

from taking advantage of these methods of

ascertaining such lines or points in it as will
give him much assistance in. representing
If the intention be merely

obliterated as soon as they have served the
purpose designed, or they may be retained, in
some cases, and their lengths-or diameters
noted down in figures, if it be wished to give
ready information. And often, if the artist
wishes to provide materials to enable him, ‘at
his leisure, to give accurate descriptions,
or exact drawings, the rudest exhibition of such
lines may completely serve his purpose, pro-
vided he notes down on the spot such measure-
ments with accuracy, however’ unexact the
lines may be on which they are recorded. In
many cases it may be expedient to take liberties
with this perspective, or with the picture,
which will make it suit the purpose designed.
And this will produce no confusion, provided
those liberties are explained: for instance, it
may be often expedient to make the scale in
the vertical direction considerably larger than
in the horizontal. It may in some cases be ne-
cessary to represent on paper what is hid in
nature, and what has been said’on the internal
structure of buildings is an instance of this
fact. We shall proceed to give some examples
of these observations.

To give such a representation of an Etruscan

vase as would enable an artist to model it exactly

a a ge

_ THE DECORATOR’S* ASSISTANT.

would be exceedingly easy. Let a vertical line
be drawn to, represent thé axis of the vase, and
let points be taken in that axis, corresponding
to the centres of the principal circles of the
vase, through which the horizontal isometrical
lines may be drawn, representing the radii of
those. circles, by the help of which the: isome-
trical. ellipses representing them: are: easily
drawn. These will become a complete guide
to the artist: He may assist himself by look-

then, if he has any skill in drawing, he will
find)no. difficulty in tracing the outline: frem
one-of these to.the other, with a: sufficient
degree of correctness. If he be unskilled in
the art, of course he-must be at the trouble of
finding a large number of ellipses to guide him.
And, in a-similar manner, any solid, formed
by the revolution of a plane figure round one
of its sides, may be represented.
The laying down the ‘timbers: ofa ship, or
making a picture of one, may be adduced.as
another example: Let a vertical: isometrical
‘plaen be coneeived to pass through its keel,:and
‘to be intersected. by the perpendicular planes
passing through the:ribs, and:by planes parallel
'to the decks. The isometrical lines which are
||the intersections of these may be measured in
the ship, and represented, with their proper
measures noted down, in.the picture, which will
afford the means of representing the ribs; and
‘laymg them-down in: their proper places.
‘this should. be designed for the purpose of con-
‘structing a ship from a given model, it might be
‘sufficient to represent the ribs only onone side;
those on the other side being the exact counter-
parts. df the purpose should be to make-use of
these lines for.a drawing, they need be marked
but yery-faintly, and the artist will have little
difficulty, when guided by them, to fill up the
representation by hand.—Zhe British Cyclo-
‘pedia. iM ,

Gutra Percua A Fixturr ror Drawines:
&c.—M. Vogel states that gutta percha dis-
solved in sulphuret of carbon in all propor-
‘tions, and without the aid of heat, when
‘placed on the surface of any object, the car-
buret of ~sulphur~ evaporating with great
rapidity, leaves a thin layer of gutta percha,
‘which acts as a preservative against the influ-
ence of water and air. From this he is led to
infer that the solution offers a great advantage
for fixing in the paper, pencil, chalk, or char-
coal drawings in such a’ manner that it is im-
'possible to injure them by friction.

_Axtists’ Incentives. — Without a public
'|voice, knowingly guided and directed, there is
nothing which can raise a true ambition in the
artist ; nothing which can exalt the genius of
the workman, or make him emulous of after
fame and of the approbation of his country
and of posterity; for with these he naturally, as
a freeman, must take part; in these he has a
passionate concern and interest, raised in him
by the same genius of. liberty, the same laws
of goverment, by which his property, and the
reward of his pains and industry, are secured
to him and to his .generation after him.—Lord
Shaftesbury.

ing atithe object along the line of sight, and

129
@®overninent, School of Design,
On Friday the 16th instant Mz. Townsend
delivered a lecture to the students “On the

Chief Markings of the Antique in reference to
their Anatomical causes.’’ The ‘* Antique,”

she remarked, is not alone the guide to con-

siderations of taste and of true beauty, but, if
anatomically considered, will confer a know-
ledge of the essential divisions of the muscular
and bony framework. The grand object. of
students of Ornamental Design is to acquire
the power of rapid composition of the figure,
so as to execute with facility and truth the
various attitudes and groupingsrequired in their
special department of Art. To accomplish|
this, the most beautifully finished copies of
ancient statues will afford very insufficient
means, if unaccompanied by an intimate
knowledge of the anatomical relations of
parts of the structure of the joints and the
balance of the figures in movement. The
student must be able, even without the model,
to make sufficiently faithful approximation to
the truth, so as to find no difficulty in original
composition and rapid execution. Nature
is the unerring guide to study,—and if ob-
served with analytic method, will lead toa
ready estimation and adoption of all the)
varied phases of animal forms. Our ideas of
“the antique” are the result of comtemplating
certain eminent examples which, saved amid
the ravages of barbaric wars and other ac-
cidents of time, have given to our age a clear
evidence of the culminating powers of Greek
art. Butthe same fortune which furnished to
us these wonderful developments of human
art and skill has also left us the more incipient
efforts—and it is by a comparison of the pro-
ducts of different nations, and of the same
countries at different periods, that we are
enabled to see the steps of study through
which the practice of the ancients gradually
advanced to the climax. The treasures of the|’
British Museum show us that, whilst in Egyp-
tian art the elements of beauty early made a
manifestation, there was little’ progress,—
while in the after attempts of the Greeks they
advanced far towards perfection. But it was
many centuries before the great era arrived’;
and then we recognise an evident connexion
between the works of the sculptor and the
painter and the: concurrent science of their
time. Inthe times of Deedalus the markings
were few, though full of meaning; and it was
not until the age of Phidias that ‘tendons and
veins were first expressed by Leontius.: It||
was Phidias himself who carried to the highest

development the essential distinctions of parts
and the particular indication of mmusele, bone,
and tendon. Though imitation of structure
was afterwards carried further, his was the
first perfect union of science with sentiment.
It was the peculiar education of the Greeks,
as well as their special aptitude for Art, that
led to these results. Careful observation, the
love of perfectionating, and the application of
inductive reasoning, led them to the true
philosophy of Art. Their artists were the

130

constant companions of the philosophers and
poets; and receiving among the academic
groves the teachings of their first sages, they
were familiar with the theory and practical
application of the sciences. The wounded
warrior, the sacrificial victim, and the gym-
nastic exercises of the atheletes gave them a
continual practical demonstration of anatomy.
What peculiarly strikes the unlearned observer
in looking at the finest ancient statues, is the
regularity of occurrence and’ almost geo-
metrical accuracy of the various demarcations
of the body and limbs,—which, whilst they
consort with his general idea of the human
frame, present many deviations from the
correspondent markings of an ordinary model.
This combination of markings was the result
of endeavours to derive from observation the
essential condition of structure with regard to
the fullest development of health and vigour
of intellect and will. By following a similar
method of study we shall’ duly comprehend
the works of the ancients—and the power of
originating will thus find the surest assistance.
Observing that all these lines and markings
were founded on the strictest consideration of
the structure—not as witnessed in every model,
but as ascertained by a comparison of the best
'portions of the best figures—the lecturer pro-
iceeded to notice seriatim the masses of the
‘figure as given in the antique; demonstrating
‘on Houdon’s figure of the muscles, on a
coloured anatomical statue, and by various
plates and diagrams, the bony and muscular
forms and divisions’ on which such ap-
pearances were dependent. He also drew
attention to the importance of recognising
with care, and marking with accuracy,. the
distinction of the tendonous from the fleshy
portions of the same muscle; and pointed out
various arrangements connected with the
Imovements of the body at the hips and in
the loins:—referring for further illustration
and examination to special examples.

Conversion or THE Diamonp into Coke.
—At alate meeting of the Royal Institution,
Mr. Faraday gave a lecture on. the above sub-
ject, in which he adverted to the researches
of M. Jacquelain, who last year succeeded in
converting the diamand into a substance pos-
sessing the appearance, physical character, and
electrical properties of coke, by attaching a
piece of hard gas retort carbon to the positive
wire of Bunsen’s battery of 100 elements, then
placing on it a small piece of diamond, and,
after arming the negative wire witha cone of
the same carbon, by dexterous manipulation
eveloping the diamond with electrical flame,
when, after a short interval, the diamond
underwent a sort. of ebullition, became disin-
tegrated, softened, and was actual coke.

Encrnreerine Prizes: University CotuEce.
—ist year, prize and 1st ‘certificate, G. B.
Smith. 2nd year, prize and 1st’ certificate, S.
S. Blackmore. Surveying.—Prize ‘and: Ist
certifieste, J. Young. Mechanical principles of
Engineering.—Prize and. Ist certificate A.
| Warren. | : hi

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.
- . ’

The Chronotypist.

——

Tue Grand Fancy Ball in aid of the funds of
the Spitalfields School of Design took place on
Thursday, the 18th instant, and was attended
by a most numerous and brilliant assemblage.
The receipts amounted to £2,900, and the ex-
penditure to about £1,600, leaving a balance
for: the school of £1,300:——The ancient

castle of Newcastle isin a rapid ‘process of;

restoration by the local Society of Antiquaries.
——The new church’ of’ St.. Peter’s, Rock
Ferry, has been closed in consequence of the
instability of the roof.A singular and
ridiculous protestation against electric tele-
graphs made by the German farmers, states that
the electric wires when passing through lands
are injurious to life and property, and perni-
cious to the crops. ——‘“‘ A good street,’ says the
Morning Herald, “from Islington to Black-
friars-bridge is of all things the most wanted.
An act of parliament for making such a street
was passed seven years ago: £200,000 or £300,000
have already been spent, or, for all purposes

thrown away, in purchasing property and pul-},

ling down houses; but the whole business

sticks fast.’,-——An electric telegraph has been
established in Jersey.——We learn from the
Hants Telegraph that thirteen different forms
of screw propelling have been tested by the

Minx steamer: the result was that Woodcroft’s|
screw propelled the: Minx at nine knots an)
hour, and when at its greatest velocity the)’

engines performed ‘about three evolutions per

minute more than with any of the other|'
Weread in Douglas Jerrold’s News-| |
goods waggons| |
belonging to the North Western Railway ex-))
ceeds 11,500, and if .these carriages be sup-| |
posed to be worth £50 ¢ach, they represent a),
capital of nearly £600,000.—It is stated that) |
if stone-masons would be contented with the,

screws.
paper that the: number of

same profit upon gravestones that they obtain
upon other descriptions of work, they would
be more extensively adopted.—The exhibi-
tion of the Royal Academy closes on Saturday,
the 22nd inst, and the exhibitors are requested
to send for their works on Wednesday, the
26th, or Thursday, the 27th.—--The Liverpool
council intend to apply to the Treasury for
permission to raise £25,000 for the purpose of,
erecting more baths and washhouses. The
Boston Chronotype of the 24th ult. states that
the wires on the Morse’s Philadelphia line of
telegraph, in New York, have been placed
acrossthe Hudson—being sunk in the bottom

of the river. They were operated for the first}

time on the 22nd of June and worked well.

ARCHITECTURAL Prizes: University Cor-
LEGE, Lonpon.—The following is a list of the
students who have received prizes in architec-
ture. Asa Fine Art, 2nd year, Ist prize: J.
Norton; 2nd prize, J. G. Hall; as a Science,
1st prize, C. Poland; 2nd prize, J. G. Hall.
Fine Arts, 1st year, 1st prize: E. W. Tarn;
2nd. prize, T. Hill. - Science, -Ist year, 1st
prize: T. Hill; 2nd prize, E. W. Tarn.

me aobhyerorih, a

. (ean ee

SATURDAY, |

Wrotection from Fire.

MONG
‘the many engrossing subjects which oc-
cupy the public mind, that of protection
from fire forms one of the most interesting—
‘as while the slightest danger does exist, every-
‘one, be he high or low, equally shares the risk
either of a horrible maiming or an awful
death.
In comparing the number of fires and pro-
perty lost in London, and in the old country
towns. though of equal extent, we find both
‘the frequence and loss far greater in the
capital than in the country; though in the
| capital there is an abundant supply of water
and engines, and in the country usually a
want of both. These facts lead to the con-
clusion that the old buildings are safer than the
new, and this conclusion may be strengthened
‘by more extended observations. Compare the
yearly number of fires and property destroyed
‘in Paris, where the new buildings bear but a
small proportion to the old, with the same in
London, and the result will be fearfully against
ourselves. The provincial cities of France, of
the Netherlands, and of Germany, all tend to
‘prove the greater security of the ancient
buildings. Almost all the ancient edifices are
in stone, their outer and inner walls are of
igreat thickness, their stories are formed by
arches, their floors are flagged, and in some
instances the roofs themselves are vaults of
masonry. In buildings so constructed fire

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

a a

[Jury 29, 18489 .

found no fuel. The old edifices of a later
age preserve in parts the ancient manner,
while in others they approach to the new.
Their walls and partitions are still massy, the
lower stories ‘still vaulted, but the upper
floors and the roofs are constructed of tim-
ber. But then the wood was oak, which
to its durability adds this precious quality,
that in fire it smoulders rather than flames.
Now, with this contrast our modern buildings.
Even if of stone, their walls are rarely a half
—generally not more than a third—of the
thickness of the old. If of brick, the common
material, the outer walls are thinner still, and
the partitions of lath and plaster. The
floors are of timber, the roofs of timber, the
walls pierced with windows cased with tim-
ber, and this timber, the pine, the most
inflammable of all the woods used in build-
ing. From the old, every inflammable ma-
terial was excluded; in the new, the four
walls are filled with that which is the aptest to
catch fire, the readiest to spread it, and the
soonest to be consumed.

Another cause of those destructive fires|
has been charged to the new method of heat-.
ing by flues, which have come lately into
use, and in almost all instances have been
added to buildings not originally fitted for them, |
nor has experience yet discovered those guards.
against this danger, nor that skill in their,
management, which time and habit only can
teach. Flues wind within walls, through
and under floors, unseen throughout their
course. They cannot, therefore, be watched
and kept under control like chimney fires.
In their common form they are fed by one
stove, whence runs one connected tunnel of)
pipes. The pipes, again, are in general of
iron, which itself heats rapidly, imparts it
readily to surrounding objects, and the heat
may be secretly, unknown to all, accumulating |
during many days, until flames burst forth in
twenty places at once, and then follows im_

mediate, inevitable, and total destruction.

Ere we conclude, we must draw attention to a
method of warming the air of buildings, and
preserving it at an even temperature indepen-
dent of artificial heat. This method was well
known to the ancient architects, and applied
by them to several classes of edifices, though

132

now overlooked, perhaps unknown, certainly
not practised. It was accomplished by simple
means. The building was so constructed that
the heat accumulated during summer could not
be lowered by the winter’s cold under a certain
temperature, according to the climate.

Buildings constructed on this design have
their walls commonly of from four to six feet
thick. The windows are few and narrow, and
they always face the south-east, south, or south-
west. The northern aspects present blank
walls, chimneys are excluded, and but one door
allowed to one chamber, andthe more spaci-
ous it is, the more equal will the heat be
within. Thus in St. Peter’s, at Rome (the
largest covered temple in Europe), though not
built upon this plan, the air has never been
known to vary beyond four degs.—namely, from
60 to 64 F. This is in the climate of Rome.
In our own, the temperature in chambers con-
structed as above may range from 44 to 55 degs.;
that is, nearly amean between the average
heat of Apriland of May.

In England there are still some ancient
buildings upon this plan, and in France many
The ancient Castle of Carrickfurgus
No chimneys, stoves, nor

more.
offers an example.
flues are found within the ancient walls; yet
the temperature of the hall varies little
throughout the year, being agreeably warm in
winter as in summer.

This simple plan of warming the air in
buildings by the solar rays alone, without
artificial heat, though not fitted for dwellings,
is perfectly adapted to all edifices built for
conservation, as archives, libraries, museums,
arsenals, and the like.
fire is most to be dreaded. The winter’s cold
|may yet farther be excluded, and the summer’s
heat preserved, by double casements, placed
jat the end of autumn, and kept close shut
untill the return of spring as itis practised
universally in Russia.

Co Correspondents, Ke.

WritE LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH
|THY WORDS AND THEIR, MEANING MAY BE REA-
DILY DECYPHERED BY THE RECIPIENT OF THY
COMMUNICATION,

“ Gas.” —Our correspondent pays us a flattering

In a word, to all where |.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

compliment for which we are truly obliged, and
hope that our succeeding efforts will not tend to
deteriorate his good opinion. Fluoric acid is
made by placing pure Derbyshire spar (which
may be obtained at any chemist’s) in a retort of:
lead or silver, with a receiver of the same metal
adapted, and then pouring on it its weight of sul-
phuric acid, by which means, and the application
of «moderate heat, the fluoric acid will be dis-
engaged. This acid readily combines with water
—for which purpose it is necessary that the
receiver should previously be half filled with that
fluid. “If? says Dr. Ure, ‘the receiver be
cooled with ice, and no water put in it, then the
condensed acid is an intensely hot liquid, first
procured by M. Gay Lussac.” It has the appear-
ance of sulphuric acid, but is much more volatile,
and sends off white fumes when exposed to the
air. Its specific gravity is only 1:0609. It must
be examined with great caution, for when applied
to the skin it instantly disorganises it, and pro-
duces very painful wounds. A retort is a kind of
bottle, employed in distillations requiring a high
degree of heat, and has a long neck, so bent that
at makes with the belly of the retort an angle of;
about siaty degrees. The receiver is a chemical
vessel adapted to the neck of the retort. Both of
these may be obtained of nearly all chemist’s.
We shall at all times be happy to hear from
“Gas,” and hope that he will exert his influence
in extending our sale among his friends and ac-
quaintances.

“J. H. N.” (Leamiugton).—Yours is the first
letter we have received upon the subject, but your
suggestion will be complied with. The series of:
articles on architecture are only deferred in conse-
quence of serious indisposition of the professional
gentleman by whom the drawings have been
hitherto made, but they will be resumed shortly.

“W.R.” — Mr. Barrett’s work on Gothic
ornament is published ai the office of the Drco-
RATOR’S Assistant, in monthly parts at 1s., or on
Indian paper 6d. extra It is issued in monthly
parts, each containing four steel engravings.

Mr. Crux’s enclosure has been received, for
which we are very much obliged, and will be
happy at any time to return the favour.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §:c., to be addressed to “‘the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.’’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readers as will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c. .

Cases for Vols. I. and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra. , '

*,* Any of our readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 15 is now ready, price 7d.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

133

Motes upon Glass Painting.

For the following valuable memoranda, we
must acknowledge ourselves indebted to a
splendid volume on Ancient Glass Paintings,
y an ‘‘Amateur,” lately published by Mr.
Parker of Oxford :—

“There are three distinct systems of glass-
‘painting, which, for convenience sake, may be
‘termed the mosaic method, the enamel method,
and the mosaie enamel method. Of these the
most simple is the mosaic method. Under this
system, glass paintings are composed of white
glass if they are meant to be white, or only
‘coloured with yellow, brown and black, or else
they are composed of different pieces of white
‘and coloured glass, arranged like a mosaic, in
case they are intended {io display a greater
variety of colours. The pieces of white glass
‘are cut to correspond with such parts of the
design as are white, or white and yellow—and
the coloured pieces with those parts of the
design which are otherwise coloured. The
‘glass painter in the mosaic style uses but two
‘pigments—a stain which produces a yellow tint,
‘and a brown enamel called enamel brown. The
‘main outlines of the design are formed, when
the painting is finished, by the Jeads which
‘surround and keep the various pieces of glass
‘together; and the subordinate outlines and all
the.shadows, as well as all the brown and black
|\parts, are executed by means of the enamel
rown—with which colour alone a work done
‘according to the mosaic system can be said to
be painted. _The yellow stain is merely used as
acolour. It therefore appears that under the
Mosaic method each colour of the design, ex-
cept yellow, brown, and black, must be repre-
sented by a separate piece of glass. A limited
number of colours may, however, be exhibited
on the same piece of glass by the following
‘processes :—Part of a piece of blue glass
may be changed to green by means of the
iyellow stain. The coloured surface of coated
glass may be destroyed by attrition, or the
application of fluoric acid, and the white glass
beneath it exposed to view. This may, of
course, be wholly or in part stained yellow like
any other white glass. Two shades of yellow
may also be produced on the same piece of
glass by staining some parts twice over. But
‘unless he adopt one or other of the above-men-
tioned: processes, the glass-painter under the
mosaic system cannot have more than
one colour on the same piece of glass. A
variety of tint or depth may often be observed
in the same piece of coloured glass, arising
from some accident in its manufacture. Of
this a_skilful glass-painter will always avail
himself, to correct as much as possible the
stiffness of colouring necessarily belonging to
this system ‘of glass-painting.”’

Of course it is not necessary to repeat the
author’s description of enamel painting, as we
have already given, or rather are in process of
giving, one.

“The mosaic enamel method consists in a
combination of mosaic and enamel painting—

white and coloured glass, as well as every
variety of enamel colour and stain, being
emploved in it. The practical course of pro-
ceeding under each of these three methods is
nearly alike. A cartoon of the design is made,
upon which are also marked the shapes and
sizes of the various pieces of glass. The glass
is cut to these forms and is afterwards painted,
and burned, 7. e., heated to redness in a fur-
nace of kiln, which fixes the enamel colours,
and causes the stains to operate. The number
of burnings to which the glass is subjected
varies according to circumstances. It is
general, sufficient to burn glass painted with
only one enamel colour once or twice—the|
selfsame operation sufficing also to give effect
to the stain, if any is used. ‘Where several
enamel colours are employed, it is necessary to
burn the glass more frequently—each colour,
in general, requiring to be fixed by a separate
burning. It only then remains to lead the glass
together and to put it up in its place.

[To be concluded in our next.]

AsPpHALTE.—Mr. James Wylson, of*Glasgow,
writing in a professional contemporary, with
regard to Apshalte, remarks that, “‘It is known
that much of the material used is nothing but
coal tar; and as there are variations in quality,
from that which softens with in-door warmth
until casks and table feet make deep impres-
sions in it, or under the influence of the sum-
mer sun becomes adhesive underfoot to the
toiling pedestrian, to that other extreme which
comes off in black dust, ready for conversion,
by moisture, into a dirty mud, it appears to
me that the cause of these opposing conditions
lies in the under or overboiling of the afore-
said coal tar. We know that in preparing tar
for use as a protective coating to woodwork,
&c., it takes some three or four hours boiling
to “pitch” it; and that if if is too much
boiled it loses its elastic quality, and becomes
crusted and perfectly effete. Here appears
the risk in regard to the so called ‘‘ Asphalte ;”’
what with the mixture with the other ingre-
dients, the partial emptying of the boilers, and
the cooling of the residue in them at the com-
pletion of one job, and the re-heating, or
making up, of the same at the commencement
of another, the due amount of boiling seems
liable not to be attended to. The blocks of
‘“‘ Asphalte’’? which are prepared at manu-
factories, for the purpose of paving, are,
generally, too much impoverished: in the
first place, a black varnish is obtained from
the tar, which is used by boiler makers and
others; and the tar is then subjected to a
process of distillation in order to separate the
spirit or naptha; the residue is then boiled up
again with an admixture of ground chalk, and
formed into blocks, and this, as far as I am
aware, completes its preparation as an article
of commerce. It appears, therefore, that in
using the tar in its natural state, as it comes
from the gas-works, a less economical, but a
much better article is employed, more liable to
soften, but less liable to crumble away.”

isa

|
|

a eee aa

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

An Llustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used i Architectural anv
Intertor Mecorvation, Ke.

[Continued from page 124.]

Empatttep (in heraldry), when the outline

i|expressed in the accompanying illustration,

representing the battlements of a wall or
icastle.-
|

_ Emsiems (in all the arts), correctly speaking
emblems are inlaid work, enamel, &c.; but in
its modern and more extensive application,

the word is used for any occult representation,
allusive pictures, or sculptures, and the like.
Emblems and attributes belong to art, allegory

'1tO poetry.

ENGRAILED, or Incrartep (in heraldy), is
when a thing is represented with its edges

TAH

ragged or notched circularly, as if broke by
something falling on it.

Encarpus (in ancient architecture), festoons

of any ordinary is notched after the manner | of fruit or flowers in friezes or capitals.

Enpvorse (in heraldry) an ordinary, contain-

ing the eighth part of a pale.
[To be continued.]

CuInpREN AND Pictrures.—To gaze at
pictures is the first amusement of childhood.
Before the untutored tongue can lisp the
rising thought, the dimpled finger is pointed to
the gaudy colours :arranged expressly to
attract infantine attention. Pictures are par-
ticularly useful in the instruction of youth,
from the lively impression which they convey
tothe imagination, and more lively and per-
manent than any that can be communicated by
speech. ‘The parents and masters of families
would do well to hang in. the apartments
allotted to their children, representations of
graceful forms, and of noble actions. Then,
instead of bare wails, or unmeaning patterns
of form, their rooms would be hung round
with thoughts. I was astonished on one occa-
sion by the knowledge of the New Testament
evinced by alittle girl, who could scarcely
speak, till I found that engravings from
the cartoons of Raffaélle had adorned her
nursery, and that by incessantly questioning
the nurse, she had made out the subjects of
each. All caricatures, all distortions, or dis-
proportions of body should be avoided. The
eye should be educated to admire that which
is physically correct, as well as the mind to
appreciate that which is morally beautiful—to
love the purest spirits animating the most ad-
mirable forms—the noblest actions performed
by the noblest creatures. If to infancy and
youth this art is valuable, it is well worth the
occupation of manhood, and the appreciation
of mature intellect; and in age, when the
pleasures and amusements of youth have
become insipid, or unattainable amidst infir-
mities and debility, the failing eye may yet
turn with pleasure to those delineated forms
which recal to the mind ideas and objects
half effaced from the memory by the lapse of
years.—Sir J. Page.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Shoes.

—

[Concluded from page, 65.]

In the latter part of the reign of Charles I-
and during that of Charles II., Spanish lea-
ther boots were principally worn, with very
‘large tops, ruffled with lace or lawn. These
were frequently very tastily ornamented and
‘tied at the sides (figs. 21 and 22). Charles I. in
the early part of his reign, wore shoes with large
roses (fig. 23) ; but towards its close, the roses
‘were dispensed with, and large wide strings
‘substituted (fig. 24). The ladies in the reign
of Charles II. wore high heels to their shoes
(fig. 25), which they seem to have adopted from
‘the Venetian ‘Ciappines,” or “‘Choppines.”’
‘Something of the kind is at present worn by
the lower classes in Italy (fig. 26). Buckles
‘succeeded large ribauds on shoes about 1680,
although they had been used to fasten the
strap which passed over the instep much earlier
i(fig. 27).. The heels of the shoes at this period

were often coloured red, &c., the buckles gra-
dually-increasing in size (fig. 28), till the reign
of George III. Long boots, also with coloured
heels, were besides much in vogue at this time.
Hessian boots were introduced about 1787,
and soon afterwards short boots were also
worn. Having thus noticed the_ principal
variations: in the forms of shoes in England to
the end of the. eighteenth centnry, we con-

clude, as everybody must be well acquainted),

with the boots and shoes of our own era.
W.T.R.

Laris-Lazutt.—The Petersburgh Academy
of Sciences has published the following par-
ticulars relative to lapis-lazuli and mica,:—|!
‘‘ Both these minerals are found in the vicinity |
of Lake Baikal, especially in the river Hindi-
anka, and in all the rivers which fall from
Mount Khamardaban. Mineralogists have |
not, however, yet succeeded in finding the flow,
of the lapis-lazuli, newithstanding the minute,
researches which have been made in divers
points of these localties. Mr. Moor, the
mineralogist, who spent two summer on the
banks of the Hindianka, succeeded only in dis|
covering the flow of glaucolithe, or calcareous
blue spath,—and every attempt since made to,
ascertain the place of the formation of the
lapis-lazuli has been unsuccessful. The natives
affirm that this precious stone is met with after
the heavy rains have washed down the pebbles
found in the beds of the rivers. With regard to
mica, itisfound in great abundance in the
neighbourhood of Hindianka, even with the
ground, in the form of not very thick flakes,
lying upon a bed of soft clay, as if it had been
deposited upon it. The inhabitants frequently
resort so these places to carry off the mica—
which they put into their window-frames in
place of glass.”

13@

Pottingham School of MBesign.

——

Art the fifth annual meeting of the friends and
subscribers of this institution on the 16th ult.
the mayor, J. Heard Esq., read the report,
which said that the school had been enlarged
in its dimensions, and a separate apartment
thus obtained devoted to a print and book
‘room, which addition had been attended by
the most gratifying results. Another depart-
ment rendered available by the alteration of
the premises was appropriated to modelling,
several students having been anxious to pursue
this branch of art. The female classes were
stated to have got on very prosperously, and
the students worked with the most praiseworthy
assiduity. During the year £20 were bestowed
in prizes for the best productions in each de-
partment. The committee had been earnestly
desired to establish a class for mechanical
drawing—classes for simple geometry having
for some time previously existed, and it was
‘proposed to form immediately a class for the
study of machinery; a proposition which it
will be remembered we made some time ago
‘as one worthy of general adoption. After the
report was read Mr. Wilson addressed the
‘meeting and stated that he had derived much
pleasure from an inspecption of the specimens
that adorned the walls—particularly the
flowers. He recommended the scholars, how-
ever, to study nature more. He observed
that many of the drawings were from garden
flowers—all of which were more or less un-
natura]. Even the most beautiful roses were
more or less monstrosities—as indeed all
double flowers were. He advised the ladies,
therefore. occasionally to draw from natural—
that was, from wild flowers: and they would
find them well worth their attention. With
respect to the higher branches of art—he
thought the specimens exhibited would in-
stantly commend themselves to the notice of
all. When they looked at that fine centaur
(pointing to one opposite to him) and then to
ithe copy which had been taken of it (by Mr.
M’Cullum) they could not fail to be struck
with the spirit and accuracy of the latter.
He had never seen acentaur, and probably
never should; but they could at any rate bear
testimony to the skill with which the ancient
‘conceptions -had been embodied by the
students. He considered that this proved not
only the aptitude’and industry of the pupils but
the talent'and assiduity of the masters.

The following were the principal works ex-
hibited on this occasion :—

In the ladies’ class—

Miss Lewis, an original oil painting (flowers)
and ornamental designs ; Miss Adcock, a chalk
drawing of the figure; Miss Leighton, a
painting of flowers (original) ; Miss Coleman,
alandscape in oil; Miss Cripps, ditto; Miss
Sutton, a copy (in oil) of Redgrave’s “‘ Decayed
Gentleman’s Daughter;” Miss Bridges, a
chalk drawing of figure; Miss M. A. Cripps,
water colour landscapes; Mrs. Enfield, oil
landscapes; and Miss Bennett, a water colour
View of Peter Gate.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

In the other classes the following deserved||
commendation :— |

W. Foster, drawings in chalk, figure and|}
ornamental; W. Hind ditto ditto, figure ;||
Orange, geometrical drawings; A. M‘Callum,
large charcoal drawing and original paintings
in oil; S. D. Walker, Sepia architectural
drawings; L. Pott, a chalk drawing and
drawing from nature; H. Redgate, geometri-|
cal drawing; B. Heald, original designs ;|
Betteny, an oil composition; Garland, an
enlarged outline; Butler, an elementary||
drawing; Seymour, a chalk drawing; Oscroft,
an elementary drawing; G Meakin, an original)
design and oil painting; Wilkie, an outline
from cast; Moir, ditto; Fox, a drawing from
nature; Hammond, a chalk drawing; Hac-|
kett, ditto; Forman, a chalk drawing;
Mayeock, an original architectural design in|
oil; Turton, a composition in oil; Yates, a
copy of cast in oil; Cooper, ditto; T. Herbert, ||
a Sepia architectural drawing; T. Moore, a
composition in oil; Birkin, a geometrical!
drawing; C. Bolton, achalk drawing; Heazle,
copies of cast in Sepia; and Cramp, a chalk
drawing.

Morresponveree.

On Architectural Exhibitions.
TO THE EDITOR.

Srr,—If not their actual intention, the desire
of getting up an Exhibition that should con-
sist of Architectural Drawings has been inti-
mated by some connected with the Society of;
Architectural Draughtsmen. I much approve
of the scheme itself, but feel doubtful whether
it would not meet with as much opposition as
encoragement from those, whom it might be
considered would be the most interested in its
formation, namely, Architects, unless, indeed, |
it emanated from themselves. Were it brought,
forward by other: parties than themselves, it
would, in some degree, throw reproach upon
the profession for their inactivity and the not
very meritorious patience with which they en-
dure the slight put upon them at the annual
exhibitions of the Royal Academy, who appa-
renty select afew architectural drawings for the
convenience of filling up the spaces alloted for
the encouragement of the sister art to paint-
ing. Instead, therefore, of opposition to an
establishment of a National’ Exhibition of
Architectural Drawings, the Royal Academy
would be much disposed to encourage it, as
it would by this means be enabled to relieve||
itself of that portion of the exhibition which

must be considered as a burthen. There would
certainly be no jealousy on its part towards a
new Architectural Exhibition any more’ than
towards the Water Colour Institutions; neither
would there on the part of the: originators of,
this movement appear the slightest semblance
of opposition to the Academy, it being but
reasonable that they should endeavour to help
themselves, as the opportunity of gaining
public applause in Trafalgar-square, is of the
most limited nature, admitting only such draw-

THE DECORATOR’

S ASSISTANT.

LLL LLL LLL LL LAL LL LL ALLL LLL LALLA LLL LLL LLL LAL ALLL ALAA LE
ings as are pictorial and highly embellished.| sional men as bear upon the subject—being

no drawings of detail, and but few
sections, find a resting-place on the walls of the
academy. The room, in fact, devoted to this
branch of art is an useless appendage, seldom
visited with interest either by the professional
or student from its want of completeness, or
by the casual visitor from his or her attention
being so engrossed with the paintings and
sculpture.

The comments of the press as each succeed-
ing year appears, brings complaints and brief
descriptions, so that it would seem that the ap-;
peal to the public on behalf of architecture will
eventually die a natural death. But supposing
that an exhibition be devoted to architecture
alone, then alone would this fine art be spoken
of, talked, noticed, or written about.

The question as to whether such an Exhibi-
tion would be sufficiently attractive as to be
worth engaging in as amere speculation may
be readily disposed of; for with those who be-
come concerned in its formation, pecuniary
profit would form, I trust, the last consider-
tion, and the immediate regeneration of archi-
tecture and the establishment of permanent
advantages to this aré their prime mover.

When the Institute of Architects was first
formed, it was thought that one of its first
objects would be an annual exhibition devoted
to their own art. Hardly could they have
overlooked such a step, or if they had—they
have received hints enough to rouse their dor-
mant faculties and engage their serious con-
sideration—the object being two-fold: 1st, as one
likely to benefit architecture; 2nd, to promote
a taste for it among the public. A growing
taste there certainly has been diffusing itself
more and more every day, but no thanks to
the house of the architects of Great Britain,
or to any exertions on their part, either to im-
plant it in the first instance, or foster it after-
wards. No doubt but that some members of
the profession individually entertain a sincere
love for their art, but the same cannot be said
of them as a body, or else, like Viola, it

** Never tells its love’’ _

to the public, or does anything that openly
betrays its secret, and, perhaps, deeply hidden
affection. All the more desirable is it, then,
that some other body shonld do what the Insti-
tute, if left alone, will never attempt; nor is it
the less desirable, beeause it might have the
effect of rousing the Institute itself. I shall be
happy to receive the communications of any
such gentlemen as may be willing to enlist in
this cause, and hope to receive the support
of your useful publication in the attempt.
Lam, Sir, :
Your obedient servant.
Gerorce Joun Ruoves.
2, Lower-road, Islington.

No plans
analth

[Our correspondent’s letter contains a cor-
rect avowal of facts and a sound suggestion,
‘which could not have been possibly better
timed. Weshall be happy, as far as lies in our
‘power, to render every assistance which such a
laudable attempt so eminently deserves, and
undertake not only to record progress, but also

‘into a rebellion against natural laws.

fully convinced that no effort to ameliorate or
destroy an evil can be successfully made with-
the assistance and earnest codperation of that
class upon whom it most directly bears.—-Ep. ]

Improvements In THE Botanic GARDEN,
Cuetsea.—~This is, Lite one of the oldest
gardens in England, and it gives us much
pleasure to learn that the Society of Apothe-
caries has given up all intention of removing it
from its present site. It was founded nearly
200 years ago, and has been kept up at consi-
derable annual expense for the benefit of the
various medical schools and hospitals in the
metropolis. The society has now come to the
determination of making it still more useful by
improving and adapting it to the present state
of botanical science. On paying the garden a
visit a few days ago, we found that numerous
instructive additions had been made to the col-
lections during the past year. The plants in
the houses were clean and healthy; the young
ones, in particular, are becoming extremely in-
teresting, The improvements about to be com-
menced in this garden are of the following
description :—The hardy plants are to be re-ar-
ranged upon the grouping system, numbering
is to be done away with, and each plant is to
have its name affixed to it. This will, without
doubt, prove a great boon to medical students,
who have often little time to consult printed
lists ;, besides, it will bring more readily under
their notice many of those fine medicinal plants
which this garden contains. A new range of
span-roofed hothouses and greenhouses are to be
built in the centre of the garden, and these are
planned so as to have the fine old marble statue
of Sir Hans Sloane in the centre of the range.
A new entrance will be made in Swan-walk, at
the east end of the range of houses, and a pond
for water plants is to be formed at the bottom
of the garden, in connection with the Thames,
and which will be filled at every flood tide.—
Gardener’s Chronicle.

Ancient versus MopernN Cuimney Pots.—I
may remark that the principle of the common
old-fashioned chimney-pot and cap appears to
me to be fully as philosophical as that of any of
the tortuous contrivances of the present day,
by which smoke is endeavoured to be wheedled
The cap
is usually put on for the mere purpose of length-
ening the funnel, or, perhaps, as a finish to it:
the more subtle consideration that the course
of the ascending column will be accelerated by
the current created in the cylindrical space pre-
served between them by the stubs, forming no
part of the argument. That, however, we may
consider of minor importance, if benefit be
derived from the practice; only, it is remark-
able that, in practice, we find many things

‘done on philosophical principles for a long

while before the fact of their being so is de-
tected. In many cases these principles have
been set out with by the inventor, and after-
wards get completely overlooked, and allowed
to lie dormant, like the symbolism and geo-
metry of the middle-age architects.— J.

to insert such communications from profes-! Wylson.

Iss

Art tn the Suddle ges, anv tts
Wroaress Bownwards.

—.

Tur dismemberment of the Roman empire
obscured the arts; and inthe thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries we find the church its only
patron. During the middle ages Gothic archi-
tecture was extensively adopted; its singular
and beautiful ornaments are exceedingly
interesting, and frequently display very con-
siderable talent in the principles of design.
||The Jesuits studied the arts, especially archi-
jtecture, and have produced some of the finest
perspective effects in the world; their noviciate,
extending to thirty years, gave ample time and
leisure for deep research, and they are con-
sidered to have produced greater benefits and
Boast evils than any other ecclesiastical
ody.
Early in the fifteenth century, immense
efforts were made to restore classical archi-
tecture and ornamental embellishments, and
consequently all the extensive ramifications of
manufacturing design. Art quickly became
the idol of the people, and there appeared
some of the greatest names that ever graced
the annals of art; powerful princes were
patrons, and the utmost encouragement was
afforded by the illustrious merchant family of
Medici, the Pope’s Leo X., Julius II. and
Clement VII. Architecture, painting, and
general decorative art, pressed forward with
amazing success; all the minor discoveries
had been gradually developed, and art reached
its most distinguished eminence before the
close of the fifteenth century. . The splendid
talents of Leonardo da Vinci distanced all
former excellence; naturally possessing the
|\very highest attributes of genius, and favoured
by education and circumstances, he became as
great in sculpture as in painting. The mu-
sician, poet, and man of science, his genius
kept unceasingly creating, but his perseverance
failed before completion. The Battle of the
Standard, a cartoon for decorating the great
council chamber at Florence, is one of the
noblest inventions of art, full of felicity and
picturesque energy; it displays each attitude
of body, and active passion of mind, with pro-
found skill; the horses are treated with sur-
passing vigour ; and it stood alone in art, until
Rubens’ imagined from this text, his magni-
jficient equestrian groups of the Battles of the
Amazons. Contemporaneous was Michael
Angelo, the Prince of art; one of those mighty
geniuses, who but at distant intervals are
found upon the earth. He sublimely conceived,
attempted and succeeded in uniting magni-
|ficence of plan with wonderful execution and
endless variety; his style was broad, his line
uniformly grand; whatever he touched re-
ceived the impress of his genius, and he ren-
dered character and beauty subservient to the
jhighest attributes of design. He showed to
|what sublime purpose decorative painting
{could be applied, by his adornment of the
{Sistine Chapel; there depicting sacred history
with all the wonders of art. In the “ Last

THE DECORATOR’S:

ASSISTANT,

Judgment,’’ every attitude, and the master|
trait of every passion which sways the human
heart, was called to his assistance. The depth
of thought and power of meditation he ex-
pressed in the prophets and sybils of the
chapel of Sixtus. His sculpture appears to
have a vitality about it, and his powers as an
architect were exhibited in the skilful adjust-)
ment of the-vast number of jarring parts in
St. Peter’s, and combining them in one magni-
ficient whole. ry
Raffaélle was the mild and delightful painter
of nature: his works in the Vatican, &c.,
prove him to have entertained the same)
thoughts as Michael Angelo upon applying
the highest quality of art to decorative pur-
poses; their ornamental portions, arabesques,
borders, and numerous addenda, will be found,
however beautiful in themselves, to be sub-
servient to the great principles of design,—
harmony and repose being essential to the ulti-
mate effect of the whole work. To these
eminent characters, who practised decorative
painting in its highest walk, others, second
only to such mighty names, lent their. best;
assistance to adorn the palaces and villas of,
Italy, where they produced works of infinite
beauty; galleries and apartments in which the
richest architectural arrangements were em-|
bellished with skilful dispositions of colouring, |
beautiful arabesques and gilding; fine dis-
tinctive effects were produced through dif-)
ferent combinations oo proportions, harmony,
and rich solidity of magnificence, only to be
obtained by a thorough knowledge and
skilful adaption of the sound, unerring rules
of art. 5; Bis
Design, resulting from the full appreciation of
fine art, was lavishly used during the fifteenth
and sixteenth centuries, upon every kind of,
manufacture. The terra cotta of Faenza, of|
exquisite design and great. variety. The
Limoges enamel upon copper, forming cups,
plates, tazzas, and various ornaments, were
often painted by artists like Parmegiano.
Richly coloured marbles were freely used in
unity with beautiful mosaics, for interior em-
bellishment. The dress of the period was
rich in the extreme, in fashion, colours and
material.. The missals and _psalters of the
church were illuminated ;—medalling carefully
practised; engraving on steel, chrystal, and
precious stones, in intaglio, and inlaying with
gold and silver, upon the sumptuous designs
for armour and offensive weapons, cups, vases,
chalices, and sculptured plate, were eagerly
sought. The superb setting of jewels, inter-
mixed with enamelling, became a passion ;
and the liberality and demand for large and
small goldsmith’s werks; produced a great
body of the finest manufacturing artists,
medallers, and engravers, celebrated in an age)
rich in every species of excellence depending
upon the arts. Benvenuto Cellini was of most,
distingushed eminence, of elegant person,|
great vivacity; bold and full of intelligence,
he lived amongst the most noble princes and,
dignified ecclesiastics of that turbulent age;
sometimes soldier, musician, engraver, sculp-
tor, or medallist; he produced coins for the
mint, both, at Rome and Florence, so fine as

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

to be preserved as medals; he was ennobled;
and dying at Florence, in 1570, was buried
with great funeral pomp. He had lived in
intimacy with Michael Angelo, Titian, and all
the great painters, sculptors, and architects of
Italy; courted and esteemed by princes; these
illustrious men were supported in great splen-
dour, and held in the highest estimation.

Such being the treatment of artists by a
Charles V. or Francis I., the celebrated eccle-
siastics of the period, and the minor States of
Italy, can we wonder at the success of art
under encouragements so flattering, or be

to prevail upon these great artists to visit
‘him?

Louis the XIV. was a magnificient patron
of the arts, and also first instituted an academy
in France, for the purpose of teaching art
upon systematic principles, subdividing the
instruction under the heads of drawing after
the antique and after the living model, anatomy,
‘painting, perspective, the laws of taste,
colouring and composition. The plan of edu-
cation previously pursued was that of appren-
ticeship, where the youth gradually learned
the craft, assisted his master, and set up for
| himself; and in this manner the noblest artists
had been produced. Notwithstanding the
iadvantages which an academy presents in
providing able teachers, and collecting the
‘great examples of art, without the study of
which the strongest intellect may be deviously
‘employed.. Academies have never succeeded
in sustaining a-period of declining art: few
are taught to much purpose, unless in a great
measure their own teachers; and we find that
art sunk rapidly after the time of Francis the
First. Ri

Tt continued thus depreciated for nearly two
centuries; and although many of the castle
palaces of Germany, were erected during that
time, and command. attention from their mas-
sive and often impressive grandeur, there is
not that purity of style which will stand the
test of time. Contemporaneous in England,
the Elizabethan was paramount, and in the
next age,adebased use of the style of Louis
XIV. was the favourite. Beauties may be
found in both; eachfis extremely picturesque,
and when chosen with due regard to fitness of
purpose, may be tolerated by the lover of fine
art, and most assuredly will please the painter.
The Italians, naturally a refined people, and
accustomed to fine sculpture and painting in
their churches, first returned to the right path;
France and Germany have followed, and
England has now the opportunity.— Crabb.

Cement for Wow anv China.

Common -ctvE is well known to be soluble in
water, and that after any length of time has
elapsed since its first application; those
articles, therefore, which are glued together
are only such.as are ordinarily to be kept dry,
lest the moisture to which they may be exposed

surprised that our Harry VIII. was unable.

139

should dissolve the glue which unites their
various joints, and they, consequently, fall to
pieces. The only preventative of this ef-
fect has hitherto consisted in laying on a
coat of varnish in order to keep off the wet.
There are very many cases ini which glue
would be used were it not for this solubility,
such, for example, as vessels to hold. hot or
cold water, furniture for sea use, where it may
be exposed to a damp atmosphere, show-boards
for houses, external shutters and doors, and
numerous other pieces of workmanship. It
is somewhat surprising, therefore, that no|
attempt should have been made in this coun-
try to bring into general use the famed ‘‘ Cheese)
glue”’ which is employed on the Continent in
most ofthe before-mentionedcaseswith complete
success. Itis known, indeed, as a cement for
joining china, glass, and, we believe, is the
same as Vaucouvier’s cement which is sold at
a very high price for that purpose. It is cer-|
tain, at least, that such articles may be joined
together with it, so as to have a neat joint, and
to resist the ungenial degrees of temperature
to which they are generally exposed, as well as
the action of water, acid &c. From this latter
property it may also be useful for joining
broken galvanic troughs, &c. Applied to wood
it is extremely tenacious and equally resisting.
The following is the receipt :—

Take some fresh cheese, made with rich,
creamy milk (Cheshire cheese will do) ; pound
it and wash it in warm water, untll all the solu-| |
ble parts are carried off by the water ; this lat-
ter process may be performed in a sieve or linen
cloth, through which the cheese must be after-!
wards passed, in order to get rid of the water.
When quite drained it crumbles like stale bread,
andis then dried upon unsized paper, in which
state it will keep fresh a very long time. gi...

This material, which is caseum mixed with
a small proportion of butter, is not soluble
in water except by the addition of quick-
lime, but by pounding this with the mix-
ture it becomes transformed into a very
viscous sort of cheese which can be diluted |
with’ water to the consistency required for
the work. It dries quickly, and when dry
it cannot again. be dissolved, therefore no more
should be prepared at any one time than can,
be immediately used. This is one of the,
reasons why it has hitherto been so little used.
The trouble and difficulty would be greatly di-||
minished by keeping in a well closed vessel
some powdered quicklime to mix with the
caseum at the time of pounding. It would be
still. better to: soften the caseum in hot water,
and, for expidition’s sake, the two substances
should be kept in a close vessel, being pre-
viously mixed dry and reduced to a fine powder.
It is applied in the same manner as common
glue:

The above receipt was known to the ancients,
even, it is supposed, in the time of the Greeks;|
and during the flourishing age of the Italian'
School of painting it was commonly employed)
to join together the various parts of panel

boards.
a F.

Che CHronotpptst.

——

On the 18th instant the Royal South London
Floricultural Society held its fourth miscel-
laneous show at the Royal Surrey Zoological
Gardens, when a most splendid collection of
fuschias, carnations, picotees,,. roses, antirrhi-
nums, &c., were exhibited. ne gardens were
thronged and everything passed off. as well as
could be desired.——30,000 ‘ persons visited
Derby on the recent anniversary of ‘the
Arboretum. —— The Birmingham Botanic
Garden is open to the working classes on
Mondays, on’ payment of one penny each per-
son. .On Monday, the 10th inst., there were
admitted 2,900 persons.—— The painting
recently bequeathed to the Grantham Philo-
sophical Institution by the late Charles Cope
Earle Welby, Esq., was painted by Francesco
Albano, born at Bologna in 1578. It was the
practice of this*painter to take for his models
his wife and family of boys, who were very
beautiful, and to whom he was greatly attached ;
and itis not improbable that the ‘‘Io’’ in the
painting “is a picture of the former, and the
cupids of the latter.——The’ first anniversary
dinner of the Builders’ Benevolent Institution

||took place on the 19th instant. ‘The company
\|were numerous, and nothing could exceed

the delight and harmony experienced by those
who partook of the good cheer. Lord R.
‘Grosvenor took the chair, and was supported
by several eminent professional gentlemen.
jhe donations received up to the preseiit time
were stated to amount to £1,000.—A_ whole-
sale reduction in the price of copper.is said to
have taken place at Birmingham.—A cargo
of gun-stocks have been shipped to England
from New York.——The Tower of London is
about to be put into a state of defence.——The
bust of Luther has at length been admitted
into the Bavarian Walhalla at Munich.—A
marble statue of Chateaubriaud is to be placed
in the Academie Francaise.——The Colonial
papers state that the silver and. lead mines in
South Australia are yielding. abundantly a
constant supply of precious ore.——A_ public
museum and library at Warrington is in course
of establishment.—It has been stated that,
allowing 2lin. for each member in the House
of Commons now, erecting, .the number of
sittings on the ground floor would be 318. In
the present house the allowance is only 19in.,
and the number of sittings 229. The number
of sittings in the galleries of the new house will
be 180. Inthe galleries of the present house
the number is somewhat larger, namely 154.
The whole number of sittings in the new house
will be 448—the number in the: present being
only 880.—On the 19th instant, the first
weekly return of the Westminster Working
Man’s Institute, Pare-street., Westminster,
was made. 70 members have joined, ‘at one
halfpenny per week. The reading-room is
furnished with the daily papers, and instruction
is given to adults in writing and arithmetic.
—The Statue of the Republic, which was
used for the féte de la Concorde in the Champ-
de-Mars, and which, as a work of art, did not

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

meet with much favour in the opinion of con-
noisseurs, has been removed. At Ghent, the’
sculptors, painters, and other artists, are stated
to have. their studios crowded with their pro-
ductions, which: no one will purchase at any
price. ——We learn that the mad scheme of
employing locomotives on common roads is
about to be revived once more by its original
projector, Sir John Anderson ;—the bubble will
“live its day’? and then burst.——A large|
manufacturing firm in Birmingham has dis-
charged all its English hands and put on
Frenchmen.—The Newcastle School of
Design ‘has been abolished—we shall have
something more to say upon the matter next
week.—The repairs, &c., of Drury Lane
Theatre, made by M. Jullien during his lessee-
ship, are said to have cost £2;000.—Some)
very pretty extempore decorations were got
up by Mr. Gye, on the occasion of Her
Majesty’s late visit to the Royal Italian Opera:
the royal box being removed to the centre of,
the house, and the hangings, &c., beautifully
arranged.—The National Gallery owes nearly,
allits treasures to private munificence.—A
new Polytechnic Institution is spoken of.——
The streets of London, during the last eighteen
years, have increased on the average at the rate,
of a mile a month.—lIt is stated that the new

House of Commons will positively ‘be ready)| -

for the occupation of members in the next
session. The last portion of the old House,
called the Speaker’s House, the adjoining
Committee-rooms, and those forming the
centre of the cloister, have just been removed.
The entrance hall to the new ‘house, and the
Western window to Westminstar Hall, have
attained their elevation, and are rapidly ap-
proaching to completion. Orders, it eat
have been issued for the removal, forthwith, of,
all the temporary erections at the east entrance
to Westminster Hall.——The Rev. Mr. Pepper, |
of Albany, N. Y., has invented a compound,
of clay, called Argillo, which resembles, in,
structure and appearance, the richest, varie-
gated agate. Itis to be used for door knobs,
pavement, table tops, and other ornamental
articles. . It surpasses in brilliancy: any known
variety of marble, and is equally cheap. One
million of dollars have been offered. for the
entire patent.——Her Majesty has given
directions. that the State apartments at Wind-
sor Castle be thrown open. on-Mondays in ad-
dition to those days already granted.

Feast or Lanterns rm Cuina.—A_ cele-
brated feast held’ on the fifteenth day of the’
first. month, and thus denominated from the)
immense nuinber of lanterns hung out of the
houses, and in the streets, the number of which’
has been reported even to exceed two hundred

millions. On this great occasion lanterns of all)
prices are exhibited, some of which have been!
estimated at the value of two thousand crowns.)
Several of their mandarins retrench somewhat
daily out of the expenses of their dress, equi-
page, table, &c., to appear the more showy and

magnificent in this favourite embellishment.
They are adorned with gilding, painting, japan-
ning, sculpture, &c. :

a — —— —— ————— ——— —as— — Or aaa aI

oaiaee Shae

ni ielbeteacing eta aeeemea ipsa aoe as

tenn rc nlite Dp AR cles pe os epase

a iene

|
a
hg
i
i
j

Seater ntl

SaTuRDAY, |

Peweastle School of Design.
|
|
|

Ld
\)
{|

RAVITATION
and good sense incline ordinary men _ to
derra firma and reasonable actions — with
| ministers, however, the case is dif-
| ferent: mud seems to be their element,
and paltriness the climax of their efforts.
‘With them nearly everything is performed in
‘opposition to justice and common honesty. In
order to make up for deficiencies in the

far

revenue, poor Usrrutness is assailed, and his
income cut down, while pampered, pensioned
Iptennss is allowed still to stalk and strut
\\‘*in robes of purple and fine linen,’’ wrung
from the product of the ceaseless toil and
labour of many a broken dejected spirit and
hungry belly ; wrung with a remorseless
hand from the orphan’s meal, and the widow’s
scanty pittance.

| These remarks have been called forth by a
lrecent contemptible act on the part of go-
vernment in abolishing the Newcastle School
lof Design, which absorbed the enormous sum
of one hundred and fifty pounds per annum!
Yes! £150 per annum — less than one-
twentieth part of the pension paid to the heir

lof General Scuomperc, who fought for Wit-

Speman ea

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

Ss =

[Avcustr 5, 1848.

LiAm ITI. at the Boyne, more than a century
and a half since—less than is paid to the
illegitimate offspring of our late King—less
than is paid to a grooni in waiting—less by
one-fiftieth than the sum allowed for Prince
Axsert’s dog kennels—less than the sum paid
for the education of one Royal baby—a little
more than the pensions paid to Her Maszsry’s
drawing, writing, and singing masters—less
than the sum paid to Atrrep Cors, keeper
of the lions in the Tower—less by one-half
than the salary allowed to the deputy house-
keeper of the House of Commons—less by one
half than the pension awarded to Madlle.
Avucusta Emma pv’Estr—and more by one
hundred pounds than the expense incurred for
the education of the second son of the late
King of the Musquito Indians!!!

Here we pause to take breath;—but a whole
number of our magazine would scarcely con-
tain all the facts that we could readily bring
forward in support of the consistency of our

preliminary remarks.

It was Napoteon, we believe, who held it as
a maxim that ‘‘the sciences which honour the’
human understanding—the arts which embel-

lish life and transmit great actions to pos-;
terity, ought .to be specially patronised
by an independent government.” Despot and)
hypocrite as he was, Buonaparte evidently
understood the science of legislation better
than either Lord Joun Russext or the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer; he understood the
grand secret of winning love by making con-

cessions—-of gaining respect and admiration as
much by clear-headed enactments in the
council as by prowess in the field.

The idea of abolishing an educational estab-
lishment merely because it is required to effect
a saving of a paltry £150 per annum, would
almost seem improbable as emanating from the
ministry of a country, whose progress both in
wealth and civilisation, depends entirely upon
the dissemination of knowledge among its
industrial classes, were we not, alas, but too
well acquainted with the character of the men
who at present occupy the highest offices in
the State: weakness, indecision, and ignor-

ance are their sole recommendations—and the
most glaring acts of injustice, form, what in
these days is called (Gop save the mark!)
legislation !

142

Eo Gorresponvenis, Ke.

WRITE LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH
THY WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MAY BE REA-
DILY DECYPHERED BY THE RECIPIENT OF THY
COMMUNICATION,

—

“L.”—You will see that we have given an
article on isometrical perspective in our last—the
others are now in hand, and we are merely delay-
ing them in order to render them more perfect.
We would be particularly obliged to you if you
will particularise the “‘ barren’’ portion of our
work, as your letter does not do so. We must
confess that we are not sufficiently versed in
astronomy as to be able to inform you respecting
the time of the sun’s rising and setting at Port
Philip and Sydney, and even if we were, as it
must vary daily, we should scarcely be able to
devote a page of our periodical to such matter.
You had better try and borrow or buy the ‘* Nau-
tical Almanac,” the price of which.is 6s. We
are obliged to you for introducing our work to
your friends.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the Drcorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.’’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readersas will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c.

Cases for Vols. I. and II. are now ready,
price Is. 3d, each; or the Publisher will under-
tahe to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

*.* Any of our readers having complete
AupHasers of an ornamental description suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part V5 is now ready, price 7d.

HMarhling Paper any Wook=eyges.

—_—

Tue first thing required is a wooden trough,
made of inch deal, about one inch and three-
fourths in depth, and half an inch in length
and breadth larger than the sheets of paper
\jthat are to be marbled. ‘This proportion
between the size of the trougn and paper
should always be observed, to prevent waste of
colour; of coure troughs of various sizes will
be required, where paper of various sizes is to
be marbled. The trough must be water-tight,
and the edges of the sides of it must be sloped
or bevelled off on the outside, to prevent any
drops of colour which may fall on them, from
running into the trough and sullying its con-
tents.

_A skimmer or clearing stick must be pro-
vided foreach trough : this is a piece of wood
two inches and a half wide, half an ineh thick,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

and as long as the trough it belongs to 2s wide
ve the use of this will be explained here-
aiter.

A stone and muller of marble, or some other
hard stone, the size according to the quantity
of colour required to be ground. Also, a flex-
ible knife for gathering the colour together,

A dozen or two of small glazed pipkins to
Poe colours in. The pots being furnished
wit i

Brushes. made as follows:—Take a round
stick about as thick as your finger, and cut a
notch all round one end of it, next, take some)
bristles, four or five inches long, and place
them evenly round the ‘stick, at the notched
end, letting them project one inch and three-
fourths beyond the wood; fasten the bristles to
the stick by several turns of stout thread; cut
away the ragged bristles, and tie up the brush
firmly with fine cord. i

The use of the notch round the end of the,
handle is to make the bristles spread out,||
when firmly tied up, so that when used, the
colour may be scattered about more abun-
dantly.

Rods for drying the paper om when marbled
are better than lines; they should be round,
at least the upper side should, and about an
inch and a quarter in breadth and thickness.
12 rods 11ft. long will hang 33 quires of demy,
or 44 quires of foolscap. ‘

Colours : of these the following asssortment :
Red Vermillion, droplake, rose-pink, Venetian
red, red ochre.—Blue : Indigo blue, Prussian
blue, verditer. Orange: Orange-lead, orange-
orpiment. Black: Ivory, blue-black. Yellow;:
Dutch pink, yellow ochre, king’s yellow, En-
glish pink.

With respect to grinding your colours, ob-
serve the finer the colours are ground the better
and the cheaper will your work be. First, your
colours should be finely pounded, then mixed
with water to the consistence of paste, and put
in a colour pot with the knife. From the pot,
the colour must be taken out a little at a time
and levigated very fine with pure water.

Compound colours are made by mixing the
colours mentioned in the foregoing paragraph
in certain proportions. The following may be
particularised :—To make red colour, mix three
parts of rose-pink, with one of vermillion. A
finer red: four parts of rose-pink, two parts of
vermillion, and one part of droplake; for very
fine work use droplake alone, hut. use it spar-
ingly, for it is adear article. Yellow: Two
parts of Dutch pink, and one part each of
king’s yellow and English pink. Green: made
by mixing blue and yellow. Dark blue: In-
digo; which may be made lighter by the addi-
tion of verditer. Orange brown: two parts of|
Venetian red, and one part of orange lead.
Fine orange : put some yellow ochre in a ladle
over a fire, and keep it there till it assumes a
dark red colour. Take of this red ochre (finely
pounded) and of Venetian red equal quantities,
and add a little orange-orpiment or rose-pink,
mix altogether. Umber colour: equal quantities
of Venetian red, orange-lead, and ivory-black ;
this can be lightened with orange-lead, or
darkened with ivory-black. Cinnamon colour :
Venetian red with a little Prussian blue. All|]

‘other colours which may be wanted can be
made by mixing together those already de-
scribed, in a manner that will be dictated by
experience,

In addition to the articles already mentioned
obtain the following: a bottle of ox-gall, a
bottle of good oil of turpentine, and some pure
water.

Supposing you to be provided with the
materials for marbling, the next thing is to
show you how to set about the operation. In
the first place, the trough, already described,
must be filled (at least to the eighth of an inch
of the top) with a solution of gum tragacanth,
which is to be prepared as follows :—gum of a
pale white, semi-transparent appearance, (gum
of a pure white or of a brownish colour is
often bad) is to be soaked: in water for at least
forty-eight hours, in the proportion of half a
pound to a gallon and a half; this should make
a gum water as thick as that used in miniature
painting. Pass this solution through a hair
sieve or linen cloth, and pour it into the trough.
Tn all cases when the trough is to be used, the
solution should be stirred with afew quills, and
the surface of it cleared from film, &c., by the
skimmer previously described.

Colours intended to represent veins, are made
by adding a small quantity of gall to the
various colours, and stirring each well up with a
brush,in order that they may be properly mixed.
Previous to use, these mixtures of colour and
gall are to be thinned with water to the con-
sistence of cream, and are to be well stirred
up.

Colours for making spots like lace-work.--Take
some dark blue, or other colour, add some gall
to it, and about as much, ora little less, oil
of turpentine ; stir all well together, and dilute
with water.

Your trough being prepared, and your
colours all at hand, it will now be proper
|\to try if the latter are ina proper state. To
do this, throw on the solution, by shaking the
various colour brushes over it, some spots
of colour. If the spots spread out larger
than acrown piece in size, the colours have
too much gall: if the spots, after spreading
out a little, contract again, there is too little
gall in them. In the one case more colour
must be added, in the other, more gall.

If the colours are in good order, and paper
is to be marbled, the whole surface of the
solution in the trough must be covered by
colours, in spots, streaks, or curls, accord-
ing to the pattern required, and laid on
according to directions which will be given
presently. iThe paper should be previously
prepared for receiving the colours, by dipping
it overnight in water, and laying the sheets on
each other with a weight over them. The
sheet of paper must be held by two corners,
and laid in the most gentle and even manner
\|on the solution covered with the colours, and
there softly pressed with the hand that it may
bear everywhere on the solution; after which
it must be raised and taken off with the
: same care, and’then hung to dry over the
||rods.

es és 2 3 Se

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

143

The following directions will serve to show
how the various patterns are made :—1, Throw
on red till the solution is nearly covered, then
some yellow, black, and green. You may add
if you please a little purple with plenty of
gall and water in it; you may twist the
colours into any shape you choose by means of
a quill. 2. Throw on red, yellow, black, and
green, as before; but for a last colour, add
some of the bark blue mixed with turpentine.

—s. Throw on red, yellow, black, and gyeen,||
in the proportion that you choose; then with||

a quill draw lines through the colours; after
which, throw on a greater of less quantity of
blue, green, pink, or purple, much diluted, and
containing plenty of gall and turpentine.—4.

Throw on very fine red for veins; then plenty})
If yonr clours are||
good this produces a handsome pattern in aj}:

of the turpentine blue.

short time.—5. Throw on some dark blue
mixed with turpentine, and take this up with a
paper previously stained of a yellow, light
blue, red, pink, or green colour. To obtain
a good green for this purpose, boil French
berries in water, add a little spirit or liquid
blue, and carefully brush over the paper (which
must be good and well sized) with this mix-
ture.

A few general and recapitulary observations
may not be useless here. Let your materials
be of the best quality. Grind your colours
finely, and keep them clean. When your
colours become too thick for use, add fresh
ground colour with water and a little gall to
them, and stir them up well. Be particular in
getting good turpentine. When the solution of,
gum gets dirtied throw it away and makea
fresh one.

The neatest and most convenient method of

marbling the edges of books is to dip one
volume at a time, doing the ends first, and
throwing back the boards to do the fore edge:
observing to held the book tight with both

hands and not to dip deeper than the surface,||

to prevent the solution from spoiling the book.
It is the safest way, probably, to tie the book
between boards before dipping. For the sake

of convenience and economy, when only a few||

books. are to be marbled, a small trough should
be used.

Marbled paper is glazed by a machine
similar to that with which cottons are glazed, a
sight of which may easily be obtained at any
calenderers. But amachine of this kind would
only be required by suchjas might marble very
largely. Book-edges are polished by the agate
burnisher, and so might small pieces of paper be

polished, which were required for any parti-
cular purpose. Good common pressing, or at
most hot-pressing, might serve instead of,
glazing. For any fancy work it would havea
fine effect to varnish the marble paper after it
had been put to its destined purpose and had
become dry. Paste, and all moisture, it is well
known, chase all the glaze away. The appli-
cation of a coat of varnish subsequent to the
application of paste would double the beauty
of the best marble paper made, and much
improve the common kind, at a trifling
expeuse.

144.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

An Elustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used tr Architectural anv
EIntertor MBecoration, Ke.

[Continued from page 134.]

Empatttep Fret Movtoine, a moulding

=| Ie
mee

used in Saxon architecture.

Enricurp Triancutar Movtpine, a mould-

ing used in Saxon architecture.

Escurcueon (in heraldry), signifies the
shield or field upon which the distinctive
‘|bearing of a coat-of-arms are inscribed (see
Coat-of-Arms). In architecture the term is

applied to various ornamental slabs, &c.,
either of stone, wood, or iron, used for various
|\decorative purposes. Our engraving repre-
sents one of these employed for a door-
ring.

Eve or tHE Ionic Voture (in architecture),

engraving,

[To be continued.]

that portion of the volute marked a in the

Brivge Across the BWanude.

We are gladto learn that the magnificent} |
works of this suspension bridge are progressing | |
in the most satisfactory manner, under the
sole direction of Mr. T. Clark. The difficulties
attending the construction of a permanent
bridge across the Danube have hitherto been
generally considered insurmountable. One of
the greatest difficulties the engineer has had to
contend with has been the construction of the
coffer-damsin this deep andrapid river,which at:
Pesth runs six to seven English miles an hour.
The depth of water at its lowest state is twenty,
feet. At the same time the river is liable to
serious overflowings. The continual fluc-
tuations of such a river was not the only dif-
ficulty the engineer has had to contend with,
for in the winter the river is generally frozen
over several feet thick, and which, when
broken up by a sudden thaw, is carried onwards,
with an inconceivable force, sometimes forming |
whole fields of ice, an English mile in length, |
of great width and immense thickness, and
icebergs, some as high aseleven feet. To’
resist this tremendous violence, the coffer-dams, |
with proportionable ice-breakers, were con- |
structed at an immense vost, and they have
nobly done their work. The dimensions of the’
bridge are as follows, viz. :—distance between |
points of suspension, 665 feet; two side
openings, each 297 feet; width of platform, 42)
eet, to be supported by cast iron beams, in.
one piece; height of platform above low,
water, 50 feet. The suspension piers, or towers,
are 150 feetin height from the foundations, of
solid masonry, being faced with granite to the,
level of the roadway. The stone is brought |
from the granite quarries of Manthausen, in)
the neighbourhood of Lintz, and distant from)
Pesth about 300 English miles. Many of the) |
stones weigh from ten to twelve tons. The)
cofter-dam for the second suspension tower, |
which had been the most difficult to accomplish, |
has just been completed, and when cleared,
there will be a clear depth of 60 feet. The)!
piles which have been necessary-to construct,
this dam were allin oue length, from 75 to 80
feet long, and 15 inches square, while of these
piles nearly 2,000 have been required ; and |
some extraordinary fine specimens of oak)
measured 110 feet. The oak came from the)
forest of Salvonia. The total length of the bridge,
with approaches, will be about 600 yards, and)
will produce from its peculiar situation amidst,
some of the finest buildings in Europe, a,
most imposing effect. This will be the first)
permanent bridge with stone piers built be-
tween Ratisbonne and the Black Sea since the
time of Trajan, A.D. 103, when a bridge was
built across the Danube at the Eixen Thor, or
Iron-gate, situate on the confines of Hungary
and Servia, and where travellers performed
quarantine before entering the Austrian do-
minions. The foundations of the above bridge
are still in existence, and are pointed out to
the traveller, as well as the remains of a road
hewn out of the solid rock, and which, con-
structed in part of timber, overhangs the
river.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT. 145

PRE NR ee

Gothic Tracery. aq

—_—

ArncH MovuLDINGS OF WIN

pow ON AN \ |
IncH SCALE. |

DiaGRAM SHOWING THE Mertuop oF STRIKING THE TRACERY oF WinDoW FROM WortHFLEert

Cuurcn (ctven in No. 64). |
Se
\|

Potes upon Glass Patntiurg. artist, afforded by the discovery of the various |
enamel colours, about the middle of the six-| |
teenth century, soon led to their extensive em- |
[Concluded from page 133.] ployment. It was not, however, until the |

“The mosaic system of glass painting is ad- | eighteenth century that they entirely super ||
mirably adapted to the nature of the material. |seded the use of coloured glasses in large,
It is, however, unsuited for mere picturesque works. The introduction of enamels, though
effect owing to the nature of its colouring, | it certainly occasioned a great extension of,
which being produced by broad pieces of glass, the scale of colour in glass painting, was not
whose tints can scarcely be varied either in the | without “ts disadvantages. ‘The paintings lost
lights or shadows (the latter being represented transparency what they gained in variety of,
by means of the enamel brown), imparts to |tint; and in proportion as their picturesque
works executed in this style the fat and hard, | qualities were increased by the substitution of
though brilliant, character of an ancient oil | enamel colouring for coloured glass, their,
painting. The revival of art in the sixteenth | depth of colour sensibly diminished.
century, and the extraordinary efforts then The varieties of glass painting have been)|
achieved in oil-painting, by which the hard | atranged under five styles, or classes: V12.))
and dry illumination of the middle ages| The Early English, which extends from the,
was transformed into a beautiful picture glow- | date of the earliest specimens extant, to the,
ing with the varied tints of Nature, and ex- | year 1280. The Decorated, which prevailed from
pressing to the eye, by a nice gradation of 1280 to 1380. The Perpendicular, from 1880)
colouring, the relative position of near and | tv 1530. The Cinque Cento, from 1500 to 1550.
distant objects, seem to have excited the ambi- | And the Intermediate, comprehending the
tion of the glass-painters. Not content with period which has elapsed from the end of the)
carrying mosaic glass-painting to the highest Cinque Cento style down to the present day.
pitch of perfection it has hitherto attained, and Early English painted windows are in|
with borrowing the excellent drawing and | general almost entirely composed either of|
composition of the oil and fresco painters, coloured glass, or of white glass. The coloured
they strove to render their own art more com- windows are neatly exclusively appropriated
pletely am imitation of Nature, and to produce to pictures, and the white ones to patterns.
in a transparent material the atmospheric and | Both are usually surrounded with a wide
and picturesque effects so successfully exhibited coloured border, returning along the bottom
by the reflective surfaces of oil and fresco| of the window. The coloured windows are
paintings.’ The facility of applying colour to perfect mosaics, of the most vivid, intense,
glass with the brush, at the pleasure of the!and gem-like tints. Their tone of colouring

—

= ee SS Se = ~

146

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

is deep, harmonious, and rich, but not gay‘
they exclude more light than perhaps any
other painted windows, and their general effect
is extremely solemn and impressive. Some
windows of this description, from the smallness
and number of the pieces of glass they con-
tain, present at a distance only arich and con-
fused assemblage of various colours; their
design being as little defined as that of a
Turkey carpet to which they have often been
likened. The white windows have a remark-
ably brilliant and silvery, though cold ap-
pearance, owing to the greenish blue tint of
ithe glass. Their effect is grand and imposing,
especially when the window is of considerable
magnitude. There are three principle classes
of coloured windows in this styie, whieh for
the sake of convenient reference may be
termed, Medallion windows, Figure and conopy
windows, and Jesse windows. 5

| “One of its most distinctive features of the
second style is the natural form of its foliaged
ornaments: in these the leaves of the ivy,
maple, oak, and other trees and plants may
be easily recognised. These more exact imi-
tations of Nature were rather sparingly used
at the commencement of the style, and did
not, at least in white patterns, wholly super-
sede the older and more conventional forms
until the end of the reign of Edward I., or
alittle after. Itis principally in works exe-
cuted between 1280 and tie end of the reign
of Edward I., that the test of style afforded
by the presence of the naturally formed leaf
is most valuable; for they bear in general so
close aresemblance in other respects to the
later early English glass paintings, that with-
out this mark it would be difficult in many
cases satisfactorily to distinguish them from
each other.. Thisresemblance principally arises
from the early decorated glass paintings being
composed of glass of the same texture as the
later early English glass paintings. Hence
the general appearance of early decorated
coloured windows, though extremely rich is
by no means gay; and that of white windows
is grey and cold. The grandeur of each sort
is enhanced by the great width sometimes
given to the lower lights of early decorated
windows. Towards the end of the reign of
Edward I., and afterwards, many other points
of difference between the two styles are ob-
servable ; amongst which should be particularly
noticed the employment of the yellow stain,
‘which seems to have been imtroduced soon
after the commencement of the fourteenth
century. The colour thus produced is in
general easily. distinguishable by its lemon-
‘like tint, from the more intense and golden
pot-metal yellows, to which it affords an agree-
able contrast. In many instances, however,
especially during the latter part of the reign
of Edward the III., the stain yellow is almost
as deep as the pot-metal yellow. Its facility
of application soon brought it into general use.
By its means the former coldness of white
pattern windows was speedily corrected, and
artists soon discovered in the richness and
power of the stain an efficient substitute for
many of the pot-metal colours. Thus a
broader and less mosaic style of colouring was

gradually introduced, white and yellow glass
entering more largely into the composition of
coloured designs. The presence of so much
yellow had also, the effect of imparting to the
later decorated glass paintings a gay and lively
appearance,

The substitution of ornaments of a peculiarly
flat delicate, and conventional character, for
the more decided and naturally-shaped leaves,
of which so much of the detail of decorated
glass paintings is composed, constitutes a strik-| |
ing feature of the perpendicular style, though
one which was by no means fully developed
until the fifteenth century. . The increasing
use of the yellow stain, and of white glass,
in lieu of pot-metal colours, and the gradual
adoption of a less mosaic and broader style of||
colouring, may be traced throughout the
interval between 1380 and 1400; but the pre-
dominance of white and yellow stained glass
over the other colours is perhaps more strik-
ingly manifested after the beginning of the
fifteenth century. The stipple method of
shading, which so materially increased the
pictorial resources of the art of glass painting,
appears to have been introduced about the
commencement of the fifteenth century. It is
true that glass paintings did not display the
full powers of stipple shading until upwards of
a hundred years afterwards, but it was imme-
diately discovered that this system of shading
afforded remarkable facilities for imparting a
highly jinished appearance to glass paintings.
The introduction of stipple shading may also
be regarded as having sensibly affected the
colouring of glass paintings; for the ancient
artists appear to have soon perceived that mo-
saic arrangements of stiffand powerful colours
were unfavourable to a display of the more
minute gradations of light and shade in pictorial
compositions; and that the very shadows them-
selves tended to correct the coldness of white’
glass and to increase the richness of the lighter
kinds of coloured glass. These considerations
may serve to account both for the introduction)
of large masses of white glass relieved with
the yellow stain into the richest picture win-
dows even of the commencement of the fifteenth |
century ; a practice which involved the’ gene-
ral adoption of a broader style of colouring;
and also for the diminished intensity of tint
in the different kinds of white and coloured
glass, as well as the greater harmony, liveliness,
and gaiety of their hues, and evenness of colour,
in proportion as the style advanced, and the
new principle of colouring was carried out.
The taste for broad and soft colouring, and)
delicacy of execution, manifested in perpen-
dicular picture windows naturally, or rather
necessarily, extended itself to perpendicular
pattern windows also, which display these
qualities in as remarkable a manner as the
former class of windows. Owing to these cir-
cumstances, perpendicular glass paintings in
general, when contrasted with decorated glass
paintings, are apt to appear paler, and less
rich in colour; in hee general effect,
however, they are more brilliant, softer, more
silvery and delicate; and what they seem to
lose in power they gain in refinement. The
earlier perpendicular picture glass paintings

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. |

are more bright and sparkling than the later
examples, in which the powers of stipple
shading are more perfectly developed; but the
deeper shadows, which detract in a certain
degree from the lustre of the glass paintings
of the sixteenth century, sensibly add to their
warmth and richness; and besides render
them less flat in appearance and more effective
and distinct when seen from a distance.

Fifty years, namely, from the beginning of
'|the sixteenth century, until the introduction
of the ‘‘mosaic enamel mode’’ of glass paint-
ing; about the middle of the sixteenth century.
For a short time, therefore, the Perpendicular
and Cinque Cento ‘styles were concurrent.
And if it were not for the peculiar character
of the Cinque Cento ornamental details, it
would be a matter of considerable difficulty
to distinguish the perpendicular glass paintings
of the first thirty years of the sixteenth cen-
tury, from the contemporaneous Cinque Cento
elass paintings. These examples of the two
styles, especially those of the early part of the
sixteenth century, often bear a considerable
resemblance to each other, not only in their
general arrangements, but sometimes even in
the drawing of the figures: there may also
be remarked in these paintings the same
gradual change from comparative poverty to
richness of colour; and from hardness and
flatness to softness and roundness of effect.
||Lhe Cinque Cento style reached its perfection
\|between the years 1525 and 1535,'a period
which may be termed the golden age of glass
painting. During this time, Cinque Cento
glass paintings display in general the most
gorgeous effects of colour, and the greatest
Jcontrasts of light and shade that have hitherto
'|been attained in painted glass without sacri-
'|ficing the transparency of the material, whilst
they often possess at the same time considerable
merit both in their drawing and composition.
Cinque Cento glass paintings executed soon
after 1535, begin to lose their transparency
and brilliancy, and to become black and opaque
in their deeper shadows, an evil which
imereased as the style advanced, and was
doubtless occasioned by the anxiety of the
artists to give greater force and effect to their
pictures, by imitating the deep shadows of
oil paintings. In point of richness of colour,
design, and composition, the latest Cinqae
Cento glass paintings are, however, not inferior
to the earlier specimens.

Thus we see the causes of decline rapidly
doing their work, until we reach the period of
the almost obliteration of the art,—constituting
what is called the fifth style, or Intermediate
between its decadence and (may we hope? its
‘revival in) our own time. This style seems to
have consisted chiefly in using painting on
glass with enamel colour as a substitute almost
entirely for coloured glass.

To Stain Ivory Yerrow.—Put a quarter of
a pound of alum in a pint of water, boil the
ivory in the solution, then boil it in a de-
coction of turmeric.

‘consumption of one bushel of coals.

147

Gornish Steam Engines.

In order to give an idea of one of these al
mous machines, we quote an account of one at
the Consolidated Mines, constructed by a Cor-,
nish engineer, Mr. Davey, and pumping
directly from a depth to the adit of 1,600 feet ;
the weight of the pumping apparatus being 507
tons 1 qr.: the cost £5,236. It burned 2,859,
bushels only, or 120 tons of coal in thirty days,
and made in that time 269,200 lifts of 8°75 feet
in the shaft, pumping up the 1,600 feet, 333 gal-
lons each lift, discharging them atthe adit,
and delivering forty-five gallons more to the
surface at each stroke: to effect which a weight
of more than three hundred tons is set in motion
and balanced, except the weight of the column
of water in the shaft, which last weighs 38 tons
3 cwt. The main pump-rod is 290 fathoms, or
1,740 feet long ; formed for 390 feet, of two 12-
inch squares of Riga balk timber, each piece
from 50 to 70 feet long, and afterwards of
15-inches, decreasing to 14 and 12 in descending
the mine; the whole isin height more than
one-third of a mile perpendicular, connected
by iron straps, and keptin a proper place by
forty guides fixed to the sides of the shaft.
Here isa Cyclopzan engine, almost without |
parallel in the history of machinery. ‘The

steam pressure on the piston is 80 tons, di- |
minishing to 18 at the end ofthe stroke; and the
leverage of the main beam balancing the
friction, or resistance of the engine, the above |
steam pressuae overcomes the resistance in the
pit, and elevates the load of 38 tons every lift.
In Cornwall, nearly thirty years ago, there
were engines of between 1,000 and 1,100 horse
power. Evento an eye practised in machinery
of magnitude, the first sight of one of these
engines; and a due examination of the enormous
power it wields, without noise, as was observed
by a London engineer. “‘with none of the
noise and clash of a steam at the London
water-works, and so easy to be managed, that
a child of ten years of age may stop or set it
working,” is truly surprising. Elsewhere
the ingenuity of the steam-engine may be con-
templated, but the full development of its power
is as yet to be seen only in Cornwall. Still
further to evince the truth of this remark, we
may add that a counter is kept locked, attached
to each engine, which returns the work it per-
forms monthly; and the coals being measured
from what have been consumed in that time.
the result is published in what are called
“duty papers.” In one case, at the Consoli-.
dated Mines,thereis an engine of Mr. Taylor’s, |
with an 85-inch cylinder, having a load of
11°46 on the piston, a length of stroke in the,

cylinder of 10°33, and of 7°75 in the pump, |
lifting 73,160,000 lbs. a foot high, with the con- |

‘sumption of a bushel of coals. Some of the
cylinders are 90 inches. Austen’s Fowey,
Consols is a celebrated engine for duty,
having an 80-inch cylinder; 10°97 load on the,
piston, and the length of stroke in the pump
9°25, lifting 87,065,000 lbs. a foot high, Le
6¢ is,”
says Mr. Wickstead, “is a most splendig

THE DECORATOR S

ASSISTANT.

engine, and does greater duty than any other
engine in Cornwall. The construction of the
valves and other parts of the engine is so per-
fect, that, though its load was equal to about
51,000 lbs., the hand gear might be worked by
a boy of ten years of age, as far as strength was
required. I worked it with perfect ease;
whereas, although a load upon one of our
engines of 36 inches cylinder is only about
12,000 lbs., it requires not only a strong but
alsoa weighty man to work it. 1 was very much
struck with the ease with which the engine in
question appeared to work; there was scarcely
any noise, the greatest was that of the steam
in its passage through the expansion valve.
To one who had been used to the noise of one
of the pumping engines in London it appeared
remarkable.”

The greatest quantity of water discharged
from any of the Cornish mines per minute, in
1837, was from the United Mines in the month
of March, 1634'49 imperial gallons; and from
the Consolidated Mines 1657°18 per minute.
Sir C. Lemon ascertained, by the duty paper,
that the whole quantity of water pumped out
of the earth by 60 Cornish engines in 1837
reached the amazing aggregate of just
37,000,000 tons! The enormous quantity of
43,500 hogsheads has been pumped up in 24
hours at one mine, Huel Abraham, from 1,440
feet of depth.

Misusr oF THe Terms Statuary, ScuLPror,
AND Carver— If we look at the derivation
of these terms, and the manner in which they
are now applied, we cannot but be astonished
at the departure from their original meaning,
showing how necessary it is that the sense of
worcs should be attended to. A statuary
(from statuarius) was anciently understood to
be a designer and maker of statues, and a
statue to be a figure or bust, &c., either
standing free of any back-ground, or in bold
relief. But we scarcely find it used in this
sense now; statuaries disclaim it, and masons
use it to signify a worker in statuary marble.
The next term, sculptor, has taken the place
statuary should occupy. Our statuaries think
it presumptuous for an ornamental sculptor to
use the term at all; they call him a carver;
whereas sculpture (from sculptura) is a general
term, including all kinds of figure and orna-
mental work, cut in hard substances in relief.
This appears to be the true sense, although it
formerly had a wider meaning, and included

|jengraving, &c. Theterm carver (from carptor)

ought to be entirely rejected, as unsuitable for
any kind of sculptor, and, in accordance with
its original meaning, let it be applied toa
cutter of meat. How, then, it may be asked,
shall we distinguish the various kinds of
sculptors?—by some suitable adjunct, if any
particular branch be followed, or without any,
when all branches are included, as portrait
sculptor, architectural sculptor, ornamental
sculptor, and sculptor, let the statuary call
himself a statuary, and shame the usurper.
We should then have terms somewhat more
definite and suitable than we have at present.

— Correspondent of the ‘‘ Builder.”

Harmony or Conours.—To understand the
just harmony of colours, in the decoration of;
the different parts of our edifices, is an essen-|
tial art to the painter. Colours that do not
harmonise in the least, are mal-associated |
daily ; and to modify these incongruities the fol-
lowing ascertained facts will be useful. In the)
decorations of the interiors of theatres, where as.
much light as possible is wanted, light colours
ought to prevail; blue or crimson should never
be used ; white ought to prevail in the fronts ;.
and a rose colour should never be used for

|
i

the backs of the boxes, because that colour,
gives a green tint to the complexions of the
audience. A light green, on the contrary, is.
the best colour to use, this making the com-|
plexion more rosy thanitreally is. To the
interior of houses, similar observations also
apply. All reds, orange-tints, and _violets,|
are extremely disadvantageous to the com-|
plexion ; dark colours are difficult to light up..
Among the light colours, the best are yellow,
or light green, or light blue; all these being
favourable, not only to the woods used for
furniture, but also to the complexion of
females. After these, whites, whitish tints,’
and greys, are not disadvantageous. Those,
colours that produce moderate contrasts are
best for use. Thus, for opposition to very light
tints sky-blue is very becoming, because it

| approaches the nearest to the colour which has

for supplement an orange tint, which is the |
foundation of the tint of the opposee. Yellow
and orange-tinted red are becoming to black
on account of their brilliant contrast; and!
again the supplementary colours of these two, |
viz., violet and bluish green, are also becoming,
because they harmonise with blackness. Rose-
coloured things should never be putin absolute
contact where one is of superior value to the |
other, because the former is sure to lose by
the comparison; but they should be separated
by white. Pale green is exceedingly becoming
to white, because it makes it appear warmer,
but it is unfavourable to red because it in-
creases its intensity. Violet should never be
used with white except of a very deep tint, so
as to make a strong contrast. A violet colour
will make white look green and a yellow
orange.

Scuoot, or Derstexn, Somerset Hovuse.—
On Friday, in last week, Mr. C. J. Richardson’
delivered a lecture to the students and their
friends on perspective, and,. although it was a.
bad night, had a fair audience. First alluding’
to optics and the nature of vision in rela-
tion to perspective, he exhibited the horizonto-.
rium and some curious examples of Catoptric.
projection; then illustrated isometrical pro-
jection,—then perspective projection; the
first as exhibiting real form, the latter appa-
rent form. He then gavea general description
of linear perspective, explaining the station
point, horizontal line, vanishing point, &c.,
and for interior perspective illustrated the
subject by sketching the room we were
ey is large number of drawings were exhi-

ited.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

The Parle Ouarcies of Carrara.

Tur Magra safely crossed in the ferry boat—
‘the passage is not by any means agareeable,
when the current is swollen and strong—we
arrived at Carrara, within a few hovrs. In
‘wood time next morning, we got some ponies,
‘and ‘went out to see the marble quarries.

| °
| They are four or five great glens, running up

into a range of lofty hills, until they can run
no longer, and are stopped by being abruptly
strangled by nature. The quarries, or “ caves,”

‘as they call them there, are so many openings,
‘| high upin the hills, on either side of these

‘passes, where they blast and excavate for mar-

‘ble ; which may turn out good or bad; may
‘make a man’s fortune very quickly, or ruin
him by the great expense of working what is
worth nothing. Some of these caves were
‘pened by the ancient Romans, and remain as
ithey left them to this hour. Many others are
‘being worked at this moment; others are to
be begun to-morrow, next week, next month;
others are unbought, unthought of; and
marble enough for more ages than have
passed since the place was resorted to, lies hid-
den everywhere: patiently awaiting its time
jof discovery. As you toil and clamber up
one of these steep gorges (having left your
pony soddening his girths in water, a mile or
two lower down) you hear, every now and
then, echoing among the hills, in alow tone,
more silent than the previous silence, a melan-
choly warning bugle,—a signal to the miners
to withdraw. Then, there is a thundering and
echoing from hill to hill, and perhaps a splash-
ing up great fragments of rock into the air;

‘|and on you toil again until some bugle sounds,
'|in a new direction, and you stop directly, lest
‘lyou should come within range of the new ex-
||plosion.

There were numbers of men, work-
ing high up in these hills—on the sides—

As these came rolling down from unseen hands
into the narrow valley, I could not help think-

‘jing of the deep glen (just the same sort of

glen) where the Roc left Sinbad the Sailor;
and where the merchants from the heights

,|above, flung down great pieces of meat for the

diamonds to stick to. There were no eagles
hear, to darken the sun in their swoop, and
jpounce upon them; but it was as wild and
fierce as if there had been hundreds. But
the road down, the road down which the mar-
ble comes, however immense the blocks! The
genius of the country, and the spirit of its in-
stitutions, pave that road: repair it, watch it,
keep it going! Conceive a channel of water
running over a rocky bed, beset with great
heaps of stone of all shapes and sizes, winding
down the middle of the valley; and that being
the road—because it was the road five hundred
years ago! ‘Imagine the clumsy carts of
tive hundred years ago, being used to this hour,
and drawn as they use to be, five hundred
years ago, by oxen, whose ancestors were worn

clearing away, and sending down the broken |
‘|masses of stone and earth, to make way for
the blocks of marble that had been discovered.

149

to death five hundred years ago, as their un-
happy descendants are now, in twelve months,
by the suffering and agony of this cruel work !
Two pair, four pair, ten pair, twenty pair, to,
one block, according to its size; down it must.
come, this way. In their struggling from
stone to stone, with their enormous loads
behind them, they die frequently upon the
spot; and not they alone; for their passionate
drivers, sometimes tumbling down in their)
energy, are crushed to death beneath the
wheels. But it was good five hundred years.
ago, and it must be good now; and a railroad,
down one of these steeps (the easiest thing in|
the world) would be flat blasphemy. When
we stood aside, to see one of these cars drawn
by only a pair of oxen (for it had but one |
small block of marble on coming down), I
hailed, in my heart, the man who sat upon the,
heavy yoke, to keep it on the neck of the poor
beasts—and who faced backward, not before!
him—as the very devil of true despotism. He.
had a great rod in his hand, with an iron point |
and when they could plough and force their,
way through the lose bed of the torrent no’
longer, and came toa stop, he poked it into)
their bodies, beat it on their heads, screwed it.
round and round in their nostrils, got them on ||
a yard or two in the madness of intense pain; )
repeated all these persuasions, with increased’
intensity of purpose, when they stopped again a
got them on, once more; forced and goaded
them to an abrupter point of the descent; and!
when their writhing and smarting,and the weight.
behind them, bore them plunging down the
precipice in a cloud of scattered water, whirled,
his rod above his head, and gave a great,
whoop and halloo, as if he had achieved some-.
thing, and had no idea that they might shake
him off, and blindly smash his brains upon the
road, in the noon-tide of his triumph.—
Dicken’s *‘ Pictures from Italy.”

To Frx Penci. anp Cuatx Drawines.—For
pencil drawings a thin solution of isinglass'
answers the purpose. It should be allowed to
run over the drawing, or be very carefully ap-
plied with a soft camel’s-hair pencil. For
ehalk drawings, make a thin solution of size,
put it in a flat dish, pass the drawing from one
side to the other under the liquid, taking care
that the liquid comes in contact with every part
of it. The friction of a camel’s-hair pencil
would injure the drawing. When it is com-
pletely wetted, fasten it to the edge of a table
or to a string, by means of two or three pins!
until dry. Crayon or charcoal drawings would
be spoiled by this process, and for fixing them
the paper should be washed over with a solu-
tion of size in the first instance. When quite
dry, the surface is in a good state for making
the drawing—after which it should be inverted
and held horizontally over steam. The steam
melts the size, which absorbs the charcoal or
crayon, and when it has again become dry the
drawing is fixed. ‘This process may be re-

peated several times during the progress of
a drawing, the effect being increased each
time.

ef 4

‘Ithe morning after its perpetration.

Che Chronotyyptst.

A Parliamentary paper shows that the total
number of letters patent for inventions granted
in the United Kingdom in 1847 amounted to
740, against 761 in 1846, and the total fees
received thereon to £32,977, against £34,108 in
the preceding year.——A reduction of wages
has taken place in some of the iron-work
districts. ——The Midland Counties Company
have fitted'up alecture and reading-room at
Rugby station. Upwards of 150 of. the
employés of the different companies . have
become subscribers. ——In France £12,000 has
been voted for the encouragement and aid of
the fine arts and, literature. ——The Sheffield
Master Builders’ School of Architecture was
opened on the 17th instant.——From what we
can glean from the passing occurrences of the
day, trade seems likely to be soon restored to

|lits wonted briskness: many new works have

been projected lately. There are employed
on the canals in the State of New York, more
than 30,000 men, 7,000 boys, and 4,000 women,

‘lin all more than 41,000 persons, -——The ‘‘ ill

wind” blowing ‘‘ good,” says the Atheneum,
isexemplified in a recent case amongst our,
artists. A. robbery which took; place some
time since at the house of Mr..Egg, the author,
of ‘* Queen Elizabeth Discovering that she is no
\Longer Young,’’ now exhibiting, has furnished
the painter with a subject for a forthcoming
picture. He is, we learn engaged on the
representation of the revelation of the robbery
The-sub-
ject is new and promising.——The . Bath
Journal mention that a portraitiof the famous
Admiral Blake has been. purchased by sub-

||seription, and ‘is about to be presented to the
'|municipality of his native town, Bridgewater.

—The medal, upon which Mr. Wyon has
been for some time engaged, commemorative
of the services of the army from the year
1793 to 1814, has on the obverse one of those
tasteful resemblances of Majesty which that
artist always succeeds in obtaining: while on
the reverse the Queen, in graceful and dignified.
action, is crowning with laurel the British
army personified in a kneeling figure of the
Duke of Wellington—with the inscription,
“To the British Army 1793. to 1814.’ The
combination of the two figures is very success-
ful—the draperies are well cast. The relief,
which is low, contributes to give, much re-
lfinement; and the general execution is suc-
cessful.—We learn from the dtheneum that
the first of the new coins of the decimal kind,
‘in conformity with the plan of the present
\Master of the Mint, is just now completed.
‘Itis a two-shilling piece—bearing a profile of
the Queen on the obverse, which resembles
in the character and costume that on the new
crown. The distribution of details on the
reverse, after the true Gothic disposition of
the Pugin school, is less successful—and can
be regarded only as a recurrence to. medizval
conceit. The design will not, we think, be popu-
lar with Englishmen.—London, which extends
its intellectual if not its topographical identity

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

from Bethnal Green to Turnham Green (ten

miles), from Kentish Town to Brixton (seven
miles), whose houses are said to number up-
wards of 200,000, and to occupy twenty square
miles of ground, has a population of not less
than 2,000,000 of souls. Its-leviathan body is
composed of nearly 10,000 streets, lanes, alleys,
squares, places, terraces, &c. Its rental is at
least £7,000,000 a year. It has 5387 churches, |
207 dissenting places of worship, upwards of,
5,000 public-houses, and 16 theatres. ——The
report that the Parisian mob. had taken pos-)
session of the Jardin des Plantes and destroyed
its. contents has. turned out.to be incorrect.
——The exhibition of Mr. Mulready’s pictures’
at. the Society of Arts has turned out a
failure ;—we shall have something to say on |
the matter next week.——The foundation |
stone of the monument. to the memory. of
General Washington was laid at Washington |
on the 4th ult.——The state and prospects of|
the fime arts in Paris are represented as being
in the most deplorable condition—while at |
the same time, the cannon-ball. has sueceeded|
in destroying much, that was. beautiful. and
valuable.-——The .Palace of the. Louvre, it is
reported, is about to. be finished.——A very,
good though incomplete specimen of a canoe, |
says the Perthshire Courier, was recently
d of the. Tay, at pleas
|

taken out of the be

Island.

-Copyinc Mars, Puans, &c.—The method
which we generally adopt for this purpose,’
where the colour of the ink does not signify,
is as follows:—Take a sheet of carbonic paper |
(that employed for ‘‘ Manifold Writers’’), but
with only one side-blackened. Lay this with |
the. black side downwards on the paper to
which it is required to transfer the maps, &c., |
then placing the original drawing with the
blank side downwards on this, go over all the
lines, &c., using a moderate pressure, with a
metallic point fixed ina handle. The sheets
lying thus— Ve t

Drawing, with the subject spinel
€

Carbonic paper, with the blacken
Sebints side undermost.

A Copying paper.
and the pressure being exerted on the drawing,
the subject will. be . transferred, by means of
the carbonic’ paper, to a.—This is a very
simple .and inexpensive operation, as the
carbonic paper will suffice for at least two or
three) dozen tracings. The carbonic paper
may be made-as follows:—VTake three parts of |
lampblack .and one of olive oil, mix, and rub
the compound. evenly over a sheet of paper,
afterwards rubbing it with a cloth until itis
capable of being placed on a sheet of paper,
and spread evenly with the hand without
transferring any black. mark.. For common
purposes soot and yellow soap, mixed are some-
times employed; and we ourselves, have used
them on many occasions. Of course the num-
ber of copies may be increased by increasing
the number of sheets of carbonic and copying|
paper and placing them in the same order as
above.

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Vxhibition of MAr. Mulvearp’s Pie=
tutes at the Society of Arts.

ITTER
‘were the feelings that rose within our
breast when we learned that the first practical
attempt to implant native genius upon its own
soil, in this country, had turned out a failure—
‘a failure sad and disheartening to all true
lovers of the pure and beautiful in art, and
consequently, of an increased enlightenment
diffused among all classes of the community.
| Many of our readers will probably remember
a circumstance which took place but a very few
years back, when a distinguished artist, named
\Haypon, took into his own hands the prero-
gative of Gop, and despatched his soul, as a
witness against his. fellow mortals, to the
heavenly tribunal. But this man also left
behind him a record of the inhumanity of his
fellow beings, in which occurs a passage
stating that he exhibited a picture in the
Egyptian Hall, in a room contiguous to that in
‘which General Tom Tuums was going through
his entertaining performances: the conse-
quence was, that while crowds flocked from all
quarters, paying down their admission money
as readily*as a Chinaman would sacrifice his
last meal before the shrine of his idol, in order
to inspect the juvenile monstrosity—poor
Haypon was forgotten, and left to ruminate
over an empty purse with whatever degree of
complacency he could command on such an
occasion.

The same scene has recently been enacted,

{|
i

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

[Aueusr 12, 1848,

and with scarcely less disastrous effects—the
locale and the man have only been changed—
the mind of the”public still remains the same as
it did when it consigned Barry to starvation
and Haynpon to a suicide’s grave. Mutreapy,
the picture moralist, whose works have pleased
us in infancy, and inparted many a useful lesson
to us in our more mature years, has been
shunned, despised, and forgotten—yet let there
be but placed before the coquettish eye of that
public that has been so often praised for its
discriminating abilities and good taste (!), a
man-monkey or a sea-dog, and it immediately
becomes the god of its idolatry—the multwm in
parvo of its ideas of the pure and beautiful.

Enamel,

[Continued from page 29.]

Yettow.—Though yellow may be obtained
in a direct manner, compound yellows are pre-
ferred because they are more certain in effect,
and more easily applied, than the yellow which
may be directly obtained from silver. The com-
pound yellows are obtained in consequence of
the same principles as the red colour of iron.
For this purpose we employ metallic oxydes,
the vitrification of which must be prevented by
mixing with them other substances, such as re-
fractory earths or metallic oxydes difficult to be
fused. The metallic calees which form the
basis of the yellow colours are generally those
of lead; as minium, the white calx of lead, or
litharge, the white calx of antimony, called
diaphoretic antimony ; that called “‘ crocus me-
tallorum’’ is also employed. This regulus pul-
verized, and mixed with white oxyde, gives
likewise a yellow. The following are the dif-
ferent compositions used: one part of the
white oxyde of antimony, one part of the white
oxyde of lead (or two or three), these doses
are exceedingly variable ; one part of alum, and
one of salammoniac. When these matters have
been all pulverised and mixed well together,
they are put in a vessel over a fire sufficient to)
sublimate and decompose the salammoniac;
and when the matter has assumed a yellow
colour, the operation is finished. The calces of
lead mixed in a small quantity either with silex
or alumine, also with the pure calx of tin, ex-
ceedingly white, gives likewise yellows. One
part of the oxyde of lead is added to two, three,
or four of the other substances abovementioned.
In these different compositions for yellow you
may use also oxyde of iron, either pure or that
kind which has been prepared with alum and
vitriol of iron; you will then obtain different
shades of yellow. From what has been said,
you may vary these compositions of yellow as
much as you please. Yellows require so little
flux that one or two parts, in general, to one of
the colour are sufficient. Saline fluxes are
improper for them, and especially those which

2
Cc
contain. nitre... They must. be used with fluxes
composed of enamel sand, oxyde of lead, and |
borax, without marine salt. A yellow may be
obtained: also directly from silver. All these
mixturesmay bevaried, and you may try others.
For this purpose youmay use sulphate of silver,

jor any oxyde of that metal mixed with alumine

jor silex, or even with both, in equal quantities.

The whole must be gently heated until the
yellow colour appears, and the matter is to be
employed with the fluxes pointed out for yellow.
Yellow of silver, like purple, cannot. endure a

jstrong heat; a.nitric solution of silver may be

precipitated by the ammoniacal phosphate of
soda, and: you will obtain a yellow precipitate
which may be used to paint in that colour
with fluxes, which ought then to be a little
harder. Besidesthe methods abovementioned,
the best manner of employing the oxyde of sil-
ver is, in my Opinion, to employ it,pure: in that
case you do not paint but stain. In will be
sufficient then to lay a-light-coating on the place
which you wish to stain yellow, and to heat the
article gently to give it the colour. You must
not employ too strong a heat: the degree will
easily be found by practice. When the article
has been sufficiently heated, you take it from
the fire; aud. separate the coating of. oxyde,
which, will be found reduced, to a regulus;
You will,then observe the place whichit oceu-:
pied tinged of a beautiful yellow colour without
thickness. It, is chiefly. on transparent glass
that this process succeeds best. Very fine silver,
filings produce the same effect: but what seemed
to succeed bestin this case was sulphate of silver
well ground.up with a little water, that it may
be. extended very smooth... From what has been
said, it may readily be seen that) this yellow
must not be employed like other.colours; that. it
must not be applied till the rest have been fused;
for, as,it is. exceedingly fusible and. ready. to
change, it would be injured by. the. other
colours; andvas. the coating of silver, which is
reduced, must be removed, the fluxes. would
fix,it, and prevent the possibility of its being
afterwards separated. Working on glass is not
attended with this inconvenience, because the
silver yellow is applied on the opposite side to
that on which the other colours are laid.
Gruren.—Green is obtained. directly from the
oxyde of copper. All.:the oxydes of copperare
good; they require little flux, which even must
not be too fusible: one part or two of the flux
will be sufficient for one oxyde. This colour
agrees with all the fluxes, the saline as well ‘as
the metallic, which tends to vary.a little the
shades, A mixture of yellow and blue is also
used to produce greens. Those who. paint
figures or portraits, employ,glass composed in }
this manner ; but those who) paint glazed ves-.
sels, either, earthenware or porcelain, employ
in. general copper green. Independently-of the
beautiful, green colour, produced. by: oxydated |
copper, it. produces, also.a very heautiful, red
colour.. This beautiful red colour, produced
by copper, is.exceeding fugitive. The oxyde
of copper gives red only, when it contains: very
little oxygen, and approaches near to the: state
of aregulus.. Notwithstanding the difficulty of}
employing this.oxyde for.ared colour, amethod
has been.found,to, stain. transparent, glass; with:

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

different shades of a very beautiful red colour|

‘red into vermilion, according to.the quantity,

by means of calx of copper. The process is as
follows; you do not employ the calx of copper
pure, but add to it calx of iron, which, for that
purpose, must not be'too much calcined; you
add also a very small.quantity of calx of copper||
to the mass:of glass. which you are desirous of
tinging. The glass at first must have only a
very slight tinge of green, inclining to yellow.
When the glass has that colour you make it pass
to red, and eyenavery dark red, by mixing
with it red tartar in powder, or even tallow.
You must mix this matter well in the glass, and
it will assume a.very dark red colour. The
glass swells up very much by this addition.
Before it is worked it must be suffered to settle,
and become compact ; but as soon asit has fully
assumed the colour, it must be immediately
worked, for the colour does not remain long,
and even often disappears while working; but
it may be restored by heating the glass at the
flame ofa lamp. Itis difficult to make this
colour well, but when it succeeds it is very beau-
tiful, and has.a.great deal of splendour. By
employing the calx of:copper alone for the pro-
cesses abovementioned; you will obtain, when
you succeed well, a red similar to the most beau-
tifulicarmine. The calx of iron changes the

added. If we had certain processes for the
making this colour, we should obtain all the
shades of red from pure red to orange, by using,
in different proportions, the oxyde of, copper
and that ofiron. The calx of copper fuses argil
more easily than silex: the case is the same
with ecalx of iron. If you fuse two or three parts
of argil with one of the oxyde of copper, and if
the heat be sufficient, you will obtain a very
opaque enamel, and of vermilion red colour.
The oxyde of copper passes from red to green,
through yellow, so that the enamel of copper,
which becomes red at a: strong heat, may be
yellow witha weaker heat.. The same effect
may be produced by deoxydating copper in
different degrees: this will be effected aceord-
ing. asthe heat.is‘ more.or less violent. The)
above composition might, I think, be employed
to give a vermilion red colour to porcelain.
The heat of the porcelain furnace ought to be of
sufficient strength to produce the proper effect.
The calx of iron fused. also with argil, in the
same proportions as the calx of copper, gives
a very beautiful black.. These proportions may,
however, be varied.
[To be continued.]

Vatus or Tron.—Bar iron worth £1. ster-
ling, is worth when worked into horseshoes,
£2 10s.; tableknives, £36; needles, £71;
penknife blades, £657; polished buckles and}
buttons, £897; balance. springs of watches,
£50,000.. Cast iron worth £1 sterling is worth
when converted into ordinary machinery £4;
larger. ornamental work £45; buckles: and
Berlin work £600; neck-chains &c., £1.386;
shirt buttons, £5,896. Thirty-one pounds of
Shropshire ‘iron has been made into wire up-|}
wards. of 111 miles in length, and so,fine was}
the fabric, that a part of it was humorously
converted, in lieu of the usual horsehair, into||
a barrister’s wig!) 900 «os Ore f

ARP ON :

oe Eo Correspondents, Se,
hptity ad Solo) :
WRITE \LEGIBLY ‘AND‘SENSIBLY;/SO) THAT BOTH
|| (PY WORDS WAND STHEIRO MEANING MAY BE RDA-
|||DILY DECYPHERED BY THE RECIPIENT OF ‘THY
‘| COMMUNICATION. :

|| “Thomas Hopkins.’—If you address a note
| ito Mr: Weale, architectural bookseller, Holborn,
London, stating the description of work you re-
quire, that gentleman will forward you a list of
| several, from which you can make your choice.

“*3* We shall be happy to hear from “F. E.,”
“Blucher,” and “ Lignarium’’—the former would
much oblige by informing us whether he intends
to resume the Antiquarian Specimens shortly—
he will add to the favour by forwarding (in confi-
dence) his name and address.

“HT,” — Address a note to Mr. Gibbs at our
office.

“A. S."— Anything of the sort will always
prove acceptable to us.

“Mr. T. A, B**r” is thanked, we will send a
|| prevate note. .

QUERIES.

_ Required—The method of preparing and colour-
ing sheep-skin rugs, used for door-mats, carriages,
Ce A. Mills.

Two school-rooms, conducted on the British
system, have lately been erected (one above the
other ) for boys and girls ; the committee now wish
to make the girls’ school into two, so that one part
may be used for infants. Can any of your corres-
pondenits inform me of the cheapest and best
moveable partition that canbe used? Would a
sailcloth partition be suitable ? I have heard that
it deadens the sound,:and the cost is small.

_ Rochester. ome pe

———

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §;c., to be addressed to ‘‘ the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to. such of our provincial
readersas will favour us with local. information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, Sc.

Cases for Vols. I.-and II. are now ready,
price 1s..3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

*,* Any of our readers having complete
Aupuazets of an ornamental description suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part.15 is now ready, price 7d.

Movern Freneu Artists:—A eolleetion of
modern French pictures is being exhibited at
‘No. 106, New’ Bond-street, and will doubtless
‘be visited by every one interested: in the ‘arts.
The proprietor, Mr. Arrowsmith, has brought

acre, or more, underground. The area of the

‘annually is estimated at about 2,200,000 tons;

THE) DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

253

over this selection from Paris, on account, we}
believe, of the complete stop put by ithe late
political circumstances to any dealing in articles
of taste in’that! disturbed capital. ‘The /princi-
pal exhibitors are..Decamps, Isabey, Muller,
Hoguet, Troyon, Diaz, and Dupré; aud there
are some very exquisite specimens of these
masters, all.of whom have achieved a deserved
celebrity. Decamps is well known here, from
engravings from his paintings of children, being
very apt-in-the expression of childhoodin-all its
varieties. He has»a large picture here of an
Arab school breaking up, whichis charmingly
characteristic. Isabey, hitherto known prin-
cipally as a marine painter, has an admirable
picture of the ‘Marriage of Henry IV.”
It isa work of great merit. Muller has a very
fine picture, admirably painted, and full of
genuine pathos and character, delineating that
passage in “ Don Juan” (Canto IV.), where
the harper for a brief interval recals the wander-
ing senses of Haidee. It is a noble specimen
of the modern French historical school, and
proves how completely they have abandoned
the frigidity of the sham classical, which so long
kept them from that direct study of nature, that
now has done so much.to place them inthe first
rank of draughtsmen. Nor will the English
spectator be less struck with the rapid‘progress
made by their artists inlandscape. They have
evidently diligently studied the English and
Dutch schools, and have learnt'to appreciate
and: represent those out-door effects of atmos-
phere and scenery which have lent so great a
charm ‘to these schools. Two landscapes by
Hoguet almost entitle himto rank as the French
Callcott, and Dupré has much that reminds
one of Ruysdael and Linnell, though it is not
a first-rate specimen of him that is here exhi-
bited. Diazis a remarkably versatile painter,
and is certainly very spirited in his style. We,
however, prefer Troyon, probably because he
seems to us more nearly to approach to the
freshness and nature of the English school.
There are specimens of other masters that we
have not space further to notice, but earnestly
recommend every one to visit this collection,
which is not only very creditable to the state
of French art, but offers an easy opportunity
of studying it, not often placed within the
reach of the English connoisseur.—Douglas
Jerrold.

Vatuve or Minerat Property.—Mineral
property on the hills, which, when the Mon-
mouthshire Canal and its tramroads were con-
structed, was'only ‘worth 5s. an acre surface
rent, soon increased in value to £1,500 an

Monmouthshire coal-field exceeds 89,000 acres.
and the various seams of coal that can be pro-
fitably worked are said to average 50 feet, which
produce a ‘gross yield per acre of nearly
73,000 tons, The tatal quantity now worked

at which rate there is sufficient supply left for
the next 1,500 years. The net quantity
available for export has been estimated at/
about 3,000,000,000 tons! Great Britain now
annually consumes from all her colleries about
21 million tons.—Cliffe’s Book of South Wales.

An Elustratey Glossary of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
Enteriot MBecovation, Xe.

[Concluded from page 144,]

Enricuep Losence, or Enricnep Fraetre

||Moutptne, a moulding used in Saxon architec-

ture. : f

Enricnuep Quatreroit Moutpine, a mould.

| used in Saxon architecture.

Enrasts (in architecture), the slightly curved

|jline that forms the outline of the shaft of a

column, which is. so‘beautifully graceful in the
Grecian Dories as to be just suspected and
searcely sensible. Were these profiles conical,
they would appear hollow in their outlines and
fragile; and when too gibbous or swoln like
the Tuscan and some bad examples of the
Romans and modern Italians, like a bursting
barrel, that had lost allits hoops but the top
and bottom, or, as Sir Henry Woton cbserves
‘““as if they were sick of some tympany or
dropsy.”’ This contraction or comely dimu-
nition is to be found in all the best Greek
examples, although many draughtsmen have

\\represented them as being straight from the
| |apoplyge to the colarino.

Episcenium or Episcenos (in ancient archi-

||tecture), the upper part of the scene in ancien

theatres. As the scene had sometimes three

||tiers of orders, the episcenium was formed of

the upper order, with sometimes an attic or
some other similar finish.

Erirapy (in architecture and sculpture), an
inscription engraved on a tomb, mausoleum,
sarcophagus, cénotaph, or other funereal monu-
ment intended to preserve the memory of the

||deceased, and to inform posterity of those
‘actions which embellished their lives.

Erecr (in architecture), to raise an edifice,

jto build, to place perpendicular to the horizon.

Exosrra (in ancient architecture), a

machine or engine of timber, wherewith such
||things as are acted within or behind the stage
|\in the ancient theatres were shown to the

spectators. Also a bridge thrust out of a
turret by pulleys on to the walls of a town, by

which the besiegers entered. The dramatic stage’

‘THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

|performed by the machine called exostra or

‘| Savine or Fuen 1x Gas-worxs.—At the last
. “| meeting of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts,
_| Mr. W. Kemp stated that he had made a valua-

of the ancients never represented the interior
of a building, but’ always an open space;)
and when the action required that they should]
exhibit to the spectators or the actors what
was passing inside of a house or palace, it was

ekkyklema.

[To be continued.]

ble discovery in economising fuel at Galashiels
gas-works. Where coal-tar is burned, it has an

| injurious effect on the furnace bars and retorts,

the greatest annoyance arising from the rapid|}
clinkering up of the furnace bars, to remove
which the firemen had frequently to throw
water into the furnace, which caused the rapid) |}
destruction of the bars. To prevent this, the
idea occurred to Mr. Kemp of using the ex-
hausted tan-bark of the tan-works, which had/|;}
the desired effect. The force-pump for injecting
the tar into the furnace was next thrown aside,
as it was found that the dry bark absorbed tar
equal to its production at the works. Hisme-|}
thod is as follows:—The bark is dried, and
mixed with the coke of the gas-coal, bulk for
bulk; a pailful of tar.is thrown upou it, not
quite so much as it will absorb, and it is then
turned over. The mixture burns with a fine
clear flame, attended with less smoke than|}
formerly ; the furnace bars, by remaining

unclinkered, admit the oxygen freely for the

combustion of the fuel. Where tan-bark
cannot be had, peat moss, loose and dry, makes
a good substitute. Mr. Kemp stated that. in|}
one year £126 was saved. in furnace coal.—
Pharmaceutical Times.

Tue Oxp Curotsters »atT WESTMINSTER.—
The removal of the lath and plaster rubbish
which has long encumbered the old cloister on
the east side of Westminster Hall, has let in
the light on their great and manifold beauties.
The minute and elegant sculptured decorations
which are carried web-like over the whole
surface, make the so-called excess of decoration
on the new parts appéar positive plainness by
comparison. The little chapel offers many
points deserving of study. In the course of the
operations, some of the old Norman work
forming the side of the hall has become exposed;
it shows two semi-circular headed windows,
with a hatched string course underneath. The
object of the clearance is to effect the com-
munication between the new. Houses and
Westminster Hall. ’ 4

Tue Art Union.—The following is a state-|
ment of the number of works of art selected by
the prize-holders of last year from each exhibi-! |
tion, and the amount paid :—39 from the Royal
Academy, £2,188 ; 32 from the Society of British
Artists, £1,109; 24 from the Free Exhibition,
£650; 17 from the New Water-Colour Society,
£550; 15 from the Old Water-Colour Society,
£377 3s.; and 11 from the British Institution,
£415. Total, 188 works=£5,289 3s.)

We this week present our readers with an en-
graving of a pretty piece of ornament from
that excellent place of entertainment, Cremorne
Gardens. Of course all our metropolitan
readers must be acquainted with the nature of
the varied amusements there presented, so that
it would be unnecessary for us to speak in the
laudatory terms of that which has already
received its full meed of public approbation ;
but to our professional subscribers, we would
offer a suggestion to avail themselves of the
opportunity now afforded to inspect those
beautiful decorations for which Cremorne Gar-
dens isso justly celebrated.

- Unquestionably the most prominent feature
in the Gardens is the Banquetting-room,. the
decorations of which are of the most superb
description, and when seen by night convey to
the mind of the spectator the idea of some
scene of fairy enchantment, raised up by
magie on the sward—which feeling is still
further increased by the delightful harmony of
an excellent band.

The above illustration represents one of the
panels on the side of this room, the same
description of ornament being used for all
the other-panels; the only difference consisting
in the substitution of fruit and a variety of
flower-grouping atthe base or on the top of
the ornament. The ornament is painted in deli-
jeate tints, composed chiefly of green, brown,

THE. DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

CREMORNE

and grey. The ground is of a stone colour,
enclosed in a frame consisting of a broad red'

745)

Public Amusements.

GARDENS.

cn ra ese TAT

line, with a green one on either side—also by
a fine red line terminating with a neat corner
of the same colour.

The room is lighted up by four chandeliers in
the Louis Quartois style. The portions of the
ceiling from which they hang are ornamented
with bosses executed inthe same style, the
intervening spaces being ornamented with
cupids, &c., emblematic of the entertainments
given in the room.

Of the gardens themselves, we can only
speak in unqualified praise;—they are beauti-
fully laid out, and the numerous objects of
verti, statues, casts, &c., plenteously strewn
about impart tothe whole place a classic and
tasteful appearance. Among the most con-
spicuous objects of this nature we may mention
“‘ Apollo Belvedere,’ ‘‘ Nymphs at the Bath,”

and avariety of vases in which flowers are

planted. The paths are well arranged, and
afford an agreeable promenade.

The novelty produced at the Gardens this
season is unexampled. The ‘‘ Aquatic Tour-
nament on the Thames,’ has a grand appear-
ance, and can only be correctly judged of by
a personal inspection. Every alternate week
is devoted to the Tournament, the intervening
time being occupied by the aéronautic exhi-
bitions. On a late visit we were happy at
perceiving a numerous and highly respect-
able audience collected together, and we hope
that the liberal-minded proprietors will always
receive a full share of the public patronage.

‘W156

-|quantities of water and oil.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

SMortar.

[Continued from page 50.] m

||Tur Greek and Roman architects gave the

name of Maltha to a calcarious cement used
as stucco, and this and the term Mastic ‘are
given to various compositions. The mixture
of milk with sand and lime, is said to have
constituted the maltha of the Greeks; and we
learn from Pliny that Roman maltha was made
by mixing fresh burnt lime, slacked with wine,
and beat in a mortar, with hog’s lard and figs.

This composition possesses great-tenacity, and

acquires the hardness of granite. A second
kind was made of powder of slacked lime,
with bullock’s blood and powdered scales of
the grey oxide of iron. Previous to the ap-

plication of the maltha, the surface*of the wall.

or ceiling was smeared over with oil, tomake
the composition adhere.

The inhabitants of Tunis, and other places
in Africa, use a species of maltha, which has
gained great celebrity. The process of pre-
paring it is, according to Dr. Shaw’s account, as
follows:—To one measure of sand, two of
wood ashes, and three of sifted..lime powder,
are mixed, with a sprinkling of water. After
the mixture has been subjected to the operation
of beating, alittle oil isadded; the beating

is then resumed, and continued for three «or.

four days, during which the proper degree of
softness is preserved by alternately adding small
Ina short time
after its application in the usual way, it acquires
the hardness of stone.

In a mausoleum of some of the Tartar
princes, the spaces between the. bricks are
about an inch broad, and filled with a cement
which appears to have been applied in a
liquid state, and it has acquired such a solid
consistence, that it is easier to break the well
burnt bricks than to separate the cement,
which is of.a grey colour, and.appears to have
been a mixiure.of unslacked lime, pulverized
charcoal, and, pounded sand-stone.

Parker’s Roman cement, as a facing to: brick
and other walls, isa composition forming an

jartificial stone, and, being water-proof, excel-

lently adapted to this purpose ; if the wall be
previously wetted, it will adhere firmly. Arch
stones, cornices, and ornamental parts of build-

jings, may also be conveniently made of. this
jmaterial.
\xxwii second series of the ‘‘ Repertory of Arts.”’

An account of it is given in vol.

This valuable composition has been long
known, .and .was first, brought into public
notice under the name of Parker’s Patent
Cement, sold by Messrs. Ch. Wyatt, and Co.
Bankside, London, at 5s, 6d. per bushel; it

jisnow sold at about 8s.,per bushel by various

dealers. This material is mixed with an equal
quantity -of sharp grit-sand, freed from
impurities, and when beaten up with a due
proportion of water, forms a handsome and
durable covering for the outside of buildings.
If.the sand should have been, previously mois-
tened, the cement. must be immediately used,
and.in no case mixed up beforehand. .To give

a proper finishing to this kind of work,.a

‘of nearly four square yards.

mixture of-five ounces of sulphate of iron to}
a gallon of water, is mixed with as much
{lime and cement as will produce the con-|

sistence and the colour required, for a wash
to be applied to the surface of the work.
Sometimes the colour is modified by vitriolic
acid, and when the face of the work is madé
to imitate bonded masonry, the intersecting
‘spaces are tinted with umber. It is generally
calculated, that one bushel of cement, pro-
perly applied, will form a superficial covering
In performing
this work, which is called Floating, laborious,
unceasing, and quick action will be required,
as the composition sets almost instan-
taneously. ;

‘Carbonate of lime, calcined at a heat not
exceeding that at which cast-iron softens, and
cooled without access of atmospheric air or
or moisture, acquires the property of quickly
hardening under water; and, mixed with
siliefous sand and water, forms an artificial
puzzolana or Roman cement, and for this
discovery a patent was granted to Mr. James

Frost.on the 8rdeof April, 1828. The process

is deseribed in the 44th vol. of the Repertory
of Arts and Manufactures. A patent was
also granted:to Edgar Dobbs, Southwark, for a
variety of compositions to form a water-proof
cement, mortar, “or stucco, which in a diluted

state arevalso applicable as durable colouring} |

washes for buildings. These compositions con-
sist of carbonate of lime, burnt as for common
plaster, and mixed up with water, clay, loam,
mud, shale, road-dust, soil, cheap metallic

oxydes, ores, sand, or any earthy substance]

which may be sujected to the heat above
specified. The whole of these ingredients are
then to be reduced to fine powder, mixed with
water, and left in proper vessels till it has’sub-
sided. The water is then tobe poured off, and
the plaster materials formed into square pieces,
and dried; after which they are subjected to

the heat of a: lime-kiln or stove, and, lastly,
mixed with the lime and water for the intended
purposes.

One hundred parts of quicklime, five of
white, or other coloured clay, and two of yellow
ochre, forms a cement, which is tenacious, and
remains unchangeable when exposed to ‘the
weather. The lime must first be slacked with
a small proportion of water, more of which
must afterwards be mixed till of the consistence
of cream. White clay is at the same time
mixed with water to a similar’consistence, and
after having remained some time separate,
the two:solutions are carefully’ mixed together.
During its continuance in the tub for'twenty-
four hours, this mixture is frequently stirred ;
and after that’ period a portion of yellow ochre
is incorporated withit, to give it’ a pleasant
colour. Walls covered with this cement, have
remained .exposed to south-west winds, ‘and
rains fortwo years, without injury. )

A.-composition, said to be equal to the
Roman cement, is' made, by dissolving three
pounds and a half of sulphate of iron, and
mixing it with a bushel of lime, and’ half a

bushel of fine gravel sand, previously’ made}

into motar. » ;
[To be continued.]

|
|

a Rh

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT:

Lov

Etching upon, Glass.

—_—_—

glasses manufactured in: the Venetian, states

enjoyed the highest reputation throughout Eu-.

rope, it was. common to find those ornamented

by engravings executed with the diamond. |

More than an hundred years had elapsed from
that period, when Henry Schwanhard, a pupil
of Lehmann, was incited by the accidental cir-
eumstance of the corrosion, of his spectacle
glass, to a» method of etching on glass. by
means: of some powerful acid) liquor. His
manner of preparing this) liquor was, kept
secret by him; and as no fluid, save. fluoric
acid, with which we-are acquainted, has the
property of acting upon the surface of glass,
while the discovery of this powerful menstruum

‘was not brought before the world prior to the

publication of Scheele’s experiments: in 1771,
it is much, to be regretted that the secret of
Schwanhard was suffered to go with him to the

‘grave.

The method pursued by this artist in the

application of his discovery was different to

that which is practised at present. That is,
to coat,ever the entire surface of the glass

‘with varnish, and, through this coating, to

trace out the intended figures, leaving the
glass exposed to the action of the acid only

‘in those parts which are to be occupied by the
‘figures.
ithe figures, and having filled the outline on the
‘glass with varnish, applied his corrosive fluid fo

Schwanhard, on contrary, first traced

the remainder of the surface. By this means
the figures were left in relief, and with their
original polish, the effect of which was pleasing,

‘and totally dissimilar to the appearance of
engravings with the diamond, which latter
‘circumstance it probably was that incited the

artist to the adoption of his peculiar method,
since his productions would, by that means, be

‘more readily distinguished from the works

of others.
The varnish employed by artists for defend-

‘ing, where it is requisite, the surface of the

glass from the corroding power of the acid, is
usually either a solution of isinglass in water,

‘or common turpentine varnish mixed with a
‘small proportion of white lead.

By the aid of avery few implements, the
art of etching on glass may be rendered a

pleasing occupation for amateurs. Good crown-

glass is the most proper description to be
chosen for this purpose. Having selected a
square pane of the proper size, this should be
first heated by immersion in a sand-bath, then
rubbed over with. purified bees’ wax, the tem-
perature of the glass being such as ‘to cause
the wax to melt completely and uniformly over
its surface; the pane thus covered, must
then be set aside to cool; and). it is im-
portant to observe, that every part of its face

‘must be protected: by this: coating of wax;

which, however, need not be thick, and indeed
should not be applied in sufficient quantity: to

render the glass opaque.
A’ paper having the design boldly drawn
upon it, may then be attached to the unwaxed

In the middle of the sixteenth century, when

underside of the glass; and this drawing: will
greatly assist the artist in performing: the
next process, that of tracing the design through
the wax. The best kind of tool for executing |
this operation isa carpenter’s brad-awl, which
as itis flattened at the end in one direction,
and rounded in another, may, according to the
position wherein itis held, be easily made to
trace lines having the requisite and different
degrees of fineness. The point of a pen-knife
or any similar implement, may be used asa
substitute for the brad-awl, and with almost
equal. efficacy: In: tracing these lines, the
artist must be mindful that his instrument lays
bare the surface: of the glass throughout: the
whole extent of the strokes.

A shallow evaporating basin of Wedgwood
ware must next be employed. Its size should
be such:as will include: within its: area. every
part of the design; and it must: at the same
time be. sufficiently. small to be completely
covered when the pane of glass is made: to
rest: upon its edge. Some coarsely powdered
flour spar must:‘then: be placed) in the basin,
the two substances must be well mixed together
together with a: quantity of strong sulphuric
acid, sufficient to form with it a thin paste, when
by stirring: them, The quantity of flour spar
must of course be regulated by the size of the
etching; and it may beva'sufficient guide on
that head to recommend that two ounces of the
coarse powder be used when the basin is capa-
ble of containing a pint; these basins are )pro-
curable from any respectable dealer in earthen-
ware.

As soon as the acid and ‘flour spar are pro-
petly incorporated together, the pane of glass
should be placed upon the basin: with the
waxed side downwards, and a moderate degree
of heat) must be applied to the bottom of the
basin: somewhere between 180 and 140
degrees of Fahrenheit’s scale will be found
most eligible. Perhapsthe best means of pro-
viding a steady heat for this purpose is offered
by the sand-bath, which was used for heating
the glass before applying the wax. On this
subsequent occasion, however, thetemperature
must never be sufficiently high to melt the
wax, which in that case would run over the
glass) and’ wholly destroy the effect) of the
etching.

Very soon after this application of heat,
fumes of fluoric acid will arise copiously from
the basin, and attack the unprotected portions
of the glass. When the basin and its contents
are once thoroughly warmed, the heat of the
sand-bath may be advantageously dimi-
nished.

After the glass:has been thus exposed during
half an hour, it may be removed from the
basin; and first being rinsed in water, for the
purpose of diluting or washing away the
fluoric acid, the wax may be seraped. off with
a common table-knife ; the design will then be
found perfectly etched upon the surface of: the

lass.

F A metallic basin will answer perfectly for
generating the fluoric acid; but it will be
altogether improper to.use any glazed vessels
for the purpose, as the vitreous coating of such
would be entirely destroyed.

\\ 158 THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT. |

In performing this process, it is necessary
‘|\to use some caution ; as fluoric acid, if brought
anto contact with the skin, will, quickly dis-
organise it and produce wounds which may be
‘painful and troublesome ; avery little careful-
ness will, however, suffice for preventing any
accident of this nature.

When it is required thus to engrave other
‘than plain surfaces, another arrangement must’
‘be provided: the glass must be exposed to the
fumes of fluoric acid in some deep vessel;
without, however, being suffered to come in
contact with the pasty compound whence the
acid fumes arise, and the whole should be
covered over, to confine and retain those fumes,
so that they may fully act upon the glass.

Pier and Chimney Glass srames.

—————
rh we wv 4 .

Tue first plate glass:-made in England was of |\.
the kind called “ Vauxhall plates,’’ which’
were distinguished by having the edge bevelled
or sloped off all round. They were used for
pier glasses, before chimney glasses came into
general.use. And were generally. framed in
narrow oak or walnut-wood frames, more or less.
decorated. In process of time, the glass was,
made in the form in which we now see. it,—
chimney glasses’ became “fashionable,—and
gradual changes were made‘in the style of
frames. Bj
- During the latter half ‘of the last century;
the frames for looking-glasses, were generally
speaking more architectural and defined in their,
Saincter than they have since been.. Tt was
usual to have a cornice at the top, with a frieze,
just below it, on which was represented,. f 1
relief, some allegorical subject,—such as” a)
Bacchanalian procession, &c. ee wht
sides of the frame consisted’ 6f-a fat!
in front of which was a’ column or’ pillar,
generally of the Corinthian order, terminated ;
with capitals and bases of the same order;)
square blocks or plinths supported the bases of
the columns; while the capital supported the
cornice. a . Ss ae etree si . "|
At a later period, the ornaments on the |
frieze were superceded by a horizontal column,
of the same order. a9 the side columns. | This.
was certainly, in an arch tec tral point of ye
|

a very unmeaning alt ni ion, and was made
still more so by oenamnedi ; placed at regular
PY eS 15 4

American Raitways.—When | Americans
|boast, as they are very ready to do, of their
thousands of miles of railways, Englishmen
who are startled at the prodigious amount;
should remember that these roads are single
lines, and that in the value of the material,
and in the skill and labour expended upon
them, they differ as widely from what is seen in
England, and called a railway here as Rome
built of brick differed from Rome built of
marble. The carriages used upon them are also
very dissimilar to ours; they are much longer;
and are entered by a door at ether end, so that
one can walk right through them, and stand
upon the little platform outside. The pas-
sengers, about fifty in each car, sit two and
two, on rows of vis-d-vis sofas or stuffed chairs;
ranged right and left of a passage which
runs down the centre. In cold weather
a portion of the seats is removed to make room
for a stove; in warm weather there is ample
ventilation by means of Venetian slides. It is
hardly safe to keep the windows open, for, the
furnace of the locomotive being fed with wood,
a shower of sparks constantly issues from the
chimney, and these finding their way, red hot,
into the cars, occasion at once great pain to the
eyes and serious damage to the clothes, which
are often riddled with the holes they burn.
At night this stream of sparks which the
engine vomits forth have a very singular effect.
In the distance one would almost suppose it to
be a rocket in its course; and when nearer—
and one can hear its throbing, panting, groan-
ing—it does not require a very. lively fancy to
make it out to be the fable realised of a fierce
dragon, beathless with its flight, and breathing
forth flames of,fury. It ts no uncommon
thing for the locomotives, with their showers
of embers, to kindle the forest through. which
they pass; and J have seen not only trees of
gigantic mould leafless and dead, standing like
bleached skeletons, from whose bones the flesh
had been licked off by: the tongue of flame,
but whole acres of ground—nay, a whole hill-
side—bear and blackened, and strewed over
with the charred trunks of pines and other forest
trees, which have yielded to the fire, and lay
heaped together as they fell, looking in the
distance like huge black snakes ‘stretching
themselves in the sun, whose light was bril-
jliantly reflected from the charcoal all around.
\|—English Presbyterian Messenger. row

distances along the columms ; ‘while capitals
and bases were altogether
nice being supported by .
upper corners of the fram
frames could not now be said to 1
architectural character, but. were sul
every freak of taste. RECA Gat neath
~The next decided change was, ‘to dispense |
with the cornice of the glass-frame altogether, |
—making the top and sides just alike. i

Sire ¢ '
lished, the cor-

two upper corners consisted of blocks, on which
pateras or flowers were placed ; and the columns,
abutted against the blocks. But in time a,
farther change was made, by removing the:
blocks altogether from the upper corners, and
supplying their places with a carved ornament,
consisting of leaves of foliage, &c., which
covered the ends of the columns; while a’
smaller ornament rested on the bottom)
blocks, and covered the lower ends of the
columns. — :

Within a few years a farther departure has.
been made from the old style, by dispensing
with columns altogether. The top and sides
of the frame were: made of equal width, and
consisted of a flat ground, bounded at each
edge by a hollowor some other small mould-)
ing; and on the corners of the frame. were
placed. carved or composition ornaments,
which however tasteful and elegant they might
be, had ‘seldom much pretension to a definite
or architectural character. Sometimes a por-

ae ae

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 159

tion of the ornament resembled the end of a|rest, and looking-glass back. The pier-glass
shepherd’s crook, the staff of which ran up the |is rested on this table, and as it’ frequently
side ofthe frame; generally speaking, however, |reaches to the ceiling, there is a brilliant
the. ornaments resembled different) kinds of | assemblage of glass, gold, &c., from the ceiling
foliage, and the taste:of the carver: was:called| to the floor. . {
into requisition to make. the ornaments, appear
asif they, formed a necessary part of the flat:
ground: on which they were laid; an effect
which was by no: means. attained in. many
casesy

This style of frame has continued: in use.
until our own day for glasses. of a moderate
size; but another change has taken: place
within a.comparatively recent: period, in the
pattern for glasses of a: large size. This new
style is; indeed, ‘‘modern: antique.” <A
fashion has spruug up, by: which. all the old’
‘carved frames of the ages: of Charles the
Second, Queen Anne, and. especially: Louis
the Fourteenth, have become greatly in favour.
So much has this: been the- case, that: dealers
‘have gone to the-Continent, for the purpose of
buying all the old carved frames, and. pieces:
of frames, that: they: could meet. with,—the
necessary’ qualification: being old age: These.
were easily sold in England, and: when the
supply slackened,—the demand still continuing,
—the: carvers) and the: composition: ornament
makers set about imitating the antique pro-
ductions which were now too scarce to supply
the’ market. Where no fixed standard of
taste is adopted, fashion soon veers .round, and
almost as soon becomes general over the coun-
try. Such is the case with these’ modern
antique frames;, for, they are almost. the
only kind nowiemployed for large glasses.

With respect to the rationality of any of the
styles of glass frames which we have described,
oux decision must depend entirely on the cir-
cumstanece, whether an architectural character
ought to be looked for.in these frames.. Those
'who think that such ought to, be the case, will
{have reason to, regret the gradual, progress of
change within. the last half century. Those,
on. the other hand, who; think there is no suf-
ficient ground. for adopting. an) architectural
style in frames, are justified in, thinking, that:
‘the present, taste-is the-most elegant that has
‘yet'appeared in these matters. Certain it is,
\that the frames:now made are richly and ela-
borately, ornamented, representations of fruit

To SmoorHeN anv Pouisu Iyory.—Some
painters use a large scratcher, others an instru-
ment with ablade three or four inches long
and of a triangular shape, To either of these
the use of a razor is preferable—to benefit
‘completely by it, be sure that it has not the
slightest notch on its edge, and observe that it
isnot too sharp. Open it so that the back part
of the blade touches the handle, and in that)
position use it to scrape the ivory from angle
to angle. When.the whole is thus smoothened|
begin again from the contrary angles, in order
that no traces of the saw may remain upon
the side required to be painted. Haring pro-
vided some. putty powder, pulverised and
passed through a silk sieve, place the ivory in)
the middle of the bottom of a bandbox, hold-|
ing it firmly in one hand, while with the other! |
take a small bit of paper and rub the pounce
on the side of the ivory which has. been)
polished—being always caretul to do it with a)
circular movement. If the ivory be now of a
dead; white, and has-lost the lustre given to if,
by. the razor; take it out of the box, holding it)
so that the fingers do not touch the surface,
and brush off lightly with a painting» brush}
any. grits that may have adhered to it.. For;
this: purpose take one of the largest hair!
pencils.. It may be serviceable to remove in|
the same way any specks. or dust'while paint-,
ing. Never suffer the fingers. to, touch'the,
ivory; hold. it: always at the extremities, for,
the colour will not settle in a place touched by
the hands. If, however, such an accident,
happens, have recourse to the pumice powder;
and with a paper stump, rather pointed, gently,
rub: the place affected. But to avoid as much’
as possible a recurrence of such accidents,
when at.work, take a sheet of paper to rest the
hand upon, and when there is occasion to use
body colour, have a piece of wood or paste-|
board made for the same purpose, in such a,
way as. not. to touch the miniature, for in con-|
sequence of the gum whichis in the colours,
‘and, flowers. being frequently interspersed. the heat of the hand might cause the paper to,
among various species of foliage. adhere to the: painting.

1 The abaya details relate chic y to ehunney | Surron Cuurcu, Suropsnine.— This is!
i's Biihe that 1s, such as are placed on the! one of the most minute ecclesiastical buildings’
mantle-piece. . But | they will apply also, | England can hoast of, being only twelve paces’
great measure, to pier-glasses, which are long long by ten broad. Its fixtures correspond’
ae Blaser placed in the piers between | vith its Lillipution size. There isan iron box’
Fray OMS 1 F tes oe Ayes of these | jet into the wall to keep the church documents,
rames Is, that they are made narrower in the|i,° On the head of the pulpit is carved in|
moulding than the frames for chimney glasses, aye POH ALTE Each

on account of the limited space devoted to ae 2
their reception. But’ the style or pattern has| “‘Ricuarp. Arxins, Scuoon Masrer, 1582,’
undergone nearly as many changes by the| indicating that more than two centuries and a
caprice of fashion as the chimney-glasses. half ago the building had been used as ai|

An addition to the pier-glass has become|school. It is certainly a strange place for a
prevalent within afew years; we mean, the| church, as there are but about three tenements
consol table. This very elegant’ article of|'in the whole parish; yet service is regularly
furniture is a table, generally with a marble| performed here, so as to enable the worthy
or scagliola top, carved and gilt legs, marble | rector to claim his title. His flock varies from
or polished wood plinth on which the legs| one to seven.—Zhe Coracle Voyage.

i a
SE

|L60

{

The Chronotypist.

tion to the London. Art Union. of withdrawing
the proposed regulations as to the selection.of
prizes by a committee.——The’ once-talked of.
Caxton memorial seems to have died an unna-
tural death, it is now no longer heard of.—
The trustees of the National Gallery have come
to the determination of cleaning out the lower
rooms of that edifice in order to make room
for a portion of Mr. Vernon’s pictures.—
The suspension bridge at Perth lately tumbled
in.—tThe Isle of Portland Government works
are stated to be in rapid progress.——An
||atmospheric break, acting directly on the
wheels of ‘railway carriages, has been invented
by Mr. S. C. Lister, of Bradford. ——The first
stone of the University Hall, St. Pancras, was.
laid on the 20th: ulf——An exhibition of
architectural designs for the Spitalfield’s model
lodging’ houses, is now taking place at Willis’s
Rooms, it will close in afew days.— On ‘the
Ist inst., the house at the north. end of’ Castle-
street and Upper St. Martin’s-lane were demol-
ished, in order to widen that thoroughfare.
Anew street is also about to be formed,
passing through the Seven- dials, Mon-
mouth-street, to the end of Tottenham-
court-road, and another from the south of
Upper St. Martin’s-lane, through the parish of
St. Paul, Covent-garden, into the Strand; and
a third through Newport-market into Soho-
|jsquare and Oxford-street.—‘‘ A Correspon-
dent,” says Douglas Jerrold’s Newspaper, “has
||called our attention to the fact that His Serene
Higness Prince Louis of Oettidgen Waller-
stein, who has got a quantity of pictures to
dispose of, is now exhibiting them, for sale, at
Kensington ‘Palace; ‘‘His’ Royal Highness
Prince Albert,’ says the Catalogue, ‘having
induced the owner of the collection to send‘it
England, in order that it may be viewed by the
British public, and ‘to give the country an
opportunity of obtaining it.’ ’’——We have had
lately placed in our hands the prospectus of a
new company bearing the tifle‘of the Suburban
Village Association. © Its’ objects are stated to
consist in’ the establishment: and’ bililding of
villages suitable for the residence of ‘clerks,
artisans, and persons of: limited income, near
railway stations, within a short distance of the |
metropolis, including in the tenancy, railway
conveyance to and from the metropolis daily ;
and in enabling the industrial classes to obtain
an advantageous investment for their savings.
—tThe Chester Courant says of the late false
intelligence from Ireland: “If no more pre-
caution is to be exercised in the management
of the electric telegraph, the most scientific
invention of ‘modern days will come to be
regarded as a public nuisance; and the light-
ning intelligencer will be branded. as ‘the
great liar of the north.’’’———At the sale.of the
Pembroke coins which took place recently, a
penny of Offa, King of ;Mercia, sold: for ten’
guineas, whilst a penny of: Cynethryth, his
queen produced £31; agold solidus of Vigmund,
Archbishop. of York, a. p, 851, . weighing 67

probably becauseit had heard that the Chinese
|the Mersey, says that it ‘may be shortly ex-

can state confidently that Liverpool is to be
the next. destination of the junk.—Ep. D. A.]
‘'——The manufacturers: of ‘the

|topether or separate. “The cases, which are}

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

grains, brought £59; a ryal or half-sovereign
of Henry VIL., so rare that the present coin

itis believed ‘to be the second or third known,||
Dol? stem oie _ ft sold for 100 guineas-——-The: New York Suni |
Tue Board of Trade have signified their inten- |

states that from April 2 to June 2 the daily}
average of immigrants was 955.——The Gates-|
head Observer remarks: ‘‘'The Glasgow Citizen,)

junk, Keying, was to sail from the Thames for

pected in the Forth.’ “We have; for the same
reason, been looking for it inthe Tyne.’’ [We

Government
postage stamps have denied that there is any-
thing poisonous in the:gum: applied to them, a
Mr. Harris, an innkeeper in the Blackfriars-
road, having, as it was stated, been seriously
injured in health by applying his tongue toa
number of stamps.—~—The New York Tribune
states that a locomotive saw-mill has been
attached to an engine on ‘the Camden and
Amboy Railroad, to run between the several)
depots for the purpose of sawing wood for the
locomotives.——The town of Tralee was lighted,
with gas, on the 21st ult., for. the first time, as
stated. by a local journal,’ ‘‘ since the crea-}
tion.” « On yx : rep i'g

Matreaste Iron Castines,—The malleable’
iron castings are made from the rich Cumberland
iron, and are at first as brittle as glass or hard-'
ened steel; they are enclosed in iron boxes-of,
suitable size, and. surrounded with pounded!
ironstone, or some of the metallic oxides, as!
the scales from the iron forge, or with common
lime, and various other absorbents of carbon,

sometimes as large as barrels, are luted, rolled
into the ovens or furnaces, and submitted to a
good heat for about five days, and are then
allowed to cool very gradually within the fur-
naces. The time and other circumstances deter-|
mine the depth of the effect ; thin pieces become|
malleable entirely through, they are then!
readily bent, and may be slightly forged; cast-
iron nails and tacks thus treated admit of being
clenched ; thicker pieces retain a central portion
of crst-iron, but ina softened’state, and not
brittle, as at first; on sawing them through, the,
skin or coat of soft iron is pérfectly distinct from
the remainder.—Holtzapffel. [The rationale of
the procéss is, that the cast-iron is deprived of;
its carbon. ] yt . |
Apmisston at THE RoyAnu Acapemy.—At_
a Council held on the 18th inst. at the Royal
Academy, the following gentlemen were.
admitted probationers:—W. O. Williams, F..
W. Moody. R. B. Martineau, E. W. Senior, |
F. J. Scott, J. Stirling, W. Under bil, E. Hagg,
F. J. Wyburd, B. Smith, F. H. Hurst, ie
Papworth, C, Summers, J. Skurry; J. Robin-
son, C. N. Williams, F. G. Skiddows. F. F.
Thorne, E. E. Scott, H. S. Legg, E. M. Barry,
G. Payne, and W. F. Gomm. ; a
Tue Sussex Arcuzonocicat Socrery will
meet at Lewes on the 10th inst.; when a large
attendance is expected. The Bishop of Chi-
chester will preside. . + hoow

"NOSMUVIN "V 'd AG

‘quVOdIGIS JIHNLOD yY-UOA NOISAG TIVNIDIUO NV

No, 67.—Vol. III.

it Sas i shu Naha
5 oe ee Foote

i : ;

[serene Wain ten
t hae, ass sate
y

tae ie abs”:

Sarurpay, |

The Bonvon Art-Anion anv the
Boary of Trave,

—_——

OWEVER
great may be the estimation in which we hold
the influence of a constitutional authority
\when exercised to prevent abuse, and insure
fair dealing betwixt man and his fellow, we
by no means uphold that Jack-in-office spirit
‘which but too often leads our government to
acts of interference where its interposition is

neither just nor necessary. An instance of this

prominently before the notice of the public
‘in the case of the Art-Union of London and
He Board of Trade. Not content with the
exercise of a mere nominal power over an
Institution, of the mode of conduction of which
no complaint has ever yet been made, ‘‘ My
‘Lords” chose some time back to take upon
themselves the office of censors, and claimed
a right to change the character of the society,
and to have the following alterations made in
its, constitution :—First, that all the works of
art should be selected bya committee; secondly,
the abandonment of the aunual distribution
jof engravings and to substitute others: and
thirdly, to reserve ten per cent. for a fund for
defraying the expenses of a public exhibition.
The council of the London Art-Union, how-
ever, declared these alterations to be im-
practicable, and, accordingly, for a long time,
the Board of Trade cogitated upon the subject
and have now, at last, come to the decision
that in consequence of its being their opinion
that one of the great advantages which they
anticipated from the previous selection of

THE” DECORATOR'S.” ASSISTAND:

mischevious meddling has lately been brought:

SET

[Aucustr 19, 1848.

the prizes by a committee which would have
the power of giving orders to artists, or of
purchasing their works before the opening of
the Exhibitions, was that the prizeholders
would have a better collection open to them to
chose from than is at present afforded by the
Exhibitions to which they are confined, it is
best that in cases where the right of selection
is vested in the prizeholder himself and not
in a committee, he shall be allowed to exercise
that right freely without being restricted to
purchasing from any particular Exhibitions,
and that a year shall be given him in which to
make his choice, soas to enable him to give|
a commission in case he does not meet with a
work to suit his taste. They do not, however,
propose that he should have right to select a
portrait or portrait-bust; but, with this ex-
ception, they would leave him free to purchase
any work of a living artist, subject to such.
regulations as may appear to be desirable, and|
it is their intention to put themselves in com-)
munication with the Council of the Art-Union!'
of London upon the subject of the regulations,
that should be adopted.

Here the matter rests for the present, but we
cannot for the life of us make out why it was
What in the name of
common sense, has a Board of Trade to do

originally disturbed.
with an Art-Union? We presume we shall
next have a committee of privilege, or some-
thing of the kind, dictating to the Great
Western Railway the hours at which they
shall start their trains. A Board of Trade, if
there be any meaning in the words, must cer-
tainly be a tribunal instituted to watch over,
and supervise the fluctuations of trade and
the proceedings of traders. Now, surely, the,
painting and selection of pictures, the’ distri-
bution of engravings to subscribers who have
paid. for them, and the general routine of,
business common to a society incorporated for
the purpose of promoting art and a taste for
art, by means of a picture lottery, and a
distribution of high-class engravings—surely,
we say, the proceedings of such an association
as this cannot be regarded as coming within
That
the Art Union may have faults, we do not!
deny. But it has many redeeming and excellent
qualities. It has become the purchaser ce

the category of commercial operations.

162

high-class pictures;. it has distributed them
amongst the middle and lower. classes of the.
people; and it has, as an incidental advantage,
scattered over the walls of many a humble
parlour, engravings of a class which otherwise
would never have been hung there. It is
therefore with ‘feelings of annoyance and re-
gret that we see a parcel of red-tapists attempt
to fetter, a useful and rising institution. Ithas,
however, repelled the brunt of the assault, and
we heartily hope that it may succeed in teach-
ing the Downing-street gentry not. to meddle
with things which concern them little, and of
which the chance is that they know less..

Co Correspondenis, Ke.

WRITE LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH
THY WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MAY BEA-

DILY DECYPERED BY THE RECIPIENT OF THY}

COMMUNICATION.

“A. B.” (Leeds).—No. 3, as well as all the
early numbers out of print, is being reprinted. —

“TL. M. 8S. P.”—An article is in prepara-
tion.

Erratum.—IJn our list of the gentlemen ad-
mitted at the Royal Academy, in our last num-
ber, p.. 160, for the ‘‘ 18th instant,” read the
‘€ 18th ultimo.”’

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to ‘the Editor
of the Decorator’s Asststant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to: such of our provincial
readersas will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, Sc.

Cases for Vols. I. and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

*.* Any of our readers having complete
Aupuasets of an ornamental description suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 16 is now ready, price 7d.

Tue British Arcumouocican AssocrATION
Coneress commenced at Worcester on Mon-
day, the 14th, and will terminate on Saturday.
Tuesday was appropriated mainly to the
cathedral. On Wednesday (to-day) there will

be an excursion to Sudeley Castle and on
sy te Malvern, Pershore, and Ever-
sham.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

SMoriar.
[Continued from page 156.] }

Artificial puzzolana is’ made by heating
of slacked lime one part, to three parts of
clay, and keeping of a red heat several hours.
After which, cover the top of the kiln with sand|
or earth, and, when cool, pack up close in casks
for use. A composition, consisting of lime-stone,
road-dust, sand, or similar substance, with pow-
der of burnt bones; these ingredients powdered
are to be heated in an oven, and when hot to
be mixed with one fourth part’ of tar, pitch,
or rosin, and used to form a facing for houses.

Cement for mouldings, is made of powdered
whiting two pounds, glue one pound, with half
a pint of oil. This mixture is first thoroughly
incorporated im a metal vessel, by means of
heat, and well beat together on a stone with
whiting, till it has acquired the necessary con-
sistence and toughness. It is kept under
moist cloths till used. Proper moulds are
used for casting ornaments of this composition,|
which when: dry-are fixed on the surfaces to)
be ornamented, by glue or white-lead.

A delicate cement is made for small work,
by heating a pint of milk to the boiling point)
and adding vinegar till the curds separate ;
then straining off the whey, which is carefully
beaten up with the whites of four or five eggs,
gradually adding the whey; when the whole
is well mixed, sifted quicklime is stirred in,
till the consistence is that of athick paste. It}!

{is used to supply deficiences in. small works,

and to fasten pieces broken off, which it joins
firmly together. It resists the action of fire
and water. The prepared liquid may be kept,
if closely corked up, but the lime must only be
added when wanted. HG

Half a pound of bees’-wax, sliced, meltedwith
a quarter of a pound of rosin, powdered, and
an ounce of chalk and of brick dust, both in fine
powder, added, the whole boiled up together
and well mixed, forms a valuable cement for
filling up holes either in stone or marble, and
for veneering marble for inlaying, and mosaic
work. The cement must be used hot, and the
work it is applied to must:be warmed. ee

The cold cement for the same purposes 1s
reckoned a secret among workmen; it is made
by grating with a bread grater; a pound of old
dry Cheeshire cheese, which must remain
for fourteen hours in a quart of milk, stir-
ring it frequently; a pound of unslacked
lime in powder must then be added, and the
whole well beat up., Finally, add the whites
of twenty or thirty eggs beat up with any
colouring matter desired, and let the whole be

exceedingly well mixed and beat up
together. MS if agile
Mr. Beavan’s Mortar.—This mortar, or

building cement, is composed: of marble, flint,
chalk, lime, and. water; and when. dry: is
capabie of a high polish. The proportions are}
one part of pulverized marble; one part o

pulverized flint; and one partof chalk-mixed
together, and sifted through a very fine sieve:
to this is to be added one part of lime which
has been slacked three months, and’ sufficient

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

163

water to make the whole intoa thin paste; in this
state it is to be spread over a coarse ground,
as thin as possible, and made smooth on the
surface; it may be polished, when dry, by
Venetian talc. If buildings are to be covered
with this composition, a preparatory rough
ground should be first used, consisting of
river-sand and lime.
Derbyshire Spar Cement, is made with
about eight parts of resin and one of bees’-wax
melted together, with a small quantity of
plaster of Paris; if small dificiencies occur
in the article to which it is applied, a littie
more of the plaster of Paris may be added,
and, when the mixture is nearly cold, it must
be well kneaded together. When used, this
cement must be dissolved by heating the por-
tions of spar to be fastened together. A mixture
of: melted sulphur and some of the spar,
powdered, is sometimes used for this’ purpose.
Steam Cement, is not only useful for different
parts of hydraulic and steam engines but for
broken stones, and the joint of square water-
troughs. Linseed oil boiled, litharge, and red
and white lead, constitute this cement, which
is mixed to’a proper consistence, and applied
on each side of a piece of flannel, previously
shaped to the joint of iron or other substance,
and put between the pieces previous to their
being screwed or hammered together, or
‘brought home,’’ as the workmen term it: by
this means a close and durable joint is made.
Care must be taken not to leave the mixture
too thin with oil; and as the white lead does
not dry sosoon as the red, more of the latter
ought to be used. Workmen do not always
produce: a good joint on the first attempt, but
repeatedly loosen and: fasten the parts of the
work till they at Jast:accomplish their purpose.
When the fittings will not admit the thick-
ness of flannel, linen, or even paper, or thin
pasteboard may be substituted.
» This cement answers well for joining broken
stones of the largest kind; and stone joints
never leak or want future repairs: if the stone
be thick, not more than an inch next to the water
need be filled with cement; the rest may be
done with common mortar. Two ounces of
salammoniac, one ounce of flowers of sulphur,
and sixteen ounces of cast iron filings or
borings; mix them in a mortar, and keep the
powder dry. .When this cement is wanted,
take one part of the above, to twenty parts of
clean iron filings or borings, and mix inti-
mately, and beat to a powder in a mortar.
When mixed to a proper consistence with
water, apply with wooden or iron spatula.
This is the cement used in the filling up and
elasping the joinings of Southwark cast-iron
bridge. The chemical action of these materials,
on one another, causes the whole to unite in a
hard and homogeneous mass.
_ The roofs and floors of houses in Venice are
covered with a cement, the composition of
which is unknown in England; it resists the
action of the weather, and preserves itself
from injury foralong time. Itis believed to
be compounded ‘of plaster of Paris, sulphur,
resin, pitch, and spirit of turpentine or wax
mixed hot... bie

Walls and floors are sometimes made of

mortar; as also the roofs of houses. For
plain country. habitations, the floors may be
made of two-thirds of lime, and one of coal
ashes well sifted; with a small quantity of
loam, or clay; mix the whole together with
water, and temper well, and make into a heap;
which after remaining a week or ten days, temper
over again, beating it tillit be of a proper tenacity
and consistence. ‘The ground being made
level, lay the composition about two inches
and a half or three inches thick, making it
smooth with a trowel; if this work be done in
warm weather, it will. dry sooner, which will be
an advantage; andif a superior floor be wanted
for better apartments, cover this first layer with
another made of the lime of ragstones, well
tempered with whites of eggs, and laid on
about half an inch thick, before the first floor
be too dry. When the whole is throughly dried,
and rubbed with a little oil, it will be as smooth
as polished marble.

The most interesting place. connected with
the machinery of the Bank is the weighing-of-
fice, which was established afew yearsago. In
consepuence of a late proclamation concerning
the gold circulation, it became very desirable to
obtain the most minute accuracy, as coins of,
doubtful weight were plentifully offered. Many
complaints were made that sovereigns which
had been issued from one office were refused at
another ; and though these assertions were not
perhaps always founded on truth, yet it is in-
disputable that the evil accasionally occurred.
Every effort was made by the directors to
remedy this, some millions of sovereigns being
weighed separately, and the light coins divided
from those which were full weight. Fortunately)
the governor for the time being, before whom
the complaints principally came, had devoted
his thoughts to scientific pursuits, and he at once
turned his attention to discover the causes
which operated to prevent the attainment of a
just weight. Inthishe wassuccessful ; and the
result of his inquiry was a machine remarkable
for an almost elegant simplicity. About eighty
or one hundred light and heavy sovereigns are
placed indiscriminately in a round tube; as they
descend on the machinery beneath, those which
are light receive a slight touch, and this moves
them into their proper receptacle, while those
which are the legitimate weight pass into their
appointed place. The light coins are then de-
faced by the sovereign-cutting machine, observ-
able alike for its accuracy and rapidity. By
this 200 may defaced in one minute, and by the
weighing machinery 35,000 may be weighed in
one day.—Francis’s Hist. of Bank of England.

Exectro TeretecrarHic.—The charge for
the transmission of messages has been reduced :
—‘“* Between the hours of half-past five o’clock
p-m. and seven p.m. a uniform maximum rate
of 5s., will be charged for messages under
twenty words; 2s. 6d. extra will be charged for
every additional words or fractions of twenty
words. Orders for carriages, horses, beds and
other messages for the accomodation of travel-
lers, 2s. 6d. each.”

164

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

an Ellustrated Glossar of Technical
| Terms used in Archttectural any
, Entertor Mecoration, Ke.

[Continued from page 154.]

Encine-Turninc, a method of producing
ornamental surfaces on various articles, by a
combination of different curved and straight
jlines of a geometrical construction, which are
produced on the articles by means of a species
of lathe called a ‘‘rose engine.” This engine
was first used by the Swiss in ornamenting the
dials and cases of their watches, and has also
been cxtensively used for that ‘purpose in
Clerkenwell, in London, where-it has been
carried to a very great’ extent, both in the
watch and in the snuff-box manufacture, and
has been for many years past used in the
printing trade as a mode of preventing the for-
gery of bank-notes, bonds, and other valuable
documents. Engine-turning was first intro-
duced for the purpose of producing govern-
ment stamps, in conjunction with the method
of printing in one or more colours by one
plate, by the late Sir William Congreve, and
has been carried to a great state of perfection
iby Mr. Charles Whiiing, printer, Beaufort

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House, Strand. The accompanying specimens
represent. some of the various lines or curves

used in this species of engine-tnrning, ‘These
specimens are produced by the combination of
various motions which are given to the plate
on the lathe, or rose engine, whilst the cutting-
tool is held by a slide-rest or mechanical stand
capable of various adjustments, which together
or separately produce the effect desired. The
portions cut out of the plate or block are those
which are represented by the white parts of
the patterns, and the face of the plate which is
left receives the printing ink, and is therefore
a black ground. This is called letter-press or
surface printing, in contradistinction to copper-

plate printing, where the lines which are cut
by the engine receive the ink and print black,
while the surface is wiped clean and is there-
fore left in a white state on the paper. But
both white as well as black lines may be pro-
duced so as to print at one impression, whether
it is for the letter-press or copper-plate, as may
be seen by referring to the accompanying pat-
terns, where some of the lines are white on a
black ground, while the other lines are black
upon a white ground; both of these effects
being produced by surface printing, or letter-

press, and at one impression,
[To be continued.]

Rounp Towser 1n THE Iste. or Man.—It!!

is near Peel Castle. .‘‘In the midst of green-
sward, which now has overspread nearly the
whole of the area within the walls, and forms
a short, sweet pasturage, is \a pyramidal
mound of turf, of a rectangular, form, facing
the four cardinal points, and measuring about
seventy yards along each side. ~The angles
have» well nigh disappeared, and it presents
but the rude outlines of its ancient proportion.
It seems to have been .an old Danish fort,
thrown up, probably, about the beginning of
the eleventh century. Close to this mound,
perched on the highest point of the island,
rises the Round Tower, with its antique

masonry almost wholly of the oldred sandstone, | |

regularly laid in courses of long and thin
stones, with the wide jointing filled in with
coarse shell-mortar of extreme hardness. It
is in every respect similar to those of Ireland,
so admirably described by Mr. Petrie; and its
position, a little to the north of the ruined
church, seems to tally remarkably with the

view which he has taken of the double purport)
of these buildings, as belfries, and as deeps)
or places of strength-for the protection of)

sacred utensils, books, relics, and other valu-
ables, and into which, in cases of sudden)
attack, the ecclesiastics, to whom they be-|
longed, might retire for security. There is a
little door facing the east at the lower part of
the tower, 6 feet 9 inches above the ground, to
which access seems to have been gained by.a
ladder: four small square-headed apertures]
near the top face the cardinal points, andione
other is seen lower down on the north-west or
seaward side.’’*—From ‘“‘ The Isle of Man and
its History,” by the Rev. J. G. Cumming.
J. Van Voorst. ; i

The inauguration of the fine fountain on
fhe Place Sulpice, at Paris, took place lately.
The monument represents Bossuet, Fénelon,
Fléchier, and Massillon, the size of life, and
in their episcopal robes seated in meditation.
The water is poured from four urns into the
first. basin,—from which it. overflows. into a
second and third. Four lions hold shields
bearing the arms of the city of Paris.. The
work is by M. Visconti. oh ieig!
; ures RBG

Dae |
* Circumference of the tower near the base 44 6
Internal diameter at the door .....
Height of the tower, about.......sss+--s

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

165)

THB JESSAMINE.

‘ bon int-ss osu, «. SKETCHES FROM) NATURE.—No. IL. .

METHOD OF STRIKING A SEMI-ELIPTICAL ARCH WITHOUT EMPLOYING THE COMPASS.

Tue above diagram represents the plan
adopted by Rennie in drawing the arches of
the New London Bridge. It is first necessary
to draw the springing line, @ 6, and then to
determine the height of the arch, at the same
time setting off the same distance below from
which to carry the radius lines at the point 0.
Ascertain the required width, and divide it
into 18 equal parts (or more, if necessary,—as

exists of acquiring accuracy); then from the
point e carry the radius lines through each of
the divisions to the boundary line ¢d, and
divide the end into nine equal parts from the
centre point, marked 1. Carry the lines to the
side marked 1, and so on to 9;—the inter-
sections of these lines produce the required
arc.

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for one of the Willoughby family in the reign)

the greater the number, the more certainty | P

:
\|
6

Wottaton Hari.—Wollaton is about three
miles from Nottingham,—and_ was. built by
John Thorpe the architect of Holland House, |

of Queen Elizabeth. It is altogether of stone.
The elevation of the exterior is fine; and though
the ornamentation (as people now affect to
call it) is a good deal in the crinkum-crankum
style, I always find my heart warm when I
see it, for the treatment is certainly pic-
turesque, and all the beauties which Sir Joshua
ointed out in Vanbrugh’s buildings may
certainly be found in every part of it, Some
disfigurement has taken place in the facade
by the removal of a pair of noble steps,
otherwise the exterior is much as Thorpe built
it. I wish I could say the same for the in-
terior, which is greatly disappointing—the
furniture and pannelling scarcely a century
old, and the pictures of the worst Wardour-

“ Atheneum.”

street description.—Correspondent of — the

166

Revie.

\Instructions in Drawing, for the use of Flemen-
tary Schools By Burien Wrttams.
C.E.,F.G.S., &c. London: Parker, West
Strand.

The Author, of this volume, in his ‘‘in-
structions,” proceeds upon the hypothesis
that the reader is unacquainted with the modus
operandi of the simplest rules of drawing, and
by this means he has been enabled to produce
a work of the most valuable description—
being, in fact, a guide through every successive
stage towards perfection entered upon by the
learner. The utmost minuteness and clearness
of detail form the characteristics of this work,
while the arrangement of its subjects equally
conduces towards the end of the author, namely
that of imparting information in such amanner
that the student may be led on pleasantly over
a road, which it has hitherto been found a
jlabour of difficulty to traverse.

The first chapter, which extends over twelve
octavo pages, is wholly occupied with ‘‘ Direc-
tions and general arrangments for the con_
ducting of the Drawing Classes’’—from which
we make the following extract, describing the
mode of using drawing materials :—

“When drawing, the body is straight, lean-

ing slightly forward, but at a sufficient distance
from the desk to admit of free movements of
the right arm in any. direction: the left hand,
when paper is used, rests on the left side of the
paper to keep it steady: both shoulders are of
‘ithe same height. »
“The chalk-holder is held between the two
first fingers and thumb, not too stiffly, yet so as
not to move between the fingers. The point of
the chalk-holder may be from 1 to 13 inch from
the end of the thumb. .

‘* The two first fingers and thumb are each a
little bent ; the other fingers are turned slightly
inwards, but not so tight as to cause the least
constraint. Thehand is supported on the fourth
finger, so as to press very lightly with the chalk
on the slate, or paper.

“‘ In drawing lines horizontal, or nearly so,
the fingers are stretched out nearly straight :
the chalk-hoder is held slanting back, and the
horizontal motion is performed chiefly by the
wrist, the fingers assisting slightly. In draw-
ing lines vertical, or nearly so, the fingers are
straightened to extend the chalk-holder up-
wards, and bent to bring it downwards; the line
is in this case formed by the fingers and thumb
only. Oblique lines and curves of every
description are drawn by the assistance of the
fingers and the wrist together, the fingers being

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

more or less bent according as the direction of
the Jine to be- drawn is more or less nearly|}
vertical.

*“* In general, the most convenient position||
for the hand in drawing any line is at right
angles, or nearly so, to the direction of the line
to be drawn.

‘‘ In drawing long lines on the slate, the arm, ||
hand, and wrist, may, when sufficient skill
has been attained, be moved at the same time:||
for short lines, the movement is confined to||
the hand and fingers. Lines drawn on paper||
are drawn in short lengths by the movement}|
of the hand and fingers only.”

The “ Principles of Perspective” contained
in this work ‘will be found of the utmost
service to the learner. We, however, pass
over these, and as affording a capital specimen

of the author’s style, extract a few passages
relating to shaded drawings :— |

‘(OF DRAWING THE OUTLINE.

‘The outline is to be drawn in the first in-
stance lightly with prepared charcoal, of which|}
all trace can, when required, be removed by
rubbing the paper with chamois leather or any
-softsubstance. ‘Trusting to this power of effac-|}
ing the charcoal outline, some learners are
inclined fo draw it too hastily, not bestowing)|
sufficient care in producing neat and precise
lines: the teacher should guard against the}!
habit, and request the pupils always to haye the||
charcoal properly pointed. eae

‘‘When a correct outline has been drawn
with this material, and examined by the teacher, ||
itis to be partly effaced, so as to leave faint|/
marks just distinet enough to guide the eye and||
hand in re-drawing the same outline’ with||
precision in crayon. ‘This forms the next step :|{
the crayon used is No. 1. Itis tobe firmly}|}
grasped in the holder and cut to a fine point.
Crayonsare cut or pointed in a manner different.
from that followed for lead pencils, the crayon
being held with its point resting on the first
finger of the left hand, and cut backwards from
the point towards the hand.

‘* Errors made in the crayon outline are
effaced with the crumb of stale bread pressed
between the fingers into a convenient shape.
If the paper should, by the too frequent use o
the bread, become greasy, so that the crayon
cannot be made to mark, the greasiness may
be removed by using Indian rubber, care being
taken not to let the Indian’ rubber touch any
part of the crayon intended to be retained.
Warming the paper at the fire will also remove
this defect tosome extent. The use of bread,||
however, always unfits in a greater or less}
degree the surface ofthe paper for the reception
of shade; the pupil must not therefore acquire a
habit of trusting to this as ameansof correcting
errors; and the use of the prepared charcoal in
first tracing the outline, should make it rarely,
necessary to have recourse to subsequent cor-
rections when it is drawn in with the crayon,

vy HATCHINGS. © ogi cogs sna
_ “The broad and general effect of the draw-
ing is to be produced solely by means of

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 167

depth of shade beneath, and they should be so
drawn as to be undistinguishable when the
drawing is viewed from a distance of about two
or three feet. The crayons should be cut to a
very fine point for the purpose; crayon, No. 1,
being used for all light shades, and crayon, N.2,
for the dark shades only.

the proper stumps; such an effect in fact
as would give to the drawing the appearance
of being finished, if viewed from a distance of
about two or three feet. However, in order to
give greater decision, brilliancy, and character ;
as also to produce a higher finish in the drawing,
whereby it may be rendered more pleasing for
close inspection ; but especially for the most
important end of training the hand to precision,
hatchings are to be next applied. Hatching is
a term employed to signify parallel, straight or
curved lines, used for producing shades either
in drawings or engravings. If skilfully dis-
posed they are pleasing to the eye as mere
shades; but their great use is the power they
afford of making everything appear, without
the aid of colour, of its individual nature and
quality. Any one, in examining a well exe-
cuted line engraving, will find that the effect of
different substances is represented, and that he
isenabled to distinguish flesh, wood, stone,
water, metals, stuffs, or any other material, by
the particular expression produced by variously
disposed plain or cross hatchings. This power
is not required, however, for the elementary
course of drawing set forth in this Work, the
models which are to be copied being all made
of wood, covered with acoat of white paint,
presenting therefore a uniform and regular
texture. Nevertheless, if hatchings be applied
as we recommend, each drawing, independently
of its presenting greater precision, brilliancy,
and finish, will thereby have served as a special
means of exercising the hand by the delineation
of a great number of regular, straight or curved
lines. The pupils will thus, with every new
model, be induced almost unconsciously, but
certainly with interest, to repeat time after
time an exercise of great importance, because it
is only by an infinite number of trials that the
skill can be acquired, which combines freedom
and, steadiness in the drawing of straight or
curved lines.

“DRAWINGS TO BE GENERALLY SHADED FROM
TOP TO BOTTOM.

“When it can conveniently be done, it is de-
sirable to shade the drawing from top to bottom,
in order to avoid rubbing or defacing any of the
work previously done; but this cannot always
be adhered to, as it is difficult to judge of the
effect of isolated parts of surfaces until the mass
of shade belonging to an entire surface is laid
on. Another reason, which also causes a de-
parture from the process of shading regularly
from top to bottom, is, that the darkest shade
should in general be produced first, the others
being laid on in succession according to the
diminution of their intensity. By this means
a better gradation can be preserved by learners,
and too heavy shades are avoided. If, on the
contrary, the drawing is commenced with the
lightest shade, it is more difficult to make it of
such a tone, that by a gradual increase in the
depth the last or deepest shadow shall not be
much too dark.”’

Here we conclude, earnestly recommending
Mr. Williams’s work, as an efficient and
trustworthy mentor. :

Frencu Rattways.—lI have no hesitation in
declaring that their second-class carriages are
as comfortable as our first. We found ourselves
seated on cushions covered with soft leather
and stuffed either with wool or horse-hair. No
easy chair could be more delectable; there
was padding behind us, above the shoulder,
and in the panel at the window. They are
six feet across from back to front, and five feet
eight inches high, holding, without incon-
venience, five persons on each side ; let aman’s
legs be ever so long, he can stretch them out
before him in these carriages, the fare by which
to Amiens (thirty miles distant) is 2s 11d each.
Our portmanteau, weighing eighty-four pounds,
and two hat cases, were charged at twopence.
In three stations out of four, generally
speaking, we found women officiating as the
ticket dispensers. They are placed at a glass/
window in the partition of the waitin (salle
a Vattente) well secured with wirework, in
which a small hole is reserved for the female
clerk’s fingers, to deliver the traveller his
ticket and such as. he may be receiving for his
piece of money.—The ‘‘ Parson, Pen, and Pen-

cil.

. * sTRENGTH AND GENERAL DIRECTION OF
HATCHINGS.

_“ With hatching no universal rule can be
given as to the proper direction and amount of
strength of the lines. Generally, it will be
preferable to draw them in directions parallel
either to the sides of the surface shaded, or
coinciding with the directon ofthe plane in
which that surface is situated. The hatchings,
for example, would be made vertical on the
representation of vertical !surfaces; horizontal
on, the representation of horizontal surfaces ;
and inclined on the representation of inclined
surfaces... When a curved surface is to be
represented, the hatchings should be. curvili-
near, partaking of the general curve of the
form to be delineated, In such cases two or
more sets of hatchings may be made to cross
each other with a pleasing effect.. When
hatchings are thus crossed, they should not
meet at right-angles, but always more or less
oblique, so that the intersections of two sets of
hatchings would produce diamond or lozenge-
shaped openings. The pupils should be cau-
tioned against making the hatchings too dark.
Their strength should. be proportioned to the

The American. Southern Telegraph Com-
pany, whose line extends from: New_York
through Philadelphia and Baltimore, to Wash-
ington, a distance of about 250 miles, have de-
clared their first annual dividend of six per
cent.

eee

l168

Enamel,

——~

(Concluded from page 152.]

Buve.—Blue is obtained from the oxyde of
cobalt. It is the most fixed of all colours,
and becomes equally beautiful with a weak as
with a strong heat. The blue produced by
cobalt is more beautiful the purer it is, and
the more it is oxydated. Arsenic does not
hurt it. The saline fluxes which contain
nitre are those best to suited to it; you add a
little also when you employ that flux which
contains a little calcined borax, or glass of
borax, though you may employ it also with that
flux alone. But the flux which, according to
my experiments, gives to cobalt-blue the
greatest splendour and beauty is that composed
of white glass (which contains no metallic
calx), of borax, nitre, and diaphoretic antimony
well washed. When this glass is made for the
purpose of being employed as a flux for blue, you
may add less of the white oxyde of antimony:
a sixth of the whole will be sufficient.
Vioitet.—Black calx of manganese, employed
with white fluxes, gives a very beautiful
violet. By varying the fluxes the shade of
the colour may also be varied. It is very
fixed as long as it retains its oxygen. The
oxyde of manganese may produce different
colours; but for that purpose it will be neces-
sary that we should be able to fix its oxygen
in. it in different proportions. How to effect
this has, perhaps, never yet been discovered,
These are all the colours obtained from metals.
From this it is evident that something still re-
mains to be discovered. We do not know
what might be produced by the oxydes of
platina wire, tungsten, molybdena, and nickle:
all these oxydes are still to be tried; each of
them must produce a colour, and perhaps red,
which is obtained neither directly nor with
facility from any of the metallic substances
formerly known and hitherto employed.
Having laid before the English artists the
result of M. Clouet’s Researches, as they were
presented to the French National Institute, of
which he was an associate, I shall add a few
general observations taken from those of our
own countrymen, who have made the subject
of enamelling their study and employment.
The most beautiful and expensive colour known
in this branch of the art is an exquisitely fine,
rich, and purplish tinge, given by the salts and
oxydes of gold, especially the purple precipi-
tate formed by tin in one form or other, and
the nitro-muriate of gold, and also by fulmi-
nating gold. This fine colour, however, re-
quires much skill in the artist to be fully
brought out. Other and commoner reds are
given by the oxydes of iron, but this requires
the mixture of alumine, or some other sub-
stance refractory in the fire; otherwise what
would, under proper circumstances, be a full
red will degenerate into a black.
Yellow is either given by the oxyde of
silver alone, or by the oxydes of lead and
antimony, with similar mixtures to those re-
quired with iron. The silver is as tender a
colour as gold, and as readily injured or lost

—

THE’ DECORATOR'S’ ASSISTANT.

in a high heat. Green is given by the oxyde)|
of copper, or it may also’ be produced by a'mix-
ture of yellow colours. Blue is given by cobalt, |
and this seems the most certain of all enamel
colours, and as easy to be managed. Black is!
produced by a mixture of cobalt and manganese.|
‘* The reader,” says Mr. Aikin, in his Chymical
Dictionary, “‘may conceive how much the|
difficulties of this nice art are increased, when'
the object is not merely to lay a uniform)
coloured glazing on a metallic surface, but
also to paint that surface with figures and
other designs that require extreme delicacy of.
outline, accuracy of shading, and selection of,
colouring. ‘The enamel painter has to work
not with actual colours, but with mixtures,
which he knows, from experience, will produce:
certain colours after the operation of the fire,
and to the common skill of the painter in the:
arrangement of his pallet and the choice of
his colours; the enameller has to add an in-|
finite quantity of practical knowledge of the)
chymical operation of one metallic ‘oxyde on
another, the fusibility of his materials, and,
the utmost degree of heat at which they will.
attain not only the accuracy of the figures
which he has given, but the precise shade of
colour which he intends to lay on. Painting
in enamel requires a succession of firings;
first-of the ground which is to receive the,
design, and which itself requires two firings, ||
and then of the different parts of the design)
itself. The ground is laid on in the same
general way as the common watch face,
enamelling already described. The colours,
are the different metallic oxydes melted with|
some or other vitrescent mixture, and ground
to extreme fineness. These are worked up
with an essential oil, that of spike is prefferred, |
and next to it the oil of lavender, to the pro-|
per consistence of oil colours, and are laid on
with avery fine hair brush. The essentia],
oil should be very pure, and by the use of this,
rather than any fixed oil, is probably that the.
whole may evaporate completely in a moderate!
heat, and leave no carbonaceous matter in con-
tact with the colour when red hot, which might
affect its degree of oxydation, and thence the
shade of colour which it is intended to pro-.
duce. As the. colour of some of the vitrified
metallic oxydes, such as that of gold, will
stand only at a moderate heat, while others:
will bear and even require a higher temperature
to be properly’ fixed, it forms a greater part
of the technical skill of the artist to apply
different colours in their proper order; fixing)
first those shades which are produced by the!
colours that will endure the highest degree of,
heat. The outline of the design is’ first,
traced on the enamel ground, and burnt in;
after which the parts are filled up gradually
with repeated burnings to the last and finest
touches of the tenderést enamel.” ' vee er
Those who paint on enamel, on earthenware, |
porcelain, &c., must regulate the fusibility of,
the colours by the most tender of those em-|
ployed, as, for example, the purple. When the}
degree which is best suited to purple has been
found, the other less fusible colours may be’ so||.
regulated (by additions of flux), when it is
necessary to fuse all the colours at the same)

Jan enamel sand, as already. mentioned.

jand with a solution of sal-ammoniac, formed

may paint also in enamel without flux; but

all the colours do not equally stand the heat

which must be employed. If the enamel,
however, on which you paint be very fusible,

_||they may all penetrate it. This. manner of

painting gives no thickness of colour; on the

\contrary, the colours sink into the enamel 3
0)

the places where. the tints are strongest,
make them penetrate and giye them lustre, a
pretty strong fire will be necessary so soften
the enamel and bring it to a state of fusion.
This method cannot be, practised but on
enamel composed with sand, which is palies
t
may be readily seen, also, that the colours

Jand enamel capable of enduring the greatest

heat will be the most solid, and the least liable
to. be changed by the air. .

The following method of filling up engraving
on silver with a durable black enamel is prac-
tised in Persia and India.

They take half an ounce of silver, two
ounces and. a half of copper, three ouncesand
a half of lead, twelve ounces of sulphur, two
ounces and a half of sal ammoniac. The

\metals are melted together and poured into a

crucible, which has been before filled with

|pulverised sulphur, made. into a paste by

means of water; the crucible is then imme-
diately covered that the sulphur may not take
fire, and this: regulus is calcined over a smelt-
ing fire until the superfluous sulphur be burned
away. ‘This regulus,is then coarsely pounded,

into a paste, which isrubbed into the engraving
on silver plate. The silver is then wiped
clean, and suffered to become so hot under the
muffle, that the substance rubbed into the
strokes of the engraving melts and adheres to
the metal. The silver is afterwards wetted
with the solution of sal-ammoniac, and again
placed under the muffle till it becomes red
hot. The engraved surface may then be
smoothed and polised without any danger of
the black substance, which is an artificial kind
of silver ore, either dropping out or decaying.
In this manner is all the silver plate brought
from Russia ornamented with black engraved
figures.

The foregoing detailed account of the
mechanical process of enamelling is extracted
and condensed from several of the best practi-
cal works, particularly from the long and elabo-
\rate article thereon, in Martin’s ‘‘ Circle of the
Mechanical Arts,’ 4to. London, 1815.

AnecpoTe or ArELLEs.—When Megabizus,
a Persian general, one .day was conducted to
the studio of Apelles, he began talking about
light and shade, and other things peculiar to
the painter’s art, Apelles bore with him for
some time, but at last took him up and said to
him, “ Sir, my pupils there, who are grinding
colours, gazed at you when. yon entered,

{admiring your splendid dress.and the gold that

litters on it, so long as.you held your tongue;
but_now I cannot answer. that.they will not

||smile at you, nay even laugh, to’ hear you dis-

coursing ona, subject so much out of your
sphere, he alse

THE DECORATOR’S

time, and at the same degree of heat, You:

eo eS

ASSISTANT. 169

The Chronotypist.

———_

Ir is stated that amidst all the impediments
of the Revolution, the restoration of the
Cathedral of Notre Dame has been carried on
with great activity, and the masonry is suf-
fiviently advanced to admit of the commence-
ment of the decorations. The Minister has re-
cently given orders to sculptors and decorators
to the amount of 107,753f. He has likewise
appropriated 53,150f. to the statuary of the
porch: ordering the restoration of a bas-
relief, and statues of Christ and his twelve
Apostles to be executed by young artists who
have been distinguished by their productions
at the schools or at the Exhibition. —The
Lhterary Gazette states that the Danish artists
in Rome have agreed to produce each a work
of art for the benefit of the widows and
children of Danish soldiers who have fallen
in battle. The well-known sculptor, Terichan,
has communicated this; and there is some
idea of having an exhibition of these works in
London, and a sort of Art-Union plan for dis+
posing of them. A collection of theatrical
portraits, originally forming part of the
gallery of the late Mr. T. Harris, for many
years lessee of Covent Garden Theatré, and a
quantity of theatrical property of the late
inimitable pantomimist, Joe Grimaldi, were
recently sold by auction at Mr. Robins’s rooms,
Covent Garden. The novelty of the sale
attracted many persons.——A gas meter of
immense size has just been cast and completed
at the iron-works of Messrs. Glover in Charles-
street, Drury-Lane—which is about to be
erected in Covent Garden Theatre for the
measurement of the gas supplied to that
establishment by the Chartered Gas Company.
It is what is ealled a dry gas meter,—no
water being employed, as in the common
meters; and is the invention of Mr.’ Defries,
of the Hampstead-road, by whom it has been
patented. This species of meter is exceedingly.
accurate in its measurement, and is likely to
become universal. The specimen now to be
seen at Messrs. Glover’s contains twochambers:
the upper one holds the machinery—the
lower is divided into six compartments by
three moveable diaphragms and three fixed par-
titions. The gas enters at the inlet pipe,|
whence it passes to the bottom of the meter
and fills each compartment in succession. A
continuous supply is kept up by the action on
the moveable diaphragms, which act upon the
indicating machinery by means of a very
simple and ingenious centrivance, that registers
the consumption of gas with unerring accuracy
on a plate of six dials, and indexes from units
to millions. The meter is capable of measur-|
ing 6,000 cubic feet of gas per hour, and isto|
measure the supply of 1,500 burners. It weighs}
two tons; is 16 feet in cireumferene and 8 in
height. The shape is a sexagon, with Gothic
devices and ornaments.——Swindlers are said!
to be travelling about with small parcels of
genuine Greek and Roman coins, mostly of the
common types, among which they introduce
afew forged specimens of the rarest and most
valuable kinds. The entire lots are offered for

{

'§1,000 cubic feet.

170.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

sale to collectors, who are deceived in conse-
quence of the genuineness of the common
coins, and pay high prices for medals which
they might have obtained for a trifle——The
sale of the effects of the Duke of Buckingham,
at Stowe, commenced: on Tuesday; the 15th
instant, and wiil extend over a period of thirty-
seven days. The public view commenced on
the 3rd dnstant.. The catalogue (price 15s.)
admits a party of four.. Without it there is
no admission.—-‘‘ We ‘lately’ says the
Arbroath Guide, ‘‘ visited the scene of the huge
works ;at Craig Pool, on the ‘river Southesk,
about a mile and a-half from Brechen, under
thé able superintendence of Mr. John Beck,
contractor. The object aimed at is the re-
moval from the river, at the foot of Craig
Pool, of an island of about three hundred feet
in length, hundred feet wide, and about three
feet deep. The entire mass is, we understand,
It appears that this island
was formed” some years since by the directions
of Lady Caernegie, of Kinnaird—she having
fancied that it would add: greatly to the pic-
turesque effect of the beautiful scenery at
the Craig Pool, at which spot the water is
twenty-five feet deep. Some years since the
East Mill Company, who have engaged Mr.

‘Beck to undertake this job, made a new lade,

ata cost of several thousand pounds. This
lade joins the river at about 150 yards above

‘the top of the Craig Pool, and the heavy floods

from the mountains, year after year, increased
the size of the island to an enermous extent,

‘by washing loose gravel. down the river and

lodging against it, thereby causing-the water
at the'tail of the lade to be kept almost dead, and.

‘thus decreasing the fall to a great extent. The

East Mill Company endeavoured to prevail on
Lady Caernegie to allow the island to be re-
moved; but it would appear that to this proposal
her ladyship was unwilling to agree. On her
decease, leave was obtained. Mr. Beck had difii-
culties of an exttaordinary character to contend
against, caused by the late heavy rains. By
great and increased exertions, and making the

\men labour day and night, he has been enabled

to accomplish the work, which wascommenced
on the 8th of June, and was finished a few
days ago. The scenery! at the pool is truly
splendid.” Telegraphic wires have lately
been applied’ to a novel purpose. The New
Orleans Delta gives an ‘account of a victim of
a gambling-house in that city, who, getting
intoa rage at his bad luck, knocked over the
table, and discovered divers wires, by means
of which intelligence was conveyed by a con-
federate to the’ player, in order to enable him
to plunder his’ victim more effectually.
Several beautiful caverns, says the Liverpool
Albion, one of which is described as resembling

\“‘a gothic.temple whose roof and walls seem a

conglomeration of stalactites and petrefactions
in all shapes, forms and figures, and there spark-
ling like diamonds or glittering like rubies,”
have been discovered at Kepshead, Ulverstone
Sand.—The Boston Chronotype states that a
daguerreotype artist, named Jacquay, has pur-
chased a flat boat at Pittsburgh, and fitted up a
daguerreotype gallery on board. He intends

to float with the current.—lIt is stated that

the persevering exertions of the Society” of

Antiquaries of Scotland for the preservation}:

of the Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity,
at Edinburgh, founded by Queen Mary of
Gueldres, are likely now to be crowned with
success. The church had been already sold to
the North British Railway Company,and designs
furnished for anew one, when the magistrates,
the patrons of the church, were persuaded to
alter their plans. The materials have been
bought back from the railway company; and
it is resolved to rebuild the ancient edifice on
a commanding site on the Calton Hill. This
task has been committed to Mr. Bryce; and,
under his care, every stone of the venerable
edifice has been marked and numbered so as to
admit of ‘its removal and restoration to its
original position in the transplanted church.
Meanwhile, the old church has a very singular
and somewhat grotesque look, being numbered
all over: like a phrenological’ cranium! If
this remoyal be successfully effected, it will
surpass the famed feats of the American house-
lifters.——The 21st instant is appointed as the
day delegates from the various Mechanics Insti-}
tutes throughout the country, are to meet at the)
Arboretum at Derby, in order to come to'some
arrangement with regard to an Amalgamation
of interest of the respective Institutions.

Oi ror Curonometers.—The best olive oil,
in its recent state, possesses that peculiar fla-
vour which adapts it for the table, and which
appears to arise principally from the quantity
of mucilage and water which subsides,’ and
whicli rénders such oil not only cheaper but
better qualified for yielding a greater pro-)
portion of pure oil than that which is recently
expressed from the fruit. Two or three gallons
skimmed from the surface of a large jar, that
thas rested’ for twelve months or upwards,
is preferable to any succeeding portion from
the same jar, and may be considered the
cream of the oil. Having procured good oil in
the first instance, put about one gallon into a
cast-iron vessel capable of holding twice the
quantity ; place it over a slow clear fire
keeping a ‘thermometer suspended in it, an
when the temperature rises to 92. degs.,' check
the heat, never allowing it to exceed 230 degs.,
nor descend below 212 degs. for one hour, by
which time the whole of the water and acetic
acid will be evaporated. The oil is then
exposed to a temperature of 30 degs. to 36
degs. for two or three days (consequently
winter is preferable for the preparation, as
avoiding the trouble and expense of producing
artificial cold). By the operation, a consider-
able portion is congealed, and while in this
state, pour the whole on a muslin filter, and
allow the fluid portion to run through; the
solid, when redissolved, may be used for com-
mon purposes. Lastly, the fluid portion must
be filtered once or more through newly-pre-
pared animal charcoal, grossly powdered, or
rather broken, and placed on biblious paper in
a wire frame, within'a funnel, by which means
rancidity (if any be present) is entirely re-
moved, and the oil is rendered perfectly bright
and colourless. .

“

Ly (!
“a

ae”

Kimmo

a Tin!

| HN ie

G it Sse =
f Lr vs iti RMIT, me g<— fp
y A) ft rr .

oe = ii ww nn ee a \\
= a rite f

ecainmmun MU TM

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A GRECIAN PANNEL, BY FRANCIS MULHOLLAND.

No. 68.—Vol . Il.

i
yi
Hod
te
ba
!

baeuiek di she
Piao omnes it

f TMA Werowel
{ i/o Shani ahh

Wa
laser A he.

Saturpay, ]

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

[Aucusr 26, 1848; i

Entuence of Untellectual Wroqress.

HE
experiment of popular education may, evén
now, in this early stage of its development,
be said to have effected:a grand object. But
very few years have elapsed since men shook
their heads with an incredulous smile whenever
the idea of improving the working classes was
propounded to them; and one invariable
argument formed their fortified stronghold
against entreaty, faithful representations of
facts, and even conviction’s self. This argu-
ment ran somewhat as follows :—“ By educating
the working classes we shall only sow the seeds
of discontent. When labourers begin to read
Arrstotxe they will grow tired of the plough
and think about equality. This will lead them
to open rebellion against lawful and necessary
authority, and it is ten chances to one that we
ultimately degenerate into a savage state of
existence, because every man will then arrogate
to himself the privileges of a lord—thus realis-
ing the fable of the Hands and Feet quar-
relling with the Belly.”

How far such dicta as this can hold good
when applied to the ordeal of dispassionate

reason and practical proof, every reflective
man who has watched the fide of public affairs
for the last dozen years must’ be best capable
of judging for himself. - By the exercise of a
moderate degree of acumen, he will have been
enabled to perceive that the red-hot democratic
principles, which under the name of radicalism
prevailed among the poorer ciasses of the
community some five-and-twenty years since,
have gradually diminished in intensity, and
that in their place, have arisen new and more
feasible, not to say more noble, feelings, with
regard to political and social reform. The
rough and ungenerous spirit which actuated
hatred to persons, has markedly subsided-into!
calm contemplation of proposed remedies for
public and private grievances; in fact,
education has appeared as a permanent light
to guide men from the dangerous tracts into
which the treacherous ignus fatus, ignorance,
had heretofore succeeded in leading them.

“By education,” says Lord Brovenam,
“men become easy to lead, but difficult to
drive; tractable to govern, but impossible to
enslave.’’ The moment enlightenment enters
a man’s heart, superstition, bigotry, and cruelty
leave it at once and for ever—the quartette can
never reside in the same habitation, but require
different atmospheres: education pants for
moral goodness—the others, darkness, dirt,

and crime.

To educate a servant is to add to his physical
resources a directing power, capable of increas-
ing their utility—to create, in fact, anew being,
who knows how to economise his labour, and
who is always ready to receive suggestions
that may lead to important results, in the
extension of that peculiar branch of manu-
facture in which he is engaged, or in the value
of its products.

The many inventions, of the utmost im-
portance, that have been made by working men,
who, luckily for society, have succeeded, by
their own exertions, in casting off the trammels
of ignorance, fully corroborate this statement,
and it is with feelings of no common gratifica-
tion that we daily see rising around us a new
generation, whose enlightenment and youthful
ingenuity promise well to extend the interests
of their country in time to come, when we,

Fae ey apnea ae ee eee AR A Nt i 9 |
reg pap NR |

i
i
4

172

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Laat pair cakes still fear pencidey: as the’
effect of increased civilisation—who anticipate:
democracy from knowledge and laziness from’
information—shall be no more. :

Che Steam Engine and Widilisation,
Anusr it as we will, as the desecrator of the
sanctuary of antiquity, and as the rude,
destroyer of Nature’s most lovely productions,
the genius of Steam can still afford to laugh
at our philosophy and set our reasoning at
nought. He can point with his finger over the
surface of the earth, and prove that he is
truly the ‘herald of ciyilisation. Wherever |
Steam has been there pr osperity has followed,
trade increased, and education advanced.
Through his instrumentality, within the last.
quarter century, how many trades have there
not sprung into existence of whose purpose even,
our plodding forefathers knew nothing! A
century ago and the: loom ‘employed one man
—the spinning jenny has increased, indirectly, |
the number twentyfold; half a century ago
men. rode in stage coaches, plying betwixt the
principal towns, and capable of conveying
some twenty passengers each journey, and
giving employment to a driver, guard, and,
mayhap, some dozen or: two other individuals .
—how stands the casenow? A well appointed
long line of railway requires, at least, some two
or three hundred individuals, from the humble
stoker to the clerk in the booking-office ; and
this, taking one line with another, i isa me
rate average. |

How could education have advanced without
Steam? How could the countless thousands
of periodicals that annually issue from the
press, and are diffused among the poorer
classes of the community, diffusing the prin-

jeiples of morality, wisdom, and philosophy,

among our artisans, be disseminated, scarcely

|before the ink of the manuscript in which

they were originally written is dry in the

|printer’s hands, without the aid of leviathan

|machinery, impelled. bya still more leviathan
|power.

Few who gaze on the limpid substance,

|water, as it meanders on its course through
jmead, valley, town, and city, would scarcely
|be inclined to suppose it capable of producing |

so many Gh ceient ifgeunes to the human|}
family. Few, even, who gaze on the vapourous||
substance, produced by its ebullition on their||

| own fireplace, would suppose it to be so strong,

so mighty in its power;—yet here we have |
this self-same vapour, not merely driving||

jmachines of brass and iron, but. also, in-||
| directly swaying the minds of thousands. The!)
jvich and the poor come alike under? its

|influence, and no one can conscientiously lay||
his hand upon his heart, and say that he.is not
{indebted to Steam for some article necessary ||
|\to his well-being, which he would not willingly
\be without.

Go Gorresponvents, &e.

WRITE LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH
‘THY WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MAY BE
READILY DECYPERED BY THE RECIPIENT OF THY
\COMMUNICATION.

“ Blucher”’ ( Oxford).—Your communication
‘appears in another page. We shall be happy to\|
weceive the terms, §c. Any contributions which)
you may feel disposed to favour us oe will be
gladly received.

* Felix” ( Leamington. )—Paper, like the speci-
men sent, is marbled by means of stencil plates,
cut to each tint, and laid on in succession. A}|
good soft brush is best. tolay on the colour. :

QUERIES.

fReqvtrell d receipt for dipping Brass-work,

Or, as at as ter rae by the trade, the *‘ Dead Dip.” ”
Un Ouorier.

The“ Politician."—This is the title of a new||
periodical, published .by. Mr. S.-Y. Collins, of
Holywell-street,. Strand, Jis name sufficiently) |
indicates the nature of its contents, which eae
of well written and selected articles.» It is a\}
work which ought to be extensiwely, meee
by the Industrial Classes.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, Sc., to be uddressed to “the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-||
street, Strand, London.”—We shall. at all ee ;

be entremels ly ‘obliged to such. of our provincial) |

readers.as will, favour us with loeal information|
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, ‘the fine arts, science, §¢.

‘Cases for Vols. I. and II. are’now ‘pea
price 1s.3d. each; ‘or the Publisher ‘will nder=||
take to get them bound for 2s. Cate’ if galt or};
marbled, 6d. extra,

** “Any of our readers ice complete|

Peper of an ornamental description swit-|}
able for decorative purposes, will preaily, oblige, us|

by lending, or'sendiny copies of them.
Part 16 is now ready, price 7d. *

THE. DECORATOR’S. ASSISTANT.

ivory-turners and cutters in executing cups,
chalices, boxes, figures, and other articles, in
‘the highest style of art. One could linger
for hours over some of the objects in this}
interesting cabinet—such as the ‘ Saviour after
his Resurrection surrounded by Holy ‘Women,’
probably a production of the tenthor eleventh}
century; ‘Mary and the Infant Jesus sur-|
rounded by Angels;’ ‘A Crucifixion;’ ‘The}
}Judgment of Solomon;’ ‘The Sacrifice of]
Abraham ;’ and ‘The Descent of Lucifer, and|
‘Demons, dragging with them the Souls of|
the Wicked.’ This last group, which consists
of eighty-five figures, isa work of an Italian|
artist, the idea being. suggested by the ‘ Last}
Judgment’ of Michael Angelo; and like all]
the others, it required years to finish. The)
third cabinet. contains mosaics, enamels, and|
works in amber, mother-of-pearls, corals, &c. ;|

Che. Green Vaults’? at Dresden.
| _ “ ;
‘From an excellent series of articles which,
jjappear occasionally in a northern contempo-
jjrary, we make the following extract relating
| to the above curious place, called in the Ger-
|/man dialect the “ Grtine’ Gewolbe :— °

|| “The collection consists. of magnificent and
‘}precious objects of art pertaining to the royal fa-
|/mily, and arranged in a series of vaulted apart-
|iments on the ground floor of the palace of the
|sovereign. Why they are called Green Vaults
jis not explained, though they probably derive
this fame from the walls having at one time
jbeen coloured green. At present they are

lighted with windows, well stanchioned, and
kept in the nicest order; the place resembles a
jeweller’s ‘shop, disposed with glass-cases,
shelves, brackets, and ‘tables, bearing a pro-
|fusion of little articles in gold, ivory, pearl,
bronze, enamel, horn, wood, &c. A most
obliging person, who speaks German, French,
and English, conducts the party slowly through
the rooms, and politely gives the history of
the more interesting articles; while from
secret peep-holes, and with the aid of mirrors,
jan attendant unknown to the visitors, keeps a
strict watch on their movements—a precaution
not unnecessary, for-not long since a ‘lady’
endeavoured to carry off in her reticule a
unique and valuable curiosity from one of the
||tables, and- suffered the humiliation of detec-
tion. The origin of the collection dates as far
back. as the first elector of Saxony, a contem-
porary of Charles V., from which time each
reigning prince .added to it the presents he
received, and the most magnificent articles he
could purchase. The most assiduous and
enlightened of those royal collectors was
Augustus IT., surnamed the Strong (1694-1733),
‘who became king of Poland.. This was
evidently the great man of. Saxon history,
for he is heard of everywhere. His strength
‘seems to have far exceeded that of ordinary
mortals. At Munich, a stone of about a
‘couple of hundredweight is shown in the
arcade of the old palace; and. this he is said
to have thrown to a height marked on the wali
above. Augustus enriched the collection with
works of the illustrious. Dinglinger in gold
and enamel, the specimens of which excel any-
thing that can be imagined in point of artistic
talent. The first room or cabinet is that
devoted to bronzes, of which there are 110
groups, statuettes, and figures, principally:
after the antique. No 48, ‘A Little Dog
Scratching liself” by Peter Vischer of Nurem-
berg, is much admired... So likewise is No. 113,
‘Charles If. of England as St. George killing
the Dragon ;’ itis a small equestrian statue,
sculptured from a block of iron by-G. Leygebe.
of Nuremberg, weighs sixty-seven pounds,

which. there axe nearly 500 specimens. Many
of these were collected by Augustus I., who

and required five years in the execution. The
second. cabinet, is devoted. to works in ivory, of

The fourth is a collection of gold and. silver

plate, in the form, of superb dinner-services,|
baptismal basins, chalices, &c.; one article is}

arich and curious mirror of burnished silver,

in the style of the middle ages, before the art|
The fifth}

of. silyering glass was known.
eabinet is chiefly occupied with precious stones,

not mere jewels, but. articles such as vases,|

busts, statuettes, flagons and other things
formed of agate, jasper, -chaleedony, onyx,
lapis-lazuli, rock-crystal, &c. Three golden
bocaux (bottles orjugs with a narrow neck),
enriched with cameos, are considered very
fine; one of them is embellished with 176

cameos, among which is the masque of Jupiter)

in chalcedony. The sixth cabinet contains

rough pearls and diamonds; the seventh is}

devoted chiefly to sculptures on wood ; and in
the eight or last is a large collection of regalia,
arms, chains, decorations, and bijouteries of
all sorts used on state occasions.

“The quantity of emeralds, rubies, diamond
rings, solitaires, and other brilliants, flashing
in all directions on the eye in the last-men-
tioned apartment, affords a striking idea of
human vanity, as well as of the extravagance
to which fancies unrestrained by the obligation
of labour may be carried. And yet, on quitting

the Green Vault, we feel that everything is not}.

a useless toy, which may in any respect tend
to improve the arts and refine the “general
tastes of mankind, During. four centuries,
the monarchs of Saxony have spent probably
two millions of money in rendering the capital

attractive in the matter of pictures. and other)

objects on which the highest artistic talent has
been exercised, or on whicha high conven-
tional value is put. :
called a waste of money; but by making
Dresden a resort of travellers from all parts

of the world, not to speak of the cultivation)

of local aspirations, the sum might have been

In one sense this may be}|

much worse spent; and after all, estimated at),

two millions, it is only equal to four years’ ex-
penditure on intoxicating liquors by one of the
large cities of Britain.”

[en ee eS

’ The Mint. Commission is actively engaged in’

making the necessary inquiries into the con-
|/appears to have gone about. Europe employing | stitution and abuses of that establishment.

Terms used in Architectural anv
Interior. Mecorvation, Ks.
{Continued from page 164.]

‘||. Fasrie (in architecture), a building; an
|ledifice. » A fabric is generally understood to)
{|mean a’ building of large dimensions and ex-
tent; as a cathedral, a royal palace, a college,
and such like structures. ;

Facave (in architecture), the front view or
elevation of a building, that is taken in by the
eye at one view. Thus a square insulated
building has properly four facades, but the word
is mostly restricted to the principal front, par-
ticularly when it terminates the prospect of an
avenue. Upon the distribution and disposition
of the facades of buildings, good sense and
utility must be first consulted; then propriety
and consistency, and always character.

Face (in painting and sculpture), that
part of the human figure which forms the front
or intellectual part of the head; the coun-
tenance or visage. In architecture, a plain
member or band. ‘On a proper delineation of
the face depends all the intellectual expression
of a figure, and the artist must study this por-
tion of the wonderfull human fabric, which
Milton appropriately calls the “human face
divine,’’ with the utmost assiduity and attention.

Fintaz (in architecture), the knot or bunch
of foliage or flower that forms the upper ex-

Fintan rrom Wetus Cuurcu, Norrorx.
tremities or finishing point or pinnacles in

Gothie architecture.

r } Sometimes used for the
pinnacle itself.

THE DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT.

an Tlustratey Glossary of Technical member, used to- seperate “ornaments and \

| time when a steel pen cost as much as a dozen

|a demand which requires large numbers both

the steel-pen manufactories of Birmingham

Fitter (in. architecture), a little plain}

mouldings, named from its place, either fillet,
annulet, listel, band, &c., marked a in the en-
graving. ee

Form (in all. the arts), the external ap-||
pearance of bodies; the essential, specifical]
modification of the matter, which gives it its]
peculiar manner of existence, Form in art,|
as well asin nature, is the quality that dis-|
tinguishes one object from another. In
painting the word form is specially applied to
the human form... In architecture it relates
to the proppetigns of buildings ; and beauty of
form in that art is as essential as either in
painting and sculpture... YT #

eee eee eee

Novert Usrt or Coxe.—Coke has long been
known to possess in an eminent degree that
essential quality of the diamond, namely ex-
treme hardness, by which it.is.enabled to cut
glass truly and. perfectly... When this fact was
stated before the British Association at Worces-
ter one gentleman, an extensive glass manu-
facturer, stated that the knowledge of this
fact would be the means of saving, in his
establishment alone, a sum of £400 per annum.
To glaziers generally this discovery must prove

of great service.

Srert Psens.—Who does not remember the

quills? Who is ignorant of the marvellous
reduction that has taken place in the market
value of these tiny bits of steel? Sixpence a
piece, sixpence a dozen, sixpence a gross,—
thus have they come down invalue- “All this
could not have been done but for the appli-
cation of machinery. Men’s hands employed
in cutting, and pressing, and shaping the pens,
would never have permitted this cheapening to
have gone to such an ‘extent. And yet there
are actually more employed in the manufac-
ture than were employed when machinery was
less used. The machinery, in fact, has created

of machines and of men to supply. Some of

are very large -establishments, containing
ranges of highly finished machines, and giving
employment to large numbers of workmen.
One of these manufacturers, in his advertise-
ment, states his yearly produce at millions of
dozens; and there is no reason to doubt that
it does reach that extraordinary pitch.—Zhe
Land we Live in.

Srzet.—Steel is formed by surrounding bars
of wrought iron with charcoal, placed in fire-
brick troughs, from which air is excluded, and
keeping the iron bars and charcoal in contact,
and at a fullred heat for several days—at the
end of which time the iron bars are found to be
converted into steel. ney et

Correspondence.
a Stone Font in Abury Church.
TO THE EDITOR. —

in Abury ,Church, which may, perhaps, find
room in your work. Mr. Britton, in) his

||following account of it:—

| ‘* This font is an ancient and curious example
jof church ornament. It is of acireular form, and
||is elevated on a basement of stone. | Round its
upper. compartment it is enriched with a scroll

iS if
ahi ( }
I

nearly resembling that which is frequently
|jused in Grecian Architecture ; and beneath it
is a range of intersecting circular arches
||resting upon twenty-two pillars, the bases of
|which are fixed upona fillet surrounding the
fonts. wi

_. Wishing every success to your periodical,

I remain yours, faithfully,
Buucuer.

Oxford, August 14th, 1848. |

OBITUARY.

It is with much concern, says the Daily News,
{\that we announce thé decease. of Mr. George
Stephenson, the celebrated engineer. He died
at his establishment in Derbyshire on the 12th
|jinstant, aged 67.. Few men have obtained or
deserved a higher reputation. He rose from
the humblest life from the elasticity of his
native talent overcoming the obstavles of nar-
row circumstances and even confined educa-
tion. No one could come in contact with him
without being struck by his superiority and
originality of mind. In his profession he was
as happy and ingenious in his discoveries as
generous In imparting the benefit of them to
the world. In the history of railroad enterprise
and movement the name of George Stephenson
will live. nner Bai ia

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

{having been just issued, we hasten’ to. lay

gree Piecaticdieeaivestic feof art ancieanatanlt ‘before our readers such portions of ‘it as relate
2 }

“Beauties of England and Wales,’’ gives the |,

175

Society of Arts...

—

Tux annual prize list of the Society of Arts

to the Fine Arts, Manufactures, Mechanics, and
Chemistry. 7

Section oF Fine Ants anp ManuracrurEs. |

A Gold Medal, offered by H.R.H. Prince}
Albert, for the best Cement for Uniting Glass,
particular attention being made to perfectly
cementing Glass Pipes or Glass Roofing. It
must be clearly understood that this Prize will
not be awarded unless a Cement should be pro-
aura which will bear the strongest tests and
trials.

Prize of Fifty Guineas, offered by T. Twin-
ing, Jun., Esq., for the best Series of Experi-
mental Researches on and Specimens of the
Application of Slag or other allied products
to New Purposes, useful or ornamental.

1. Srupents’ Crass.

Prizes’ (in Money or Books) for the encou-
ragement of studies, for Decorative Design,
open to competitors of either sex under twenty-
one years of age. The object of these prizes
is to promote that careful mode of early study,
which the Society considers essential fo suc-
cess and most conducive to the interest of Art
and Manufactures.

For the best. original Studies from Nature
(either Cartoons or Models), size of life, unless
otherwise expressed, of the following :— .

1. Of a group of Hands and Feet with cha-
racteristic action,

2. Of a group of Hands and Feet with cha-/'
racteristic action, engraved in line, quarter
size. ’

3. Of a Head of a Child.

4, Of a Head of a Child, engraved in line,
quarter size. if
wi Of a Draped Figure from Nature, two feet
igh. 1 ay

6. For the Head of a Camel, Lion, or Bear.

7. Of an Owl,—of a Swan,—of an Eagle, or
Vulture, front view, (not less.than half size).

8. Of the Hop, and the Bindweed or Con-
volvulus Major, and the Red-berried Bryony.

9. For the best group of Oak and Ivy Leaves,
arranged together ornamentally. Bye

10. For the best ‘studies of Twelve British
Wild Plants in their natural growth.

11. For the best drawing of an Ornamental
Arrangement of the Honeysuckle and Passion
Flower. it Pht.

12. For the best drawing of the Human Skele-
ton, quarter size. —

The successful Candidates in this Class will

be called upon to attend and give specimens
of their competency before the Committee. _

2. Drstaners’ CiAss.

Prizes for Drawings. Open to Competitors
of either sex and all ages.

1. For the best Chalk or Monochrome Draw-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

sling, g, being. an pea Comma of Childr en
‘||half life size, for a semi-circular compartment)
The Silver Medal and Five Pounds.

ie For the best Chalk or Monochrome Draw:

being an original composition, of figures

bine life size, to’ fill a spandrel of an: equi-
jlateral. Arch of two centres. ..The Silver
Medal and Five Pounds.
|| 8s For the best Cartoon, being an original
composition, of a group of the Rose, Shamrock,
and Thistle, arranged ornamentally. A Silver
Medal and Three Pounds. -

4.'For the best Cartoon of an bar ent
of the Hop as a paper hanging. Silyer Medal
and Two Pounds.

5. For the best - Drawings of a series .of
British Wild Flowers, to be treated for
printing en China, as ornaments. The Silver
Medal and Five Pounds.
|| 6. For the best original Design for a Stained

Glass Window, to suit a room or passage in the
Italian style of. architecture: The Silver
‘Medal and Ten Pounds.

7. For the best ornamental Design, suitable
for Printing. on a Dinner Plate. The Silver
Medal and Three Pounds.

8. For the:best original Design and Working
Drawings: for a Chandelier, to be executed in
Metals, Glass, and China, combined; scale,
j/quarter full: size.. Hite Silver Medal and Ten
Pounds.

in the Italian style. The Silver Medal and
Three Pounds.
10. For the best design, taken from British

colours. The Silver Medal and Five Peunds.

11. A-Design and Working Drawings for a
Pendant Hall. Lamp, for Gas.
{Medal and Five Pounds.

12..For anew Design. of. a Glass Decanter
and a Wine Glass, not cut. The Silver Medal
and Five Pounds.

{| 13. For a new Design for a Tea Tray to.be
executed in Papier Maché.
jand Five Pounds. '
| 14. For the Best Coloured Design, in Tem-
peta, for a Brussels Carpet, for a Dining-
room. ‘The-silver Medal and Three Rounds.
| 15. For the best Coloured Design, in Tem-
pera, for a Brussels Carpet for a Drawing-room.
The Silver Medal and Three Pounds.

16. For the best Design for a Silk Damask
in three colours. The Silver Medal and Three
‘Pounds..~

17... For-thé best Design to be stamped on
Utrecht or Furniture Velvet. The Silver Medal.
. 18. For the best Design for a large Garden
Vase. The Silver Medal.

19: For the most elegant Design fora Vase
in red Earthenware, to be ornamentéd with
Designs taken from English’ History or Litera-
ture, in the manner. of Etruscan Vases. A
Gold Medal’

20. For the best Ornamental Design for an
Open-Work Pannel,-in Cast or Wrought Iron,
and suitable for an. Entrance Gate. The Sil-
ver Medal.

Prizes - for “Models. -
- 21. For. the best Working Model, of an

9. A Design for an Encaustic Tile, tectitorn|

Flowers, for a Shawl Pattern, to be woven in’

The, Silver!

The Silver Medal

original een ae a Sivan eabiee ee to
be awarded as’ a Prize: value: One Hundre
Pounds, in conformity with the Bequest of th
late Dr. George Swiney. The decorations}
to be emblematic of’ Justice. *'Ehe’ large Gold
Medal or Twenty-five Pounds,

22. For a Model of a Table Lamp Pillar.
The Silver Medal'and Five Pounds: | ~ ae

23. For the Médel of’ a Salad Bowl. | The|
Silver Medal and Three Pounds.” *

24, For a Model of a Tea-Urn or’ Table Tea-}
Kettle, with Workitig Drawings {ull size.)
The Silver Medal and Ten Pounds... «

25. For a. Model of a Table Candlnaied to}
be Executed in Metal by dies. The Silver|
| Medal and, Five Pounds.

26. For a Model of an Ornamiental Case]
for a Chimney-Piece Clock. A Gold Medal}
or Twenty Pounds.

The successful’ Candidates in this Class will]
be called upon to attend and give specimens|
of their competency before the Committee. _

All Designs, &c., competing in ‘Classes 1
and 2, must be sent in on or before the frst
Monday i in January, 1849.

3. Artizans’ Cuass.

1. For the best Specimens of Wood Coenen
the production of an Artizan (male or female)
who is not a wood carver by profession. Two
Silver Medals.

Nors—The object of this Prize is to en-
courage wood-earving (which is a home occu-|
pation) as a means of employment subsidiary)
to other occupations.

2. For the best executed Group of Roses,|
painted on Glass or China. The Silver Medal.)

3. For the best nude Figure of a Boy)
painted on China. The Silver Medal.
4, ‘For the best ‘Specimen of Chasing of
the Human Figure in Brass, produced within}
the preceding six months. The Gold Medal;)'
—for the second best Pucca the Silver
Medal.

5. For the best Sencimen of Ghasak of the|
Human Figure in Silver. The Gold Medal;—)
for the second best Specimen, the Silver|
Medal.

6. For the best and most elaborate Specimen
of Silk Weaving. The Silver Medal.

7, For the best Specimen of Die-Cutting of}
the Human Figure for Stamping Metals. for}
Ornamental purposes. The Dies to be pro-|
duced. The Gold Medal.

The successful. Candidates im this Class:will|
be called. upon togive an actual specimen of
their competency before the Commuittives

4. Maworacrurers’ Cuass.

Medals of Gold or Silver, and Honorary)
Testimonials will be given te Manufacturers)
and others, who ‘shall exhibit at the Society’s)
House in the year 1849, fine and original|| —
specimens of the following British Manufac-|}
tures recently executed, to be sent in on or}
before the first Monday or. Ted in
| February.

A Gilt Frame of the best Gold eae
Shawl Weaving.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. ©

177

Printing for Shawls.
. Calico Printing.

Hore Weaving.

Ribbon and Silk

Chintz Printing.
Paper Hangings. ,

Tron and Brass Casting, applied to orna-
mental purposes. Uo

. Metal Figure Casting.

The most beautiful novelty in Earthenware,
Marble, and Slate.

‘Fine Art in Translucent China Screens.

Printing and Colouring on China.

Ornamental Cutlery.

Largest Specimen of perfect Electrotype
Figures. |

Best Specimen of Crimson on 'China.

Best Work of Art applied to Paper Hanging.

‘The most’ beautiful Novelties in Papier
Maché.

All Specimens, &c., competing in Classes 3
and 4, must be sent in on or before the first
Monday and Tuesday in February.

The Society deemit necessary to state that
its Rewards are not limited to the subjects
specified, but that Rewards will be given to
other meritorious works in all branches of Art.

Weaving..

Arcuirecturan Desten, &e.

For the best Design for a Labourer’s Cottage
in the country. The Large Gold Medal or
Thirty One Pounds Ten Shillings.

The Drawings to comprise a general Plan,
Elevation, and Section, drawn to a scale of
three-eighths of an inch to the foot, together
with the requisite. Working Drawings to a
larger scale, and a General Specification of the
internal finishing and fittings proposed.

The Design must provide a Living Room, a
Scullery, and three Bedrooms.. |

Presuming that in Structures of this des-
||cription, where the outlay must necessarily be
very limited, both with a view to economy of
material, and likewise to external effects, it
will be considered desirable that the Cottages
should be erected in pairs, the wall between
them. containing the Flues; in .such cases,
the Details of one only will be required. :

Jt is necessary that consideration should be
given, firstly, to the most convenient arrange-
ment of the parts; secondly, to the best means
of ventilation, drainage, supply of water,
cleanliness and economical heating : and lastly,
to combine therewith the most pleasing and
picturesque effect attainable with reference to
the limited outlay. The cost of a Double
Cottage erected in Middlesex, when completed
with the requisite Landlords Fixtures, must
not exceed £200.'

All Designs. in competition for the above
'Design must be sent in on or before the first
Monday in January, 1849.

. Norice to Canpipates.—The performances
competing for the premiums offered in Classes
land 2, must be delivered in without any ex-
|ternal, intimation of their respective authors:
but the candidates are réquired to affix on the
front of each of their performances and on the
case containing them some motto or device, and

the same motto or device is to be inscribed on

|the outside of a paper sealed up, containing
| within the name and residence of the candidate,

on the outside the sex and age of each. As only
such letters as bear the mottoes of the success-
ful competitors will be opened, Candidates not
recelving notification of their performances
having been rewarded are requested to apply
for their various communications within four-
teen days after the Ist of June, to prevent loss

of or injury to the same. Copies of the Designs

or Models rewarded in Class2 must be deposited
and left in the Society’s Museum; but the
Copyright will remain with the Artist, pro-
vided that the work is executed for sale, and
published, and thata manufactured specimen
is exhibited at the Society’s Exhibition of
Decorative Manufactures in the year following.
Tn case the work shall not be so executed and
exhibited, the Society reserve to themselves the
right of causing the same to be executed on
such ‘terms as they may think expedient.

Noticr to’ Exutstrors or Manuractures,
&c.—1. All Works intended for the Annual
Exhibition in 1849, at the Society of Arts, must
be punctually sent there on or before the first
Monday or Tuesday in February.—2. They must
be addressed to the Secretary, and accompanied
with a note, describing them as they are meant
to be inserted in the Catalogue, with a state-
ment of the retail price, if for sale, which will be
kept by the Secretary. The description in the
Catalogue is subject to the approbation of the
Council. Each article must be marked with
the Name of the Exhibitor, and the Number
(if there be more than one) to which it refers
in his List : particular accuracy is requested in
this respect. ;

In tHE Section or CuEmistRry.

1. For any material. improvement. in the

manufacture of Crown Glass, with, special
reference to the transparency and durability
of surface. A Gold Medal.
_ 2. For Flint Glass free from Veins, as dense
and transparent as the best now in use, and
quite fit for the purposes of Opticians. A Gold
Medal.

3. For the best Account of the Causes of the
Defects in Flint Glass, with the means which
have been employed to remedy the same,
accompanied by suggestions for the improve-
ment of the manufacture. A Gold Medal.

4, For the best set of Experiments on any
white Metallic, Alloy that can be usefully
applied to the Arts, or hard enough for use in
reilecting Telescopes, and casting if free from
microscopic faults. Samples of the Alloy
and of the Metals of which it is made to be
produced. to the Society. The properties, of
the Alloy particularly requiring notice are,

fusibility, non-liability to tarnish when exposed
to damp air, or tobe acted on by ordinary fluids,

the tenacity, the cohesive force, the compact-

ness or porosity, the colour, and the degree of

polish of which itis susceptible. A Gold Medal.
5. For the discovery of a Substance capable
of receiving the Calotype or Talbotype Image.
It should be absorbent and Chemically Neutial
to the Action of Nitrate of Silver, Acetic and

Gallic Acids and the lodide of Potassium. It

{178
|should’ be at least 4s transparent as paper (or| 6. For the best Collection of Diagrams (with||
more so, if possible), even in texture and free] explanations) to illustrate the action of the)|

from a granulated surface. A Gold Medal.

6. For the best method of Dyeing Woollen
Yarn in the Hank, so as to stand the process of
Milling. A Gold Medal. §

7. For an arrangement by which Electric
Telegraphs’ would be protected from the in-
fluence of Atmospheric Electricity, Sea Water,
&c,, and rendered ‘capable of being worked
during-the most powerful Aurora Borealis. A
Gold Medal. :

8. For a method of Refining Vegetable Oils,
by a quick and cheap process, so as to render
them fit for burning in lamps, and for lubricat-
ing machinery. A sample of not less than five
gallons to be forwarded tothe Society. A Gold
Medal

9. For the Discovery of a Glaze for Earthen-
ware and China, equal to the glazes ordinarily
used by manufacturers, but produced without
||the use of lead. .A Gold Medal.

10. For the best series of Specimens of Opaque
Enamels, suited to Artistic or Manufacturing
purposes. A Gold Medal.

11. For the best series of Specimens of Trans-
parent Enamels, suited to Artistic or Manufac-
turing purposes. A Gold Medal.

Claims for Premiums in this Section must be
accompanied with full Descriptions, Certifi-
cates, and Samples, and should be delivered to
the Secretary, at the Society’s House, on or
before the second Monday in January, 1849.

In tue Section or Mecuanics.

1. For the Plan ofa Roof, composed of Wood
and Iron, Circular or Octagonal, to cover the
largest Are4 without Pillars, with details, speci-
fication, and estimates, and the cubic quantities
of timber, with the weight of wrought and cast
jiron employed. The Gold Medallion, the Acton
Premium.

2. For the Design of the arrangements for
the Interior of a Building to accommodate the
largest audience with the most perfect arrange-
ment for hearing. A Gold Medal.

3. For the best Essay on the means by which
the Roofs and Walls of large Buildings may be
constructed so as to prevent Echoes or Sounds
that would interfere with the voice of a speaker,
also pointing out the position in which the
speaker should be placed so as to be heard by
Pe eee: number of persons. The Silver

edal.

_ 4, For the best Design for a Conservatory, to

{be executed in Carpentery, combining firmness

and strength of construction with lightness and

elegance of form. The structure to be suitable’
for the Gardens of a Botanical or Horticultural |
Society, and adapted to the present improved

state of the glass manufacture. A Gold

Medal.

5. For the best Design for a Water-Meter
to measure and register the quantity of water
supplied to Private Houses, Breweries, or}
Manufactories, so that the consumer may pay
for {the quantity taken at per 1,000 gallons,
without using a cistern. The Design must not
be too costly to prevent its general application,
and it must not be liable to be deranged or
tampered with. A Gold Medal.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.”

operations hitherto have been very superficial,

forces on a Crank or Cranks turned from a
horizontal direct. action Steam Cylinder. or
Cylinders, the effect of varions proportions of |
Connecting-rods, and degrees of expansion of;
steam being shown. A Gold Medal.

7. For the best Design for a Wrought Iron
Piston for Steam-Cylinders of large Diameter.
The Silver Medal. welll

8. For the best Paper on the Causes: of;
Oscillation in Railway Locomotives at high
velocities ; and on the principles and expedients
by which that source of. danger may be. re-
moved. A Gold Medal.

9. For the most simple and efficient Field
Gate. The Silver Medal: ~

Communications sent in for competition in
this Section should be delivered at the Society’s
House not later than the second Monday in
January.

The Society expressly reserves power, in all
cases, of giving such part only of any premium
as the communication or performance shall)
be adjudged to deserve, or of withholding the!
whole. The candidates, however, are assured
that the Society will judge liberally of their
claims.

All Communications, must be written on
foolscap paper on one side only, with an inch
margin, and, together with all Drawings and)|’
Models offered in competition’ for the above\|
Prizes, must be delivered to the Secretary at
the Society’s House, John-street, Adelphi,
postage and carriage free, at the respective
days appointed.

Tus Newty-prscoverep Leap Mine at Win-
sTER.—In the range of hills that divides Crook
from Winster, and in that part of it called the
Stool (or Steeyal; as it is termed), there has
been recently worked a vein of lead ore which
promises, we understand, to be very rich—con-
taining, from an experiment to which part of it
has been subjected, as much as ninety per cent. |
of the pure mineral. The first indication of
this unthought-of treasure was discovered a few
years ago by some labourers employed on the
road that winds over the pass connecting the
before-mentioned vallies. It was found within
a few feet of the surface; and, indeed, the

having been carried on by only two country
workmen, who had not been previously em-
ployed on any mining work whatever. Yet
although they have only been employed a few
weeks in the task, the ore they have already}
extracted amounts, we beleive, to more than
twenty tons. The attempts to explore the vein
have as yet only been made in a field belong-
ing to Mr. Stephen Elleray, with the assistance
of two or three adjoining landowners, and of,
course its extent in depth or horizontally has
not been ascertained or only very’ partially.
Ore, however, of the richest kind. continues
to turn up in both directions. Although ap-
pearances warrant the conclusion that an ex-|
tensive and valuable lead mine has been dis-
covered, yet such opinion cannot be expected
to carry much weight unless sanctioned by a/|
competent scienti fic person.

.THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

|: Tus Vernon Gartery.—For a native: of!
\this couittry no exhibition can ‘have a greater’
\charm than the collection of pictures in Pall
|Mall; formed by Mr. Vernon.: While it is.a
|monument of; British: art, itis also a monument:
|ofindividualmunificence perhaps unparalleled.’
| After-devoting a large fortune to the encourage-
|ment of art’ among his countrymen, Mr. Ver-’
‘non considérs that the British nation is the
‘\most! legitimate possessor of the productions
jof British artists, and presents his splendid
jeollection to: the. trustees’ of ;the National
\Gallery. At present the pictures are exhibited
jin Mr. Vernon’s private residence, so that not
only ‘the taste with which ‘the’ collection is
jformed, but also that with which it is arranged,
Jare displayed to the public, The dining-room,
|the two drawing-rooms, a boudoir, and the
staircase, are all richly decorated with pictures.
|The collection is confined to British artists,
|butis at the same time made in a truly catholic
spirit. Mr. Vernon has not confined himself
|to any elass of painting; but, while he has
|selected those earlier works to which time has
giyen.a stamp, he has shown zeal and discern-
ment in the patronage of rising talent. Works
by Reynolds and Gainsborough will be found
(with those of the exhibitors of the latest years.
The great aim has been to select specimens
from all the British painters of eminence.
Wilkie, Liandseer, Hilton, Calcott, Turner,
Etty, T. S. Cooper, Stanfield, Leslie, Jones,
Bird, Stoddard, Mulready, Eastlake, Maclise,
Linnell, Ward, &c., all have a place, so that
the collection is really an historical record of
| British painting from the time of Reynolds to
|the present day. In the selection of the par-
ticular works that are to stand forth as specmens
of their several artists, Mr. Vernon has shown
admirable discernment. He has brought toge-
ther what may be considered a collection of
‘“'types.’’ There are the most excellent speci-
men’s of Landseer’s animal painting, the richest
specimens of flesh-colouring by Etty ; Turner,
both inthe time when he was as distinct as
Canaletti and when he was in a misty state of
‘** Turnerism ;”’ exquisite tableaux de genre, by
Mulready; Stanfield’s most striking water-
pieces; Calcott’s landscapes, remarkable for
their sober tone and colour; Linnell’s dis-
tinguished by power and effect ; Cooper’s ‘‘ Cuy-
pish cows ;’’ the most characteristic creations
by Leslie; the Hogarthian productions of Ward.
Many of the pictures have long made ‘the
fortunes of the printsellers, and are familiar
through the medium of engraving to every well
furnished house. To name a few of the works
would be injudicious. There is nothing in the
collection without its value as a representation,
of a class of art, and the classes are such that.
every eminent artist is included: The only
useful enumeration would. be a reprint of the’
very excellent ‘catalogue which is distributed’
in) the rooms. It may be mentioned that the
whole of thegallery isito be engraved in the
line manner by the: most ‘eminent. British -en-
raw dyssi ihe HIP AGERE Z ’

{
a i f : }

i ‘Tue Tusubar Bripcrs.—We ‘have had. an
jopportunity of inspecting the. stupendous iron,
tubes which are in course \of construction a.

179

short distance from the Menai Suspension|}
‘Bridge, for the purpose of, forming a passage
for the train’ of the Holyhéad “Railway across
the strait. Immense piers of granite are
being erected on each side of the strait, anda
‘massive pier of the same material is rising’ in
the middle of the stream. On these solid
masses of masonry the vast hollow metallic|}
ways will rest, forming a line continuous ‘with|
the railway. The’ most cursory inspection of
the tubes will at once convince the ‘spectator
of their prodigious strength, and: show them
to be capable of sustaining a far greater weight
than any thatis likely to pass across them.
They are not either cylindrical or elliptical, ‘as
many have supposed, bnt rectangular,—their
form being what is not ‘uncommonly called an
oblong square, about 30 feet high and 15 feet
wide. They are constructed of thick plates of
iron, firmly riveted together, and strengthened
by girders at the top and bottom. The chief
element of strength, however, is in the bed or
base of the work, which is composed of plates
of iron set edgewise, so as to form cells; the
under and upper. surfaces being firmly riveted
to the intermediate perpendicular, plates,—
the whole, with the walls of the tube and its
covering, firmly girded and bound together
with the utmost skill and ingenuity, forming a
compact piece of workmanship, the strength
of whichis beyond conception. These enor-|
mous tubes are built on stages erected over
the stream. The spectator wonders, when con-
templating them, how fabrics of such ‘stu-
pendous. weight, amounting to many thousands
of tons, are to be removed. and. lifted into the}!
position which they are destined to oceupy.
They will be floated to the piers on pontoons,
and lifted to their final resting-place by
hydraulic pressure.—Liverpool Albion.

Awecpots or Hougein.—A nobleman having
ealled on Holbein while he was engaged in
drawing a figure from life, was told that he could:
not see him, but must call another day. Fool-
ishly taking this answer as an affront, he very
rudely rushed up stairs'to the painter’s studio. ||
Hearing a noise, Holbein opened his door, and}
feeling enraged at his lordship’s assumption
and intrusion, he pushed him backwards from
the top of the stairs to the bottom. However,
reflecting immediately on what he had done, ||
he repaired to the king. The nebleman, who
pretended to be very much hurt, was there soon
after him, and, having stated his complaint,||
would be satisfied with nothing less than the
artist’s life ; upon which the king firmly replied, ||
“My lord, you have not now to ‘do with Holbein, |
but with me; whatever punishment you may||
contrive by way of revenge against him, shall)
assuredly be inflicted upon yourself. \ Remem-|
ber, pray, my. lord, that I can, whenever I)
please, make seven lords of seven ploughmen, |
‘but I cannot make one Holbein of even ‘seven|

lords.”

CoAt.—With regard to the South Wales
Coal field, it is stated that the annual quantity
raised amounts to 4,350,000 tons; and at this||
rate, and supposing the coal to exist only over
100 square miles, there is sufficient for 1,400
years to come. apie Pesarar il #3 rout) con ie

180

THE) DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The Chronotppist.

A very singular picture by Lucas Cranach,
representing the Judgment of Soloman, is in
the possession of Mr. Tiffin, the printseller, in
the Strand. It is simple’ and earnest in. its
treatment—remarkable; principally to . the
artist. for -skilful manipulation and. as. an
authority for costume. It is rare to meet with
coloured ¢xamples of the dresses of the various
classes—which makes this’ valuable. On
reference to this artist’s ‘‘ Leben und Werke,’’
by Heller, we find that the picture is well
iknown. .It was sold by auction onthe 4th of
‘May; 1818, at. Dresden.—-Mr. Waghorn,
whose long and active: services in the cause of
steam communication with India are so well
understood. .by the ‘public, has) received a
recognition of ‘the same from the East India
Company in the form of an annuity of £100.——
|The :Boston:Cronotype states that an engineer
of St. Louis has applied to the city council
ifor leave to run a locomotive omnibus on the
Broadway.——The fares now charged by the
Caledonian Railway Company, for first class
conveyance on their line between Edinburgh
‘and Glasgow, are stated to be only one penny
per mile-—We learn also that:the Dover Com-
pany have reduced their fares considerably.
——=The effects at. Stowe are said to have cost
the Buckingham family £250,000, but they are
not expected to realise above 100,000.——The
Roman Catholics propose to build a magnificent
‘cathedral ‘at York.——Measures are on foot,
iwe learn, to restore the church at Stowe—the
finest. and most ancient specimen of Saxon
architecture in. the, kingdom.——A ‘splendid
new. Roman -Catholic Cathedral has been
opened at Salford—the expense incurred in its
erection is set downat nearly £18,000.—The
Railway Chronicle states that earthenware
mile-post heads, for. marking distances on
Railways, are now coming into general use.
——The original estimate for the building of
the New Houses of Parliament was £700,000.
They have already cost £1.002,110, and before
they are completed they will have cost
£2,000,000..—The Board of Admiralty states,
with regard to Mr. Jeffrey’s ‘‘marine glue,”
the sum required by that gentleman for his
invention (£30,000) is preposterous, and can-
not be acceded to.—The commissioners ap-
pointed to report upon the merits of the pro-
posed decimal coinage, will, it is stated, publish
their. reports in about. five weeks,——The
committee ‘‘appointed by the Town Council
of the Borough of. Leicester to take the neces-
sary steps for the formation and construction
of a public cemetery,’ have offered a premium
{lof £105 for the best design.—‘‘It has been
computed,”’ says a professional contemporary,”
that the poor rate all over the kingdom might
be reduced to more than one half by a general
enclosure of inland wastes.’”-——Some degree of
codperation is to be expected between the Lon-
don Government School of Design and the vari-
ous Mechanics’ Institutes throughout the coun-

||try.—The ‘ Fire Annihilator’’ mentioned by.

Ing ‘to judgment and taste, about two-thirds of

us a few weeks back, has been brought to the||
test, and found in no ways wanting in efficiency
for its intended purposes.—The honour of
Knighthood has. been offered to Mr. Vernon,
and declined—we doubt not with silent con-
tempt.—The last Parliamentary vote of
Supply contains the following ifems:—Ex-
penses of the Railway Commission, £10,670;
Inspectors of Factories, £12 514 12s; Board
of public works (Ireland) £31,000; Works in
the Isle of Man, £4,050.——The. Exhibition
of the British Institution will close on the
2nd proximo.

To Imrtare Amsoyna’ Woop sy Parntina.
—Amboyna wood ‘is particularly used for
piano forte cases. Its peculiarity is that it
consists of a close intermixture of minute
knots, small veins, and interlacing fibres,
exactly as in the root of the olive, or the root
of the maple tree; its colour is precisely that
of mahogany. To paint in imitation of this||
wood, first paint the article over with a coat
of ochre, then with a coat of red orange, made
of two parts of chrome yellow and one part of
red ochre, mixed in the usual manner of oil
paint, with linseed oil and turpentine, and a
little driers. When dry rub it down well with
pumice stone and water till the surface is quite
smooth. Prepare an over colour by mixin
together in a plate, with a little beer, burned
sienna and Vandyke brown (both ground in
water); the quantity of each may be accord-

the sienna to one-third of the Vandyke brown
will do well. Ruba lump of: soap over the
article to be grained, paint it with the water-
colour, lay on with a rather hard painting!
brush, rubbing it about till every part is well
covered; and see that there are no specks of
the ground visible through the over colour.
Then take a piece of rough sponge or a hand-
ful of pieces of coarse rags; after rubbing off
a little for the lights, roll them over and over
on every part so as to break up the water
colour into knots, specks, and irregularities.|
Put a few light specks, as in maple wood, and
soften off well with a badger hair brush. Put
ho over grain. Varnish with two coats, slightly
rubbing down the first with pumice stone and
water, before applying the second coat. Note:
—This wood isnot of a sufficiently decided
and distinct character for large articles, such
as counters, doors, &c., but is well adapted for}}
picture frames and cabinet work, besides which!

it is one that any amateur can readily execute

for himself.

Tur New Cuurcu of Soura Hacxney,—
This splendid new Ecclesiastical edifice forms
one of the most important structures raised
within the present century.—The decorations,
executed under the direction of Mr. White,
are on a magnificent scale, and the pleasing
‘ensemble of the whole, reflects the greatest
credit on the talent, taste and workmanship of,
that celebrated ornamentalist—whose_ efforts,
in the present instance, are a credit to himself,
and to the sacred edifice whose beauty they
tend so eminenfly toenhanees’) 6 0 6 6)

Sap) = Wy,» |
BY GUIDUS RENUS BONONIENSIS (FAC SIMILE).
14d.
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THE, DECORATORS, ASSISTANT, [SurrEMBER 2, 18482 |

Avehitectural Encongvuities,

—_———

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dA ie ZY Lf
“Ummm! asta pelt ae
SHORT time since,* we touched cursorily upon
a few errors in construction, no doubt accident-
ally produced—and as accidentally observed.
We are no sticklers for mathematical precision,
nor upholders of quibbling in any shape,—yet
‘there are some peculiar cases of excessive
latitudinarism, which we cannot allow to pass
without comment—we would fain hope correc-
'tion,—standing, as they do, in the broad field
of architecture as scarecrows to affrighten good
taste and refined judgment.

Were architecture regarded as the mere
assortment and disposition of bricks, mortar,
and stone into a convenient position, instead
of as being that sublime science which, when
properly applied, is capable of imparting liveli-
ness, grace, and beauty to the insensate sod, we
should not feel surprised at digressions from
‘harmonious arrangement, which we might
attribute to ignorance ;—unhappily, however,
we have no other alternative than to set down
various monstrosities which just now occur to
our mind, as the results of mere caprice—a
fantastic fancy engrafted upon presumption.

Is it not ridiculous, we would inquire of any
person capable of drawing a distinction betwixt
right and wrong, to perceive men daily erecting,

* See page 41, ante.

at an enormous expense, edifices whose only
merit consists in their zvapplicability to the
ordinary purposes, of a human _ habitation?
’Tis true, they look very like good houses—
have handsome and novel exteriors, with bold!
and finely proportioned fagades—and are,
conveniently and conspicuously situated. All)
these things, doubtless, tell well with an in
tended purchaser—they serve the eye, and
serve owt the pocket. But besides mere eye
service, aman should look for more substan-,
tial qualifications in the edifice consecrated to.
his domestic purposes. Durability, convenience, |
cleanliness, and health are among the results,
which he should inquire of himself whether,
his intended abode is capable of producing or

Thi, : - |
maintaining. The mere circumstance of pretti-

ness—too often confounded with pettiness—
can never secure any of these; nor was it
in former ages—the style of whose architecture,
is daily being perpetuated on reduced and
ridiculous scales—the principle, as it seems to, |
be supposed, to sacrifice, by means of any of
the resorts now adopted, utility to display.
The Gothic, the Tudor, and the Elizabethan,
styles seem to be, at present, principally
marked out, as the shields beneath which archi-
tectural pretenders retreat for shelter from well-)
merited odium—striving to persuade people,
that their application is in all cases warranted.
—What, we would ask, would these gentlemen'
think of an Ionic pig-stye, or a Tuscan
theatre?

But it would be useless to declaim further.!
Pretension with a certain class is the order of
the day, and dimension the exception, not the
rule. of architecture.

Parer Portraits anp Pictures.—One
Elizabeth Pyberg, who lived at the Hague in
1699, cut in paper not only towns, as Loo and
Hounslerdyke, but faces to an extreme likeness.
Mr. Ellys assures she did William and Queen) |
Mary betier than any limner he had ever seen,
and refused 1,000 guilders for the pieces, which
were so curious that he could not believe the
Queen’s drapery not to be point till he had
most exquisitely inquired into it.—Philosphical
Transactions. No. 286, p. 1,418.

Ingenious Contrivance.-~At the works at
Ystalyfera, where authracite is employed for
fusing iron, the heated gasses escaping at the
top of the furnace are collected and employed
to heat the boiler of a steam-engine,—and by
this means is saved the entire amount of the
ordinary fuel.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Hovinte.’ ©

Tue results of scientific inquiry-are eminéntly |

calculated to benefit the human race, in our
arts and manufactures. Among the discoveries

of our. own age, that of ‘the singular ‘and valu-|_

able substance iodine occupies an important
place. SpE
M. Courtois, a manufacturer’ of saltpetre,

near Paris, had frequent occasion to notice the:

corrosion of his metallic vessels in the pre-
paration of carbonate of soda from the ashes

of 'sea-weeds; and he found that’the corrosion:
was more powerful. as the liquor. became more’

concentrated. About the year 1812 he suc-
ceeded in obtaining, by means of sulphuric

acid, a rich violet-coloured vapour from ‘the

solution of sea-weeds. This experiment: he
showed to a chemist of the name of Clement
Desormes, who condensed’ the vapour, and
thus obtained the ‘solid body called. iodine,
from a Greek word signifing violet-coloured.
In August 1818, Sir Humphry Davy was in
Paris, and hearing of thismew substance, he
endeavoured to obtain some. M. Ampere, a
distinguished French philosopher, procured a
small guantity of the iodine, which he folded
up carefully:in paper and put in his pocket,
in order to give ita short time afterwards to
his friend Davy. When however he was
about to present it to Davy, he found that’ it
had entirely disappeared, the heat of his body
having converted it into vapour. He procured
however another smal! supply of this remark-

Davy’s hands. The latter acute chemist then
subjected the specimen to various tests by

found iodine must be included among the
simple elementary bodies, 7. e. those bodies
which the chemist is not able to resolve into
simpler parts: :
Iodine is a soft, solid body, of a bluish-black

is that’ of crystalline scales; it is, bulk for
bulk, about 4% times heavier than water; its
smellis strong and disagreeable; its taste is
acrid and hot, and continues for along time in
the mouth; and it is poisonous, except when
taken in very small quantities. Iodine also
destroys vegetable colours, and corrodes a
great number of substances. If it be kept in

rotten and useless, and the iodine soon. dis-
appears. The hand or other part of the skin
\receives, by contact. with it, a deep yellow

time.

Todine is scarcely soluble in water, but
spirit dissolves it in large quantities. It
junites with mercury, and forms a beautiful
scarlet powder, which, together with some
other compounds of iodine, is used as a pigment
|by the artist, the dyer, and calico-printer.

| whatever to do with iodine. ‘

able substance, and this he placed safely in’

which the nature of substances is determined ;
and the result of his investigation was, that he].

colour, with a metallic lustre; its appearance’

a corked bottle, the cork, after a time, becomes

stain, which however disappears in a’ short)

The compound of iodine and mercury is known
|to artists under the absurd name of ‘Essence’
of Vermilion.” Vermilion is a compound

of sulphur and mercury,

Todine unites with starch with great facility,

and forms it into a deep blue compound.
a liquid contain only 1-450,000ta part of its
weight of iodine, the liquid beeomes decidedly
blue by the addition of a few-drops of a watery
solution of starch. /

Iodine exists in sea-water, and in many
mineral springs; butthe gréat source whence
it is derived is the varidus. species of fucz,
which constitute the pvin¢ipal sea-weeds upon
our coasts. As the soap manufacturers use
a large quantity of soda obtained from kelp, it
occurred to Dr. Ure that the residuum of the
soap-boilers offered a ready source for iodine,
and this we believe, has long been one of the
means for obtaining it by the following pro-
cess :—

When a solution of kelp has been prepared,
and all the crystalline salts separated from it, a
brown liquid remains, which is the residuum
above alluded to. This is heated to about 225°
of Fahrenheit, then poured into a stone-ware
vessel, and dilute sulphrie acid.added. When
cold, the liquor is filtered through a wollen
cloth, and black oxide of manganese is added.
The mixture istheh put into a still made of
stone-ware, to which a glass head is atfached.
A tube from this head passes into two tureen-
shaped vessels, which are kept coo! by cold
water on the outside. Heat is applied to the
still, and violet vapours of iodine are soon
seen in the glass head; these vapours pass
through the tube inte the vessels, and condense
into solid iodine: this is again purified by re-|
distillation, and then the process is complete.

Cologne Eathevral.

A correspondent of the Atheneum’ thus gra-
phically describes the preparations made. for
the Cologne Festival which was appointed to
take place on the 14th ultimo. The remarks
refer to the splendid'cathedral which:has been
for some time past undergoing a thorough
repair :—

“‘ Workmen swarm like ants inside and out-
side the building. . The stroke of the mallet and
trowel, which has sounded for the last few
years like the reanimated pulse of the building,
is quickened to a feverish speed ; and Zwirner,
the architect, allows himself ‘so little rest,
either to body or mind, that his pulse must
be pretty much in the same condition. Yet
with all this activity, there remains so much to
be done, and so little time to do it in, that toa
mere looker-on the work seems more than
human’ hands can accomplish. It is not only
that. the temporary roof has to be’ finished
above and the pavement. laid below, but the
light of Heaven still pours’in on each side
through a wide gap between wall and roof; and
the ereater. part of the grand north and south
transept windows—especially of the latter—
with all theirsplendid tracery, still lie seattered
in the workshops. The King of Bavaria’s new

‘painted windows—which were received here||

and has nothing |

\the other day withithe roar of cannon’ and
|strewing of the streets,;—are only half way up:
JandSeven when all these essentials shall ‘have
|been completed, the clearing away of . the
jacecumulations of materials and rubbish inside.
jand out: will be itself..a hurculean | task.
‘Meanwhile, as a first and necessary precaution,
/theentrance of all visiters, excepting to the |
choir, &e., is: strictly forbidden. |No garb but.
that of the owvrier finds admission. to the chief
centres of ‘activity ; and, though a kind excep-
tion was made in our favour, yet what with’
splashes of dirty water from the roof, stray shots
of hot lead from the window, and stone dust
everywhere, we soon felt that our clothes were
very much out of place there whatever might
be ourselves.

*‘Tn point of internal decoration, the King
of Bavaria’s present is vy far the costliest and
most important acquisition that the Cathedral
has yet received. It consists of the glass for
the three whole windows and two half ones of
the south aisle; and from what was already
up, I am inclined to think these altogether the
most remarkable things that modern German
art has yet acomplished. It is not only for
the purity and. brilliancy of the colours—in
which respect they may be placed in comparison
with the finest ancient specimens, including the
beautiful ones the in choir and north aisle of
this Cathedral itself; but, setting aside all con-
sideration of their value as painted glass, they
are of the first excellence as works of Art.
They stand on their own independent merits ;
for, except in the sterling and imperishable
beauty of their materials, they in no way affect
to imitate the old-artists. They have no assumed
stiffuess either in manner or design; but are
exquisite pictures, with every accessory of
beauty of expression, correctness of drawing
and charm of aérial perspective, conveyed in
all the glory of coloured glass. A little burst
of genuine enthusiasm at the beauty of a half
erected ‘window before which the workmen
were suspended, and in which one half of the
subject of the Entombment with the two
figures of the Evangelists John and Luke be-
neath it were seen, procured us the withdrawal
of the curtains from before the whole and half-
window already placed. ‘The final uncovering
of these windows is to be one of the great mo-
ments of the approaching féte. The chief sub-
jects of the three whole windows are, the Adora-
tion of the Three Kings,.the Entombment and
the Ascension. That now disclosed to our eyes
was the Adoration. Below it are the four
Prophets—figures of the utmost grandeur;
and, above, the tracery of the window is filled
up with stars, crosses and other emblems of
unrivalled brilliancy of colour. The Munich
glass painters have every gradation fof, the
palette, fromithe three primary colours to the
most tender neutral tints, completely at their
disposal. Their yellows especially show their
superiority—we have nothing ‘better than a
dirty orange at Westminster. Here the
magnificent brocaded robe of: the kneeling
King is like the gold. of a cool but. gorgeous
orient sky. The Virgin’s ‘blue: aud red are
splendid. The green tunic of the Moorish
king is unrivalled in intensity: while the

THE DECORATOR’S: ‘ASSISTANT.

pa es

183)
figures behind retreat from the eye as much in!
colour as in size,—and Jerusalem stands on):
the horizon in. rainbow, Turner-like hues of’
airy distance. The chief attractions of the half-
window are, the heads of the Empress Helena,
Barbarossa, Charlemagne, and Henry the
Fifth—all, as you know, connected with the
history of the Three Kings of Cologne. All
these are of the highest beauty of conception
and colour. The King of Bavaria may. well
boast that his Munich glass painters are the first
in the world. I doubt whether, as artists in any
line, the Munich school ever appeared to
geater advantage than it does here. The
artists chiefly concerned in these windows have
been Professor Hess and Herr Ainmiiller.

“Tt had been expected that on this coming
occasion the whole partition wall behind the
organ, between the chancel and choir, would,
with the organ itself,. have been removed, and
the whole grand length of the centre thrown
open. Butit appears that, temporary as itis
—if a wall that has stood for three hundred years
can be so called—it is still too essential, just
at that vital junction, to the safety of the
building to be removed; and Zwirner begs his
friends, if they wish. him to sleep ‘quietly in
his bed, to abstain from urging: his removal of
a stone of it. This, therefore must continue a
great eyesore to impatient spectators—though
it will be coloured over of the same hue with
the rest; but meanwhile the wooden partitions
of the aisles on each side of it were rapidly
tearing down before our eyes.”’

To Correspondents, Se.

WRITE LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH
THY WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MAY BE
READILY DECYPERED BY THE RECIPIENTOF TH Y
COMMUNICATION,

“A Friend.”—We are very busy just at pre-
sent ; but there will be plenty of time to think of\|
your project yet.

‘¢ Lionel.”’—Turps.

“* An Apprentice.’’—We cannot discover or
remember the date—but probably 1841.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to ‘‘the Editor
of the Decorator’s Asstsrant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readers as will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’

| Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c.

Cases for Vols. I. and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 8d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, af gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

*.* Any of our readers having complete
Anpuasets of an ornamental description suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 16 is now ready, price 7d.

Se an rmegnENrees
Sn iene

184

THE © DECORATOR S * ASSISTANT,

An Elustratey Glossary of Technical
Terms used in Architectural and
Entertov: Decoration, Ke.
Thnfinned oni 164.] /

Facruity (in all the arts), readiness, perform-
ing with little labour. A painter born with an
aptitude or genius for his art draws his out-
lines and distributes his colours with lightness,
freedom, and ‘dexterity, the very converse of
labour and heaviness. Rubens had this
quality to perfection, and it is the pinnacle of
art and the perfection of study. The student
however must not confound mere rapidity and
a dashing sketchiness with this high quality
of the practical part of the arts. An architect
| |is said to have a facility of composition when his
knowledge of his‘art is such that he can com-
pose, arrange, and distribute the apartments of
an edifice with readiness and skill, with judg-
||ment and propriety, according to the cha-
racter and requisites of his design.

Faience (in painting), a sort of fine pottery
or earthenware glazed with a fine varnish, and
||painted in various designs: named from Faence
or Faventia, where the art of manufacturing
was revived after having been forgotten by its
original inventors the Egyptians, who made a
similar kind of pottery covered with a green
or blue enamel, of which many examples are to
be found in the cabinet of the curious.

Fan Licur, an ornamental compartment
||situated over a doorway and serving in most

cases the double purpose of lighting and venti-
latmg the passage.

Freste (in all the arts), weak, imbecile,
A picture may be feeble in colour, drawing,
character, or expression, and a statue in all
'\but colouring, when timidity or. want of know-
ledge guides the hand rather than that boldness,
which is the result of experience, knowledge,
and practice; it is the debility of caution, the
opposite of boldness; and the antipodes of
bravura. Feebleness of. execution, if the
artist be young, may be conquered, feebleness
of conception never.

Fiawnx (in architecture), the side ofa temple
or building. ide IG

_Fremisu Scnoot (in painting), one of the
grand divisions in the classification of painters,
named from Flanders, the country of their birth
or practice. Rubens was the principal master

of this school, which, to brilliancy of colour|| |
and the magic of chiaroscuro, added a great|| —

nowledge of design, grandeur of: composition, || |
and, in portraits, a striking air of nature, with|| |
a noble expression. | Yet, on the whole, it only
produced a sort of individual or’ natural
beauty, partaking neither of the elevation of
sentiment or ideality ofthe antique, nor of
the Italian mode of representing nature.

Femur, the plane space between the cavi-

ties of a triglyph, marked a in the engraving;

the word signifies a thigh. ©
Font (in architecture and sculpture), aj,
vessel of marbie or. stone. in which the water
for Christian baptism is. contained, in the
church or baptistery. Great Britain can boast of
many very extraordinary fonts highly interest-
ing to the ecclesiastical antiquary. That of
Bridekirk in Cumberland, is allowed to be of!
Danish origin; and that which was recently

GAD,
wy

removed, in the spirit of modern improvement,
from the church of St. Peter in the Kast, Ox-
ford, exhibited proofs of an antiquity nearly as
early. The font of St. Mary’s church, Lin-
coln, dated 1340, is handsome and of good pro-
portions, as is the elaborately sculptured one
in Winchester Cathedral. The above engravy-
ing represents a font, in the decorated style, in
Finchingfield Church, Essex. ay

[To be continued.] \

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

185 |

hUIK

Taristry.—Tapistry is a curious kind of
manufacture, serving to adorn chambers,
apartments, theatres, &c., by hanging from the
walls or ceilings.—The. invention of tapistry
seems to have come from the Levant, and
what adds to the: plausiblity of this conjecture
is the circumstance of the workmen formerly
employed in its manufacture being denomi-
\inated in the French language: Sarazins or
Sarazinois.—It is presumed, also, that the
English and Flemish, who were the first that
excelled in tapistry, might have brought the
art with them from the East during the period
of the Crusades. But be this as it may, it is
certain that those two nations, particularly the
English, were the first that set:on foot this
noble and rich manufacture in. Europe, and
which, during a long succession of ages, formad
one of the chief materials employed in the
decoration of palaces, basilica, churches, &c.
And, hence, if they cannot claim the honour
of being the inventors they have, at least, the
credit of being the restorers of so curious and

life to wools and silks, in no respect, when well
executed, nferior to the paintings of the best
masters. It was not until a comparatively
late period that the French adopted tapistry
for interior decorations. The first regular
manufactory was established in the Faubourg
‘|St‘Michael, at Paris, in the year 1607, during
the reign of Henry IV.; but at the decease of

saphena te etn eee meena aan ES

GOTHIC ALPHABET OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY.

by the assiduity and ingenuity of M. Colbert;

admirable an art as imparts an appearance of |

|that prince a’stop was put to the works; and
‘lit was not until the accession to the throne of | R.N.

BUDELG

Louis XIV. that the trade was revived—when;

the ‘‘ Gobelin Establishment,” arose, and gave
to the world proofs of what may be effected
by the wholesome influence of discriminat-
ing and well directed taste and ‘liberal patro-)
nage, _

Incenuity or THE Muscaravians.—Some of
the men are very intelligent, and work in gold,
silver, and iron, with tools and apparatus of the
most primitive description. The bellows are
made of deer-skins, with two pieces of bamboo
at the mouth, which is opened and closed with
the finger and thumb asit is moved up or pressed |
down, one being in each hand, and the nozles
being introduced into a piece of brickwork on)
the ground, communicating by two holes with
a charcoal fire. The blacksmith sits on his
haunches, and for an anvil generaily has a pig
of ballast. With these rough implements they
make even pintles and gudgeons for large ves-| |
séls, hinges for doors, slave shackles, and
chains. The workers in gold use a blow-pipe,
and draw the wire through a bit of lead bored
with holes, gradually diminishing in size; and
I have seen some very handsome ornaments
made by them. These clever and industrious
people are all in the condition of slavery; and
their wives and daughters may be seen on occa-
sions strung together with heavy chains, sup-
ported by an iron ring round the throat, and
digging the ground with hoes.—ZLieut. Barnard,

THE .DECORAT

186

OR'S ASSISTANT.

Extracts, from Bapers Wear betore
the Writish Association,
AT SWANSEA AND WORCESTER,
Ce

. WATER PRESSURE \ENGINES./

On this subject a paper was read by Mr. J.
Glynn, F.R.S. It showed that the first inven-
tion of the water:pressure engine, like many other
‘mechanical @ontrivances, appear to belong to
Germany, and most probably had its origin in
Hungary. “Phe pressure engine acts by ‘the
power of a desceiiding column of water upon
the piston, of a ‘eylinder,..to give’ motion ito
pumps for raising water to a different level,
or for producing a reciprocating motion for
other puposes.. In mountainous districts; so
often containingigreat mineral .wealth, water-
falls were found of a.much greater-height than
could be practically ‘brought to -bear on water-
wheels, and ithe stream was often too small in
quantity to produce the desired effect upon a

diameter. In_ such situations the pressure
engine was well adapted to give great mechani-
cal effect from a fall of water in working
pumps and machinery for draining mines.

t
GUTTA PERCHA—-SUBMARINE TSLEGRAPH.

We extract the following from the <Athe-
NeUM :— ¥

nation of the various Applications of Gutta
Percha; numerous specimens of which, in the
shape of thread, cord, tubular staves, driving
bands, constables’ staves, sticks, whips, ink-
stands, medallions, shields, water buckets,
stereotype plates, and almost every other des-
cription of article, both useful and ornamental,
were present. The paper, after stating that
gutta percha was the concrete juice of a
large tree of the same name, abounding in
Borneo, &c., obtained by tapping the tree
periodically by the Malays, stated that its
introduction into this. country was purely
accidental; Dr. Montgomery having trans-
mitted the first sample of it to.the Society
of Arts in 1848, at which time he (Mr. Whi-
shaw)-was secretary to that society. The first
articles of use made of gutta percha in this
country were laid before the Society of Arts
in 1844, and consisted of a lathe-band, a short
length of pipe, and.a bottle-case, which he had
made himself by hand, having caused the
concrete substance to become sufficiently
plastic by immersing it in hot water. He also
produced casts from medals, which attracted
considerable attention at the time, and surgical
instruments were soon after made of this new
material. It. was also adapted to commercial
uses; and.from the .period mentioned to
July 11th in the present year between 600 and
700. tons had been imported for the Gutta
Percha Company. From 20 to 60 tons were
now regularly imported. every month. Con-
trary to the general opinion that gutta percha
is a simple, hydrogenous. substance, Mr.
Crane (chemist to the; Gutta Percha Com-

}substanee of a dark) brown colours

water-wheel within the ordinary limits of

‘ Mr. Whishaw read a paper giving an expla-’

pany) found it in its ordinary state to con-|}
sist of,atleast two distinct. materials, besides aif
motableyproportion of sulphur—viz., 1. A white|}
|matter, gutta percha in its pure state; 2. Ali)
nk Various}
| experiments'weremade to ascertain its strength}}
}:when mixed with other matters, and also as to)
whatpigments would mix with it without render-
ing it brittle or deteriorating ‘its qualities. ||
From these it appeared that the only pigment
that could altogether be. relied on to be used
with gutta percha were orange lead, rose pink,
‘red lead, vermilion, Dutch pink, yellow ochre,
and orange ichrome. Under; the ‘influence of
heat'and pressure, gutta pereha would spread)
tovaicettain ‘extent, and more so if mixed with|
foreign niatters, All the, nfixtures eomposed)
of gutta percha and other substances which)
had beensubjected to-expériment, except that.
containing plumbago, were found to increase
its power of conducting heat; but in’ its pure}
state gutta percha was an excellent non-con-|
ductor of electricity. The best composition
for increasing the pliability of gutta percha)
was that-formed in conjunction with-caoutchoue|
tar, and next in order that of its own tar; and)
the:best material at;present known for mould-/
ing and embodying was obtained by mixing}
gutta percha with its own tar and lamp-black.|
{In describing the process of manufacturing)
gutta percha, the author observed, that rude}
blocks of the material were first cut into slices,|
by smeans‘of a*cutting machine formed of a
circular iron plate of about 5 feet in diameter,
in which there are three radical slots furnished
with as many knives or blades. The blocks}
are placed in an inclined shoot, so as to pre-|
sent one end to the operation ‘of the cutters.
The slices are then placed in a wooden tank;
containing hot water, in which they are left to
soak until found in’a plastic state. They are
afterwards passed through a mincing cylinder,
similar to that used in paper mills for the con-
version of rags into pulp, and then thoroughly
cleansed in cold water tanks; the water, in
cases of impure gutta percha, being mixed
with a solution of common soda or cloride of
lime. Itisnext putintoa masticating machine,
such as is used in ithe manufacture of caout-
chouc, and then. pressed. through’ rollers;
thus being converted into sheets of various
width and thickness. When necessary, the
sheets. are again masticated, and again passed
through rollers. These sheets are subsequently
cut-into boards by vertical knives, placed:at
the further end of the table, along which the
sheets are carried by a cloth or web to another
roller, round which they pass, and are cut into
the required widths. The bands or straps ate
then removed, and coiled up'ready for use.
Driving bands for machinery are thus made,
and shoe soles and. heels are stamped out of
similar sheets of gutta percha. In’ making
tubes or pipes, either of gutta percha or any
of its compounds, a mass of gutta percha, after
being thoroughly masticated, is placed in- a
metal cylinder furnished with a similar piston,
by which it is: pressed down into an air box,
kept hot with steam, which has ‘at its lower
end a number of perforations, through which
the plastic material is forced into'a cup, whence}

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.”

it passes out, round acore, into the desired
tubular form, and ‘thence through a gauge’ to
the required size, and into a receiver of cold
wa tchelBeling drawn to the other end of a long
trough by a cord passing round a pulley at the
far end of the trough, and returning to the per-
son in attendance on the machine, who gradually
draws the pipe away from the air machine.
Thus tubes of considerable length and dia-
meter are made to a very great extent, and are
used for the conveyance of water and other
liquids, and are now under test for the con-
veyance of gas.. The paper next explained
the variety of articles already made of gutta
percha, which were of three classes—1. Useful ;
2. Ornamental ; and 3. Useful and Ornamental
combined. Various articles were then exhi-
bited, including two very hansome shields, and
a splendid Communion Dish and Service.—Mr.
Whishaw next exhibited the Telakouphanon or
Speaking Trumpet; and in doing so, said that
speaking tubes of gutta percha were quite new
as was also the means of calling attention by
them of the person at a distance, which was
accomplished by the insertion of a whistle,
which being blown, sounded at the other end
quite shrilly. Attention having been thus
obtained, you remove the whistle, and by
simply whispering, the voice would be conveyed
quite audibly for a distance of at least three
quarters of a mile, and aconversation kept.
It must be obvious how useful these telegraphs
must become in large manufactories; and
indeed in private houses they might quite
supersede the use of bells, as they were so very
cheap, and by branch pipes could be conveyed
to different rooms:—and, indeed, if there
wére no electric telegraphs, they might, by a
person stationed at the end of each tube of
three quarters of a mile ora mile, be made
most speedily to convey intelligence for any
distance. In private houses the whistle need
not be used, but a more musical sound coula be
produced. He then amused the auditors by
causing the end of the tube, which was of the
length, of 100 feet, to be inserted into the
mouth-piece of a flute held in a person’s hand,
regulated the notes, and placing his own mouth
to the other end of the tube, “‘God save the
Queen’’ was played at a distance of a 100 feet
from the person giving the flute breath. Turning
to the Bishop of St. David’s, hesaid that, in the
event of a clergyman having three livings, he
might, by the aid of three of these tubes,
preach the same sermon in three different
churches at the same time.—Mr. Whishaw also
exhibited the gutta percha submarine rope or
telegraph; which consisted of a tube perfo-
rated with a series of small tubes, for the con-
veyance of telegraphic wire, and which, for
the purpose of preventing its being acted upon
by sea water or marine insects, was banded or
braded round by asmall rope, and its being
perfectly air-tight would render it quite imper-
vious to the atmosphere.’’

WORCESTER CATHEDRALS,

Mr. Ashpitel, F:S.A\, in a lecture on this
subject, said of the first cathedral, little more
was known than thatit was dedicated to St.
Peter, and was under the government of

attatched to. it a monastery of Benedictine

his cathedral church of Worcester (which hej}

‘tery. It is mentioned by Williamof Malmes-

sufficiently advanced to receive the monks,

187

‘secular canons until the time of Oswald, the
eighteenth bishop; who erected (before 972,
when he was translated to York) what would

probably now be termed “‘ an opposition shop,”
contiguous to the original: cathedral church,
which he dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and
monks. In 1014he died, and was buried)in
held in commendam), and where, on receiving
canonisation; his ashes were afterwards: en-
shrined. Hardicanute, in consequence of some
fancied. ill-treatment he had received from the
Worcesterians, burnt their vity to the ground,
and with it Sir Oswald’s church and monas-

bury that Bishop Wulstan wept over the de-
molition of the structure, when his own was

‘LADIES’ HEAD-DRESSES.

Mr. Planché then read, a paper on head-
dress. In the fifteenth century, the female
coiffure was made to take the form of two
horns, a fashion which excited the indigna-
tion and mirth of. contemporary novelists
and satirists. This horned head-dress. ap-
peared in no pictorial monuments older than
the reign of Henry IV. Upon the review of;
the authorities, he found from 1272 to 1301,
the ugly gorget—the cornuted coif, and the,
various modes of naturally or artificially in-
creasing the bulk of the head—the appearance
of these same head-dresses when covered by),
the veil—the increasing extravagance of the
bosses and gorgets of the reign of Edward II.,
the horned or eared head-dresses of both males |
and females at the latter period, andthe square,
bracket or gibbet head-dresses which were,
likewise in fashion during the fourteenth cen-
tury. Then came the almost modern head-
dress of the reign of Edward III., when a
better taste had banished for a while the mon-
strosities complained of. Next appeared the
heart shaped head-dress in the reign of Henry’
IV., then the portentous and truly horned

head-dress of the time of Henry V.; and last,'
but certainly not least, the mitres, and steeples,
and horns of the fifteenth century, which were
the subject of Lydgate’s well-known ballad on

the forked head dresses.

Sates
Lemanegd

A correspondent of the Atheneum, who is |
on the Committee of the Caxton Memorial in
reply to the question on the subject states,
that, like many other things, the preposal for |
this monument has been paralysed by the dis-
turbed occurrences of the last twelve months.
Immediately after the collection of subscrip-
tions had begun, the City election came on;
and the printers and. publishers there would
not hear of Caxton—only of Lord John
Russel, &c. Then followed the panic—which
made subscriptions still more difficult to get.
Then the troubled state of politics, abroad, in’
Ireland, and at home—which made them im-
possible. Under these circumstances, the pro-
moters of the testimonial thought it best to,
wait for calmer times before any decision should,
become to. No further subscriptions have been
obtained since the last advertisement of them.

11188

The Conway Tubular wrivge.

Tus idea of a tubular bridge is one of those
original conceptions which are the birth, not of
an individual’s life, but of an era. It is one of
those truly unique and rare productions—a new
and valuable fact. .

From what we have been able to gather, it
appears that Mr. Robert Stephenson at first
conceived the idea that a tubular bridge of the
circular form would be the strongest ; but being
unable, in consequence of numerous profes-
sional avocations, to undertake personally to
earry out the requisite experiments, he com-
mitted this important task to the able hands of
Mr, Fairbairn of Manchester, under his own
immediate inspection. Much credit is due to
this distinguished mechanist for the experi-
ments which he instituted with a view to ascer-
taining the proper principles on which to. com-
pose such a structure, particularly with respect
to the two grand conditions of strength and
lightness. Having so far satisfied himself on
these points, he constructed a model tube on
a large scale, containing nearly all the features
of the proposed bridge. The form of acircular
tube was found defective in many respects, and
the idea of constructing the bridge of that
form was soon abandoned. Tubes were also
constructed of elliptical and rectangular forms,
with various results. Eventually a square tube
was decided upon; and the investigations were
now continued, to evolve the principles upon
which this form might be rendered of sufficient
strength to resist vertical and lateral violence.
At first Mr. Fairbairn conceived that the
strongest form would be one in which the top
and bottom of the tube consisted of a series of
pipes arranged in a hollow compartment, co-
vered above and below by iron plates rivetted
together, and having a parallel direction to the
long axis of the tube. By this means great
rigidity would be communicated to the top, to
resist the immense compression it would ne-
cessarily endure; and the bottom would be
equally strong, to resist the tension which it
would be subject to. And this form would
probably have been adopted, but for several
serious practical difficulties which presented
themselves to its construction, and to its repair,
if accidentally damaged.

The model tube, the form of which was to be
adopted in the large scale, was finally. formed
of a square shape, with longitudinal cellular
compartments, also square at the top and
bottom. ‘The scale was exactly one-sixth of
the bridge across one of the spans of the Menai
Straits; it was also one-sixth of the depth, one-
sixth of the width, and, as nearlyas possible,
one-sixth of the thickness of the iron plates.
Thus it was 80 feet long, 4 feet 6 inches deep,
2feet 8inches wide, and rested on two supports,
the distance between which was 75 feet. The
entire weight of this large model was between
4 and5 tons. It was now subjected to the
severe experiments which were to test its
strength. The weight was attached to its centre,
and increased ton by ton, the deflection being
carefully noted, together withthe entire weight

—

THE DECORATORS | ASSISTANT.

x8 oe

of the load, After three experiments, in which,
various defects were discovered, the conclusion
arrived at of the extreme point of resistance of
the model tube placed it at about. 56 tons; in
other words, its breaking weight was 56°3 tons.
This result proved highly satisfactory, and
exhibits in a remarkable manner the extra-
ordinary resistance offered by a tube of this
construction to a load more than eleven times
its own weight. |

In the early part of 1847 the Conway Tube |
Bridge wascommenced. The site of the bridge
was not, however, convenient for the purpose.
of constructing the tube; and advantage was
consequently taken of a less precipitous part of
the river’s bank, abouta hundred yards from
the permanent position of the bridge. There, ||
upon a piece of level ground, projecting some’
distance into the river, workshops and asteam-
engine were erected, and an immense platform |
constructed on piles driven into the ground,|
and partly into the bed of the river, and form-,
ing a temporary pier. At high water, the tide
was nearly level with the bottom of the tube.)
Altogether, abouttwelve months were occupied,
in the construction of the tube |

The tube was at length completed ; and now
remained the Herculean undertaking of drage-,
ing it to its position, and lifting it up to its pro- |
per elevation. On Monday, March 6, 1848, |
the great experiment was made. The tube had
been made to rest upon two temporary stone |
piers, by the removal of some of the piles sup- |
porting the platform on which it was built.)

Six immense pontoons, 100 feet long, and of
proportionable breadth and height, were then|
hauled up to the platform, and floated, three,
at each end of the tube underneath it: they |
were properly lashed together, and secured. |
High tide served a little after eleven in the |
forenoon; all things were therefore got ready |
to take full advantage of this. circumstance. |
As the tide rose higher and higher, the great |
pontoons rose too, until they touched the bot- |
tom of the tube. The favourable moment hay-.
ing arrived, the pumps were set to work, and
the pontoons emptied of a large volume of
water purposely introduced into them. As this
water discharged, they rose higher and higher, |
until at length, the immense mass floated clear
off the platform. It was still some distance
from its resting-place ; but the sides being pro-
perly shoved up, the whole structure—was set,
in motion by means of strong hawsers worked
by capstans, and attached to different places.
It was guided in its slow career by chains con-
nected with buoys placed at intervals in its
route. At length it was dragged to its proper
position ; and resting under the receding influ-
ence of the tide upon two stone beds prepared
for its reception on each side, it now appeared)
as a great unwieldy box crossing the river.
This operation was the work of a few hours,
and was conducted with the most complete
success. .

_ Having accompanied the tube thus far onits,
progress, we may now pause to detail a few
particulars as to its construction. The tube is
formed of wrought-iron plates from 4 to 8 feet
long, and 2 feet wide. The thickness of those
plates which enter into the formation of the

) on ESS,

THE ‘DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘sides is: toward the’ extremities diminished to
five-eighths of an ‘inch. These plates are’
‘rivetted firmly together'to T-angle iron ribs on
both sides of the joints. The beautiful regu-
larity of the rivets gives the tube somewhat the
character of'a regular ornament. The ceiling’
of the tube is composed of ‘eight cellular tubes,
each of whichis about 20 inches in width, and
21 high; these’ cells are likewise formed of
| wrought-iron plates; which are three-quarters
of an inch thick in the middle, and half an inch
towards the ends of the tube. ‘The joints of
these plates are strengthened like the others.
The floor of the tube contains six cellular tubes,
about 27 inches in width, and 21 high, formed:
as‘above; with the addition of a covering plate
of'iron over every joint on the under-side of the
tube. The sides are united to the ceiling and
floor by double angle‘irons within and without.
The entire length of this great tunnel of iron is
412 feet: itis 14 feetin extreme width; itis
also a little higher in' the middle than at each
end, being 22’ feet 3 inches high’ at the ends,
ond 25 feet'in the middle; this, jhowever, in-
eludes the diameter of the cells top and bottom.
Each end of the tube, were it rests upon the
masonry, is strengthened by cast-iron frames to
théextent of about’ 8 feet of the floor.
entire weight of this'stupendous piece of iron-
work is'about 15300 tons !

» It appears that the task of elevating this vast
fabric was intrusted to Messrs. Easten ‘and
Amos. At each pier, resting’ upon massive
bearing-girders of cast-iron, solidly imbedded
in the masonry, was placed a large hydraulic
yam. This machine consisted of a cylinder 3
feet in diameter to the outside, with a cylin-
drical cavity of about a foot and a half in dia-
meter, so that’ the’ actual thickness of this
powerful cylinder was nine inches of solid iron
‘allround'! Init was the “ram,” a cylindrical
mass of solid iron 18 inches orso in diameter,
so that it did not fit ‘the cylinder quite accu-
rately, but left a vacuity for the passage of
water to the bottom. Attached to the top of
‘this ram is a transverse piece of metal called
‘a “© cross-head,’’ 2 square feet thick, with two
isquare: apertures, through which the great
chains which are to lift the mass are passed and
secured. The chains consisted of flat bars of
wrought-iron about 6 feet’ in length, 13 inch
thick; and7 inchés wide. Eachram lifted'two’

bars in the upper links, but four only in the
‘lower. The stroke of the ram was 6 feet—that
is, it lifted the tube 6 feet in its full. range.
In-the recess where the fellow-tube is to be
placed, a steam-engine of peculiar construction
|was erected, fo whose obedient toilings the
mighty work of raising’ the tube at each end
|was committed. These steam-engines were on
'the high-pressure principle, the cylinder being
placed horizontally, and the piston-rod runn-
ing completely through the cylinder at both’
‘ends, where it was connected with fly-wheels
and the plungers ofthe force-pumps. The
length of the stroke’ was 16 inches. At the
summit of the cylinder of the hydraulic press
was a small tube, the internal cavity of which
was only three-eighths of an inch diameter.
This tube was connected with the force-pumps.

The |

chains composed of nine links, containing eight |

i8y|

All things being now ready, the great opera-' |.
tion commenced. The steam-engines acting’
simultaneously, and with equal velocity and’
power at each pier, the mighty structure began.
to rise majestically, but with great slowness,
into the air. At every rise of 6 feet the engines,
‘were stopped, and the chains readjusted to the |
head of the ram, and the top links removed.
‘By a succession of such rises, the tube finally |
reached the desired elevation of about 24 feet.|
It was then allowed to take its permanent
position on the massive masonry prepared for |
it; and the Tubular Bridge lay across the river,
a monument of the combined skill of British
engineers of the nineteenth century. |

Its sustaining power still remained to be tes-
ted. Carriages, heavily laden to the amount, |
of may hundred tons, were placed in its centre, |
and allowed to remain there for two or three
days; but the deflection did not, we believe,, |
exceed an inch and a half, and disappeared on
the removal of the weight, thus demonstrating
its resistance and its elasticity. Since tnen, it
has been constantly worked.—Abridged from
Chambers’ Journal.” .

——_—_ |
The Envia Rubber Tree. |
| |

The caoutchouc tree grows, in general, to the
height of 40 or 50 feet without branches, then
baanching, runs up 15 feet higher. The leafis
about six inches long, thin, and shaped llke.
that ofa peach tree. The trees show their
working by the number of knots, or bunches, |
‘made by tapping; and a singular fact is, that, |
like a cow, when-most tapped, they give most’
milk or sap. ;

The time: of operating is early day, before,

sunrise. The blacks are first sent through the,
forest, armed with a quantity of.soft clay, and!
a small pickaxe. On coming to one of the
trees, a portion of the soft clay is formed into
a cup and stuck to the trunk. The black then,
striking his pick over the cup, the sap oozes.
out slowly, atree giving daily about a gill. The
‘tapper continues in this way, tapping perhaps
50° trees, when he returns, and’ with a jar,
passing over the same ground, empties his cups.
So by seven o’clock the blacks come in with
itheir jars, ready for working.
The sap at this stage resembles milk in ap-
‘pearance, ‘and somewhat in taste. It is also
frequently drank with pefect safety. If left
‘standing now, it will curdle like milk, dis-
engaging a watery substance like whey.

Slioemakers now arrange themselves to form
the gum. Seated in the shade, with a large
pan of milk on one side, and on the other a
flagon, in which is burned a nut peculiar to,
this country, emitting a dense smoke, the
operator having his last, or form, held by along
stick or handle, previously besmeared with
soft clay (in order to slip off the shoe when
finished) holds it over the pan, and pouring on
the milk until it is covered, sets the coating in
the smoke,{then giving it asecond coat, repeats
the smoking; and so on with a third and fourth,,
until the shoe isof the required’ thickness,
averaging from six to twelve coats. When fin-

1¢0

ished, the shoes on the forms are placed inthe
sun the remainder of the day to drip. Next
day, if required, they may be figured, being so
soft that any impression will be eee
received. The natives are very dexterous in
this work. With a quill and a sharp-pointed
stick they will produce finely lined leaves and
flowers, such as you may have ‘seen on the
shoes, in an incredibly short space of time.
After remaining on the forms two or three days,
the shoes are cut open on the top, allowing the
‘last to slip out. They are then tied together
‘and slung on’ poles, ready for the market.
There, pedjars and Jews trade for. them with
the country people; and in lots of a thousand
or more they are af rain sold to the merchants,
who have them chatted sith straw, and packed
in boxes to-export. In which state. they are
received in the United States and in, England.
In the same manner, any shape may be manu-
factured,. Thus toys are made over clay forms.
After drying, the clay is broken and extracted.
|Bottles, &c.,; in the same way. According as
the gum grows older, it becomes darker in
colour and more tough, The number of caout-
chouc trees in the province is countless. In
some parts whole forests of them exist. From
Mexico and. the East Indies, there. appears to
be no importation into the United States. The
reason I suppose must be the want of that
prolificness found in them here (the Brazils).

The caoutchouc tree may be worked all the
year ; but generally in the wet seasons. they
|have rest, owing to the flooded state of. the
woods; and the milk being. watery, requires
more to manufacture the same article than in
the dry season. aA

gly | The GHronotppist.

Mr. Harrison has invented a new self register-
ing thermometer, which, by the contraction and
expansion of the copper and iron of which it
is formed, under different degrees of temper-
ature, registers the different degrees of heat
and cold upon a sheet of paper stretched ona
constantly revolving _cylinder.— Mr.
Roberts has discovered a new mechanical
power—suggested to him by a dial movement
in an American clock—consisting of a steel
stock shaft, on-which are fitted two brass discs
in such a way as.to be kept steady. One of
the discs has eleven teeth rounded at the top
and bottom in its circumference, and placed on
the body of the shaft... The other disc, which
is rather the larger, is in the eccentric position
of the shaft, with its face to that of the toothed
disc. The plain disc has four studs ‘rivetted
into it at equal distances from the other, and
at such distances as to admit of their ‘being
brought successively, by the revolution of the
eccentric, to the bottom of the hollows in the
toothed discs.—The following movements may
be effected by this machine :—namely, if the
shaft be held stationary and the discs be made
to revolve upon it, one of the discs will make
12 revolutions whilst the other only makes
11. Again, if the toothed dise be held whilst
the shaft be made to revolve 12 times, the plain

_THE DECORATOR S ASSISTANT.

R.|a continuous line of telegraph is now almost

ithe instrument in hotels, taverns, tea-gardens,

ties * 5 3 :
disc will revolve, in the same direction, one

revolution only: and if the plain dise be held.

| the toothed ‘disc will perform one revolution in

the contrary. for 11 revolutions of th® shaft.
It will be evident that almost any other number’ |
of revolutions may be produced by employing

a smaller number’.of,studs, not fewer than

three, which will not divide the number. 0 ||
teeth in that.dise——The restoration of Glou-
cester Cathedral. has now, commenced, and is,
progressing well.——“ Dieging and, washing
for gold,’’ says the New, York Tribune, ‘‘ has’
been prosecuted in certain portions of Virginia, |
North Carolina, and Georgia, through several)
years past, with varied success. Somé have)
grown suddenly rich by it; others have realised, |
mederate gains or held their own; some have
impoverished, themselves.’’———Prince | Albert
will lay the foundation. stone. of the New
Docks at, Grimsbys in’ October..—M’Crea, |
the plaintiff in a.case recently decided by the
‘Vice-Chancellor, Mr., Knight Bruee, had ex-.
hibite1.. pattern in damask to the: defendant, |
Holdsworth (both of Halifax), and the latter, |
‘copied! it, in ignorance ‘of the fact that it had.
‘been protected by registration,. and,proceeded
to manufacture from it. . An injunction haying
been granted, the defendant .appeared and }
pleaded, ‘‘ignorance,’’. which, the Vice Chan-'
cellor told him could not be listened to, as he
knew perfectly that it was another man’s de-|,
sign. The defendant also pleaded a right to
manufacture, though. not to sell—an odd sort
of discovery, the judge remarked. Defend-|
dant’s counsel thereupon undertook to destroy
the pattern papers, stamped cards, &c., and to,
pay all costs, the injunction. still continuing in)
force in. case of. any breach, to. which. the.
newly discovered | ‘“‘right. to manufacture”
might in future lead. An. important inyen-,
tion, lately, made by an individual at Birken-,
head has been, purchased, it is-said, by Messrs, ||
Brett and Little, for, their. telegraph. It con-
sists, of a sponge. saturated, with some salt, in,
the cells, instead of acid, condensing the
vapour of the atmosphere, and continuing, it is
said, for an almost indefinite time in unimpaired
action.— From New York to New Orleans

completed, and, even. with the few gaps not
yet filled up, intelligence. can. be conveyed
from the one extremity, to the other—a length)
little short of 2,000 miles—within a few. hours.
——The experiment of crossing the Hudson,
from Jersey to New York, by telegraph wires, |
encased with gutta percha, and laid on the bed
of the river, has been completely successful.

) y

Tue Parent Domestic Ts.ecrapn.—since) |
our notice of the application of the principle
of the electric telegraph to domestic purposes.
by Mr, Reid, of Birmingham,, he. has madé
some improvements, and extended the use of

coffee and chop-houses,. public companies,
and, private houses, and. even in mines. The
alteration is confined to the dial-plate, on which
the specific questions and demands are. dis-

posed of in due order. ;

aly

Wf,
\ SSS CS) »
S 2
FS
ce 7

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A PANEL (ITALIAN STYLE).

No. 70.—Vol. III.

uae)

SaTuRDAY, |

THE DECORATORS -ASSISTANT.

[SrerTeMBER 9, 1848. »

Hv. Werwoiws BWictures.

Fates and Her Majesty’s Government seem to
have conspired against both Mr. Vernon and
his pictures—honour is denied to the one, and
a resting place to the others.

A week or two back we announced that the
lower rooms of the National Gallery in Tra-
falgar Square were being cleared out for the
purpose of containing the Vernon Collection.
The project has, however, turned out a failure
—the accommodation being as insufficient as
the industry displayed in looking after it; there
fore, we may expect a still longer waste of
time, and, still further, positive injury inflicted
on a private individual, whose liberality, by a

strange anomaly, seems to have brought upon
the donor nothing but punishment.

However, as a little set off against the
charge of positive direlection of duty, Govern-
ment can claim some indulgence on account
of the numberless projects for a new National
Gallery which are daily being poured in, thick
and fast.

The last suggestion is one of Mr. Penne-
THORNE’s—the architect to the trustees of the
National Gallery—who, as we learn froma
contemporary, proposes erecting a plain, tem-

porary building in one of the parks—a build-
ing that will not be required to last more than
ten or twelve years; and the application to
parliament for an annual grant of £15,000 or
£20,000, to accumulate during these ten or
twelve years, by which means afund may be
formed for the erection of a National Gallery.
The site recommended is Cleveland-row,—
‘the leases of a number of houses in which
will expire about the year 1860, when the
ground will become the property of the
crown.”

We will reserve this project for future con-
sideration.

Since writing the above we have met with
the following strange statement in the Athe-
neum; to whom it has been forwarded by a
correspondent :—‘“‘ ‘ Are you aware,’ says the
writer, ‘of the extraordinary proficiency ac-
quired by the authority of the National Gallery
in giving away the tickets for Mr. Vernon’s
Collection? The public is informed that)
tickets are to be had at the Gallery on given
mornings: a humble member of the public
presents himself on Wednesday, the 30th of,
August, at ten o’clock precisely (that being
the time of opening)—gets in immediately,
with numerous others,—and finds that all the
300 tickets are already given away! Is not
this dexterity? Of course everything is fair;
but how does the gentleman manage to give
away with any discrimination so many tickets
in TWo MINUTES ?’—We have heard, ” adds the’
Editor, ‘‘many complaints of the manner in
which this distribution has been managed ; but
have heard, likewise, occasional explanations
suggesting a principle of the irregularity to
which we scarcely like to take exception. Still,
the public, and each individual as a part of it,
has aright to insist upon the terms announced ;
and we hope that now, when the first pressure
for admission is past, it may be found easy to
make the distribution of this privilege in such

a manner as shall avoid any cause of further
complaint.”

We hope so too; and will also forego taking
exception for the present; but let these gen-
tlemen remember

“‘There’s a chiel amang ye takin’ notes,
An’, faith, he’l] prent it !’?

a a a a Se SO SR en

THE DECORAT

OR'S ASSISTANT.

GMorking Mews Associations.

—=

We regard with no small degree of pleasure

the strenuous efforts which the working men.

of this country are making in order to perform
that injunction of Gop and Nature, which
commands us, when desirous of effecting an
object, ‘to help ourselves.’’ — Combination
among the humbler classes for the purpose of
self-improvement is daily on the increase, and
nothing can exhibit in a more striking light the
tendency of popular opinion and the supremacy
which mind is fast gaining over matter. We
extract the following paragraph from a pro-
fessional contemporary :—

“‘ A number of operative sculptors and orna-
mental stone carvers have formed a society
for the mutal advantage of its members, afford-
ing opportunities for study and improvement,
which individually they could not obtain.

They propose to establish a library imme-

diately connected with the arts, form a collec-
tion of drawings and models, and. obtain the
delivery of lectures upon subjects bearing upon
the pursuit. Mr. Jonn Smirn, of 37, Dart-
mouth-street, Westminster, is the secretary,
and will give any information which may be
required.”’ ;

This is as it should be!—Let.us see more of
this spirit displayed among the working classes,
and we'll warrant that books will serve a
better end than either pikes or guns. Tyrants
or oppressors may stand fire, but knowledge
is their sure exterminator.

Queen Awnne’s Fartuines.—This coinage
is the subject of a fable almost universally
believed throughout the empire. It is sup-
posed there never were more struck than three,
the die breaking at the third, and consequently
that a Queen Anne farthing is, from extreme
rarity, the most valuable coin in existence.
How this notion should have been impressed
at first, and since become so prevalent, is
incomprehensible. In reality, there were seven
coinages of farthings in Anne’s reign, and the
numbers of each were by no means small,
though only one was designed for general cir-
culation. Specimens of all these may be seen
in the British Museum, and a collectorin Lon-
don possesses from fifteen to twenty of that
designed for circulation. On one, dated 1713,
there is a figure of Peace in her car, with the
imseription “Pax Missa Per Orbem”’ —
Peace sent throughout the world—no doubt
a boast meant by her majesty’s unpopular

ministry to brazen out the ignominy which|}
they incurred by the settlement of affairs at
Utrecht. In consequence of the prevailing
belief, it often happens that a poor peasant in
some remote part of the country, who has
chanced to obtain aQueen Anne farthing, sets
off with it to London, in the hope of making
his fortune by selling it. Even from Ireland
journies of this kind are sometimes under-
taken: on one occasion, a man and his wife
travelled thence to London with a Queen
Anne farthing. It is needless to say that these
‘poor people are invariably disappointed, the
ordinary farthing of this sovereign being only
worth about seven shillingstoa collector. Mr.
Till, the medallist, mentions in his work on the
Roman Denarivs, which we noticed a short
time since, that he has only heard one origin
assigned to the superstition.. Many years since,
a lady of Yorkshire, having lost a Queen Anne
farthing, which, for some particular reason,
had a great value in her eyes, advertised for it,
offering a considerable reward for its recovery.
The vulgar readily transmuted the sentimental
into an absolute value, and, as usual, soon con-
ceived a reason in fact for what was nothing
but a fallacy of their own understandings.

Go Correspondents, Ke.

WRITE LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH||
THY WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MAY BE
READILY DECYPERED BY THE RECIPIENTOF THY
COMMUNICATION.

‘© A Young Architect.”’—Thanks for the enclo-
sure :—we shall, at all times, be extremely happy
to receive any contributions with which you may
feel inclined to favour us.

8° A Mechanic in Search of a better Land.’’—
Peruse the Emigration Handbooks, published by
Mr. Craddock of Holywell-street.

“J. T.’—If you are a Gothic Carver, you can
apply to Mr. Barrett (if by letter, post-paid), at
the office of Tur Decorator’s Assistant, who
is just now in want of two or three workmen of
that description.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readersas will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c.

Cases for Vols. I. and IT, are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

*.* Any of our readers having complete
AupHasets of an ornamental description suits
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige u-

| by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 16 is now ready, price 7d.

Baptismal Fonts.

Tue sanctity rightly and reasonably attached
to the consecrated instrument of a Holy Sacra-
ment caused the careful preservation of Fonts
unchanged by centuries of rebuilding and
alteration. Thus we cannot doubt that a con-
siderable number of Fonts now exist in England
wherein the Saxon infant received the waters
of salvation from the hand of that ancient priest
whose bones, for aught we know, may moulder
under the pavement of a church reconstructed
on its original foundations six centuries after
his death. Mostfrequently, however, the rude
and unshapely Font of this zra was replaced in
later times by one of costly sculpture and pro-
fuse religious decoration ; and thus we cannot
find a very great number of examples of decid-
edly earlier date than the Norman era, when
Fonts were made so elaborately beautiful and
so quaintly curious that they well deserved the
respect and value which they ever after re-
ceived asworks of art and memorials of bygone
devotion, as well as from their hallowed use in
the service of the Church. Thus Norman Fonts
are now common, while earlier specimens are
but seldom found. Whether the former, many
of which were certainly extremely plain, were
always retained in rebuilding or improving an
ancient church, we cannot tell; though we may
fairly infer that such was generally the case.
Probably the preservation or removal of early
Fonts was a custom more or less prevalent at
different times and in different places, accord-
ing to the facilities for procuring stone, or other
local circumstances. ‘The Decorated age, with
all its costly and numerous buildings, pro-
duced comparatively few Fonts; at least the
Fonts of this style are the least common, while,
‘perhaps, churches are most frequent.

In respect of execution, Perpendicular Fonts
‘are unquestionably the best. It is a curious
fact, that Decorated Fonts are often the worst
and coarsest specimens of sculpture and detail.
‘Norman Fonts are the most elaborate; but the
designs are often as outlandish and extravagant
as the carving is bad. Early English Fonts are
generally well cut; but they are of such un-
usual occurrence that it is difficult to assert as
a prevailing principle their superior accuracy,
though we believe they generally excelled in
this respect. Transition-Norman Fonts are
frequently very handsome; and they often ex-
hibit the toothed-moulding, as at Tickencote,
Rutland, Norton, Derbyshire, Twyford, Lei-
'cestershire, and Barrow, in the same county.
| This ornament scarcely occurs in specimens of
‘the pure Early English style, where it might
be most expected. It is found, however, at St.
Giles’, Oxford.

The earliest Fonts are circular, either rude
cylindrical stones, resembling a portion ofa
icolumn, from which perhaps they were some-
times made, and placed without any interme-
diate support upon the ground; or worked in
the shape of a clumsy vase or tub, as at Little
Billing, Northampton, and West Putford; or
mounted on a stem, as Chalk, Kent; sometimes
quite plain, but more usually having a few
broad and coarse annular base-mouldings. An

THE DECORATOR’ ASSISTANT.

interesting example occurs at Scartho, Lincoln-
shire, where the tower is Saxon. Itis shaped
like a hand-basin, and is placed on an irregu-
lar heptagonal plinth. Unhappily it is filled
up with bricks and rubbish, and a small
wooden pillar used for Baptism.

In considering the shape of Fonts, we must
bear in mind the difficulty which the ancient
builders experienced in raising and conveying
large blocks of stone. We may reasonably sup-
pose that the ready ingenuity which their works
always exhibit in adapting material to construc-
tive necessity, exercised considerable influence
in this respect also. A rude piece of rock,
forming naturally an irregular polygon, might
become too small by being reduced to a square
or an octagon; and if this had been procured
with some labour and delay, it was better to
humour its perverse tendencies, and to let it!
retain its original form with little alteration,
than to spoil or reject it.

The position of Fonts varies considerably.
The principle however always observable is to
place them near a western entrance. A very
common site for Early English or Decorated
Fonts is on the west side of the nearest nave
pier to the left as you enter by the south porch.
Sometimes, where there is no north door, the
Font is placed against the north wall, as at
Oakington and Long Stanton, Cambridgeshire;
but this not very common. Still more rarely
is the Font placed in the centre of the church,
as at Castle Rising. The usual position of late
Fonts is a little to the east of the belfry arch,
between two nave piers. The typical signifi-
cation of proximity to a doorway, entrance into
the Church by Baptism, is well known. Ifa
Font is found anywhere eastward of the centre
of the nave, it is almost sure to have been
moved from its original place. At Milton near
Cambridge it is against the chancel arch, and
appears long to have occupied that unusual
position.

Public Amusements.

HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

Her Majesty’s Theatre, the decorations at
which were completed towards the latter end
of the month of February, 1846, affords, per-
haps, the best specimen of art applied to orna-
mental purposes of which England can boast.
The number of artists employed exceeded
twenty, and included such men as Stanfield,
Telbin, Absolom, and Marshall, the whole
being placed under the direction of Mr. John-
son, the architect. ,

To endeavour to describe every object which
is so happily displayed would be vain; buta
rapid survey comprising brief descriptions of,
the principal ornaments may not be uninterest-
ing to our provincial readers. |

First, then, above the proscenium comes the
royal arms, not in the old shop-sign style, but
in that of ancient heraldic blazonry, and on
each side are the most beautiful floral designs,
on a dark ground, making the whole harmonise.
Higher still, and receiving the full effulgence
of light from a splendid chandelier, is the
‘** Aurora’ of Guido. Then, framed in a rich,

194

but chaste, border, comes on the ceiling the
copy of the “‘ Elements” of Albano, terminat-
ing towards the gallery arch in a broad shelving
band of the most beautiful arabesques, leading
the eye to imagine pictorial wonders beyond.
Descending to the pit, we behold on the lowest

|tier the celebrated dancing figures of Pompeii,

of which illuminated designs were purposely
brought from Naples—the intervening figures
and arabesques are due to Raffaélle and his
scholars; each detail has its authenticated
original. In the second tier are the celebrated
“Sports of children’? of Giulio Romano,
separated by medallions by Carracci and other
painters of imperishable fame. On the third
tier the figures of the Muses appear in their
discs of gold, creating the most peculiar and
fascinating effect. Then each tier gets lighter
and lighter in design, arabesques filling up the
framework; but these, no less than other parts
of the decoration, show the inventive genius of
the great Raffaélle, who in these designs revels
unfettered in exquisite caprice and marvellous
phantasy. To introduce life into their works
was the object of the great artists of Italy
in that bygone age of glorious’ memory.
Michael Angelo, when he had terminated his
wonderful ‘‘ Moses,’’ struck the marble, in a
passion, that blow of which the mark still
remains, exclaiming, in a voice of thunder,
‘Parla!’ (Speak.) Raffaélle, who sought all
his models in antique art, when he adopted
the arabesques, likewise felt that want of life,
attributable to the Arabs, to whose fervid ima-
ginations they are due, being forbidden by their
religion to reproduce the likeness of anything
living. Heat once introduced the new element
—an element of real difficulty, and here we
behold the result—a liveliness and variety of

||design beyond all imagining: the pattern,
||when beheld at the proper distance, appears

tO move and perform circular evolutions, the
branches and flowers to be carried away in the
train of the sportive animals depicted with
such living truth. One of the circumstances
which most contributes to the harmony of
effect produced is, that no merely mechanical
hand was employed ; even the minutest details
having been executed by real artists. As to
ourselves, a circumstance which has given us
the greatest relief is, that there is no trace in
the decoration of Her Majesty’s Theatre of the
style Louis Quinze, with its pretty affectation,
its pretty migniardise and gilded rococo,
with which we have been surfeited, ad nauseum,
and cured for ever, like pastrycook boys are
by a few days’ unlimited indulgence in cakes
and comfits. - Louis Quinze was taken to his
grave by post-horses, at full gallop. We care
not if his style follows him at railroad pace,
and is buried for ever—with his Majesty
at St. Denis, or the Roi Dagobert at Rheims.
In the creation of the sensual and immoral
epoch of the Regency and of Pompadour,
there is nothing in this style of decoration
that elevates the mind, and although it may be
employed in the boudoir of a modern. petite

maitresse, or in a small sociable theatre of true|few weeks back.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

public approbation, it is but necessary to com-
pare its interior with that of all the palaces
which have been built or ornamented at so
great an expense in England since the reign
of George IV. We have no doubt works
worthy of the country are about to be produced,
but nothing of public access has as yet appeared,
unless it be the encaustic perpetration at the
Royal Exchange, which, like the aspect of the
whole edifice, transports us back, not to Eng-
land’s glorious age of Gresham, but to that
when we were the “ Toto orbe divisos Bri-
tannos.”’ The common sense, as well as the
good taste of copying faultless models, and of
employing so many meritorious artists, is pal-
pable. It took the great Annibale Carracci
twenty years to paint the frescoes of the Far-
nese Gallery, and he died of a broken heart
because he considered the Cardinal Farnese’s
reward so inadequate a euerdon for his labour.
By copying these beautiful models of the most
celebrated painters that ever lived, we have
the work of acentury reproduced, as: it were,
by magic.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

We present our readers with an engraving of
the Royal Box, got up hastily by Mr. Gye, on
the occasion of an unexpected visit paid by
Her Majesty, and which was. noticed by us a

(iyi
maa

Same vi

ie
|
vi

—

GUTTTOGOVOODTVOTDOONUUOOUGUTUOTREA AAT UT QOOTTATOEOQUSD TAA AANA

—_—

The arrangement of the

elegance and fashion, it is totally unfit for a| drapery, which was, indeed, the principal fea-

noble edifice like her Majesty’s Theatre. To|ture, was chastely splendid—and the effect o
feel the beauty of this edifice and its claims to| the whole was superb in the extreme.

eee eee
SS SSS ee en

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

an Ellustrated ®lossarpy of Technical
Terms used in Architectural and
_ -——s-« FEntertor Mecoration, Ke.

[Continued from page 194.]

Fausr-roor (in architecture), that part which
is placed between the upper rooms and the ex-
ternal covering of an edifice.

. Freatuper-epcep (in carpentry, &c), boards
thicker on one edge than on the other are said
to be feather-edged.

Feuuies, pieces of wood joined together in
order to form the circle of a wheel.

methods of drawing the flutes of the Doric,
Tonic, Corinthian, and Composite orders.

To draw the flutes of the Doric Column, On
a 8B, Fig. 1, the diameter of the column, des-
cribe a semicircle, and divide the semicircle
into ten equal parts (as the doric column
usually contains twenty flutes, which are in
general made shallow, and without fillets) ;
through every two of the’ divisions’ draw lines
£1, 2, £3,24, ton 10, ‘between any two
divisions (as 3 and 4) describe two arcs whose
vertex is c: on £ with aradius uc, describe the
quadrant Gc, H, I, K, L, M, cutting the lines £ a,
E1,£2,23,£4, &c., in the points,’c, H, 1, x,
L, M, which are the centres for the flutes ; but if
the flutes are wanted deeper, you may make

the distance 5p, half the breadth of a flute;

195)

Ficure (in all the arts), a representation of
any solid body. °

Fascia (in architecture), a vertical member
of considerable height, but with a small pro-
jection, used in architraves, pedestals, &c.

Fremisu Brrcxs, bricks of a yellowish
colour. Their length is 64 in; breadth, 24 in;
and thickness, 14 in.

F.utes (in architecture), channels or furrows
cut perpendicularly in the shafts of columns.
Fluting the shafts of columns is a practice
never omitted in any great and finished Grecian
work; it therefore seems probable, that it had
some relation to the original type, perhaps the
furrowed trunk might have suggested the idea.
It is, however, a beautiful ornament, which is|
applied with equal happiness to break the other-|
wise heavy mass of a Doric shaft, or to obviate
an inconsistent plainnessin the other orders.

The following illustrations represent the

and proceed as shewn on the other quadrant,
and from a, b, c, &c., draw perpendiculars to
the bottom of the column.

Fig. 2. The Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite}
orders, have in general twenty-four flutes with
a fillet between each (the fillet one third of a’
flute); in order to have that number, and
preserve the just proportion ofa flute to a fillet, |
observe the following rule: divide the semi-
circumference, Fig. 3, into twelve equal parts,
at 1, 2,3, 4,5, &c., to 12, divide any division
into eight equal parts, as that between 5 and 6,
then take three of these parts, and on 1, 2,.3,
&c. to 12, as centres; describe arcs which are
nearly semicircular as in the engraving, and
then draw them to the column, Fig. 4.

| [To be continued.]

Perspectibe.

—_

§ 1. HISTORY OF PERSPECTIVE.

Tue question has often been discussed, whe-
ther the ancients really knew and observed the
rules of perspective, in the practice of the
arts; that they knew it, none can deny.
Euclid has left a distinct treatise on it, and
Vitruvius tells us that Agatharchus, the dis-
ciple of /Eschylus, was the first who wrote
upon this subject; and that subsequently the
principles of the art were more clearly eluci-
dated by his followers, Democritus and Anax-
agoras. Of the nature of their descriptions
we are in total ignorance, but what Euclid, so
distinguished asa mathematician, has written
on the subject, shows us evidently that they
had not made great progress init; and the
remains that have come down to us of the
works of the ancient painters, &c., are not
calculated to make us think that they thought
proper to conform the little that was known.
That the Arabians were not ignorant of per-
spective, appears from the optical writings of
Al Hazen, who flourished about 1100; his work
is cited by Roger Bacon, who himself treated
the subject very accurately, if we consider the
age in which he wrote. M. Fiorillo, in his
““Kliene Schriften,’’ (Svo. 1803,) has traced the
history of perspective amongst the ancients,
and since its revival amongst the moderns.
Johannes Tzetzes, in the twelfth century,
speaks of perspective as though he were well
acquainted with its importance in painting : and
the Greek painters, who were employed by the
Venetians and Florentines in the thirteenth
century, seem to have brought some knowledge
of its principles with them, for the disciples of
Giotto are commended for observing perspec-
tive more regularly than any of their pre-
decessors in the art had done, and they lived in
the beginning of the fourteenth. Danti, in his
work ‘Sopra la prima regola del Vignola,”’
p- 82, says that Pedro del Borgo was the first
who published the true rules of perspective, and
that he left in manuscript three books on the
science, which he adds, were copied in great
part by Daniel Barbaro. Pedro is said to
have died in 1448. In 1440, Bartolemeo Bra-
mantino, of Milan, published his book, ‘‘ Re-
gole di Prospettiva, e misure delle Antichita
di Lombardia.”’ Balthazar Peruzzi, of Sienna,
who had studied diligently the writings of
Borgo, discovered the points of distance to
which every line that makes an angle of forty-
five degrees with the ground line is drawn.
Soon after, Guido Ubaldi discovered that all
the lines parallel to each other, if they be
inclined to the ground line, converge to some
pointin the horizontal line, and that a line
drawn from the eye parallel to them will also
pass through this point. Ubaldi’s work on
perspective was printed at Pesaro in 1600, and
may be said to contain the first principles of
the method afterwards established by Dr.
Brook Taylor.

§ 2. periniTions oF PrERspPucTIve.
PeERsPECTIVE is that branch of optics which
ae how to represent objects on a plane

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

surface, in the manner wherein they appear
under the peculiarities arising from distance
or height. This is a science of the first im-
portance to a painter; yet, at the same time,
he is not to be too strictly confined to its rules,
but to endeavour to render them subservient to
his own purposes. Nothing, indeed, should
be permitted to tieup his hands or cramp his
genius; on the contrary, he should be left fully
at liberty to express his idea with one stroke
of his pencil; and as Fresnoy advises, “let
the compasses be rather in his eyes than in his
hands ;”’ in that way let him measure distinctly
every object by comparison—the principal
talent which he should own. If he is well
acquainted with the principles of his art, he
will not stop at the dry rules of geometry,
while his fancy is sketching all the chief parts
of his picture; but proceed with the whole,
and when the design is arranged, then correct'
all those portions which require it by the laws of;
perspective.

But while, on the one hand, we are anxious
to guard the student against dwelling too much
on the more mechanical parts of his interesting
art, we must, on the other, strive to impress
on his mind that a thorough knowledge and
an undeviating attention to this important
branch of it is not only eligible but indis-
pensible. The study of it should, indeed, go!
hand in hand with that of anatomy, as not less
fundamental and necessary.

The contour of an object drawn upon paper
or canvas represents nothing more than such
an intersection of the visual rays sent from
the extremities of it to the eye as would arise
on a glass put in the place of the paper or can-
vas. Now, the sitvation of an object at the
other side of a glass being given, the delinea-
tion of it in the glass itself depends entirely
on the situation of the eye on this side of the
glass; in other words, on the rules of perspec-
tive.

We will illustratethis by a familiar instance.
Suppose a spectator to be looking at a prospect
without doors, from within through a glass
window :—he will perceive not only the vast
extent which even so small an aperture will
admit to be seen by his eye, but also the shape,
size, and situation of every object, upon the
glass. If the objects are near the window, the
spaces they occupy on the glass will be pro-
portionably larger than when they are at a
greater distance; if they are parallel to the
window, then their shapes upon the glass
will be parallel likewise; if they are oblique,
then their shapes will be oblique, and
so on. And he will always perceive that,
as he alters the situation of his eye, the situa-
tion of the objects upon the window will be
altered also: if he raises his eye ever so high,
the objects will seem to keep pace with it and
rise higher upon the window, and the contrary
if he places it ever so low. And thus, in every
situation of the eye, the objects upon the
window will appear to rise higher or lower;
and, consequently, the depth of the whole
prospect will be proportionably greater or less
as the eye is elevated or depressed, and the
horizon will in every situation of the eye be
upon a level with it: that is, the horizontal

SSS SS SSS a

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

197

line, or that imaginary line which parts the
earth and sky, will seem to be raised as far
above the ground upon which the spectator
stands, as his eye is removed from the same
place. Now, suppose the person atjthe window
looks through an upright pane of glass at any
object beyond it, and keeping his head steady,
draws the figure of the object upon the glass
with a black lead pencil, as if the point of the
pencil touched the object itself; he would then
have a true representation of the object in
perspective as it appears to his eye.

‘In order to this, two things are nevessary :—

first, that the glass be laid over with strong
;|gum-water, which when dry will be fit for
drawing upon, and will retain the traces of
the pencil; and secondly, that the spectator
looks through a small hole ina thin plate of
metal, fixed about a foot from the glass, be-
tween it and his eye, and that he keeps his
eye close to the hole; otherwise he might
perhaps shift the position of his head, and con-
sequently make a false delineation of the
object.

Having traced out the figure of the object
he may go over it again with pen and ink;
and when that is dry, put a sheet of paper
upon it, and trace it thereon witha pencil:
then taking away the paper and laying it on
|'a table, he may finish the picture by giving it
the colours, lights, and shades, as he sees them
in the object itself, of which he will then have
a true resemblance.

[To be continued.]

Ckroiney Avehes.

Grorns are formed by the intersections of the
surfaces of two or more vaults, or continued
arches, crossing each other.

Groined arches may be either constructed
of brick or stone, and they are sometimes
formed of wood, and lathed over for plaster.

When they are constructed of brick or stone,
the arch stones or bricks require to be sup-
ported upon wooden frames, boarded over, so
as to form a convex surface, to fit that surface
the groined vault is required to have, in order
to sustain the whole during the time of building.
This construction is called a centre, and it is
removed when the work is finished. The
framing of the centre consists of equidistant
ibs, fixed in parallel planes, perpendicular to
ithe axis of each vault; so that, when the
under sides of the boards are laid on the upper
edges of the ribs, and fixed, the upper sides
of the boards will form the surface required to
‘build upon.
| In the construction of the centering for
groins, one portion of the centre must be com-
pletely formed to the surface of the principal
vault without any regard to the cross-arches,
so that the upper sides of the boards may form
a complete cylindrical or other surface. The
ribs of the cross-vaults are then set at the same
equal distances as that now described; and
parts of ribs are fixed on the top of the boarding
of the principal vault at the same distances,

and boarded in, so as to intersect it, and
form the entire surface of the groin required.

Groins constructed of wood, in place of
brick or stone, and lathed under the ribs, and
the lath covered with plaster, are called plaster-
groins.

Plaster-groins are always constructed with
diagonal ribs intersecting each other; then
other ribs are fixed perpendicular to each
axis, in vertical planes, at equal distances,
with short portions of ribs upon the diagonal
ribs ; so that, when lathed over, the laths may
be equally stiff to sustain the plaster.

When the axis and the surface of a semi-
cylinder cuts those of another of greater dia-
meter, the hollow surface of t or cylinder,
as terminated by the greater cylnm ~~ called
a Welsh groin.

Welsh groins are constructed either of brick,
stone, or wood. If constructed of brick or
stone, they require to have centres, which are
formed in the same manner as those for other
groins; and if constructed of wood, lath, and
plaster, the ribs must be formed to the sur-
faces.

In the construction of groins and vaults, the
ribs that are shorter than the whole width are
termed jack-ribs.

Cellars are frequently gromed with brick
or stone, and sometimes all the rooms of the
basement-storey of a building, in order to
render the superstructure proof against fire.
The surface of brick or stone, on which the
lowest course of arch-stones or of bricks, is
placed, is called the springing of the arch or
vault. It is evident that the more weight
there is put on the side-walls which sustain
arches, the more they will be able to sustain
the pressure of the arches; therefore the
higher a wall is, the greater the weight should be
on each of the side-walls: and for this reason,
in upper storeys, where the walls are high, and
not much weight over them, groins are often
constructed of wood, instead of brick or stone,
as not being liable to thrust out the walls, or
bulge them by the lateral pressure of the:
arches. The upper storeys of buildings are
therefore never groined with stone or brick
unless when the walls are sufficiently thick to
sustain the lateral pressure of the arches.
The ceilings of old Gothic cathedrals were
generally constructed with groined arches of,
stone, which were obliged to be supported by
strong buttresses, at the springing points in
the arches; and, in a few instances, the same
method has been adopted recently.

To Take Sratns out or Statuary Marsie.
—A correspondent of the Builder recommends
the use of American potash, employed b
making a thin paste of it and laying it on wit
a brush. He is not certain, however, that this
will serve for oil stains.

The British Museum closed on Thursday, the
31st ult., for the purpose of cleansing, &c., and
will be re-opened to the public on Friday the
8th inst. From that period to the 30th of April
next, the Museum will close at four p.m.,
instead of seven.

Anctent American Mine.

A correspondent of the Buffalo Express, writ-
ing under the date of June the 14th, from
Ontonagon, Lake Superior, says: — “‘ Mr.
Knapp, of the Vulcan Mining Company, has
lately made some very singular discoveries
here in working one of the veins, which he
lately found. He worked into an old cave
which has been excavated centeries ago.
This led them to look for other works of the
same sort, and they have found a number of
sinks in the earth which they have traced a
long distance. By digging into these sinks,
they find them to have been made by the hand
of man. It appears that the ancient miners
went on a different principle from what they
do at the present time. The greatest depth
yet found in these holes is thirty feet—after
getting down toa certain depth, they drifted
along the vein, making an open cut. These
cuts have been filled nearly to a level by the
accumulation of soil, and we find trees of the
largest growth standing in this gutter; and
jalso find that trees of a very large growth
have grown up and died, and decayed many
years since; inthe same places there are now
standing trees of over three hundred years
growth. Last week they dug down into a new
place, and about twelve feet below the surface
found a mass of copper that will weigh from
jeight to ten tons. This mass was buried in
ashes, and it appears they could not handle it,
and had no means of cutting it, and probably
built fire to melt or separate the rock from it,
which might be done by heating, and then
dashing on cold water. This piece of copper
is as pure and clean as a new cent, the upper
surface has been pounded clear and smooth.
It appears that this mass of copper was taken
from the bottom of ashaft, at the depth of
thirty feet. In sinking this shaft from where
the mass now lies, they followed the course of
the vein, which pitches considerably; this
enabled them to raise it as far as the hole came
up witha slant. At the bottom of the shaft
they fonnd skids of black oak, from eight to
twelve inches in diameter—these sticks were
charred through, as if burnt; they found large
wedges in the same situation. In this shaft
they found a miner’s gad and a narrow
chisel made of copper. I donot know whether
these copper tools were tempered or not, but
their make displays good workmanship. They
have taken out more than a ton of cobble-
stones, which have been used as mallets.
These stones were nearly round, with a score
cut across the centre, and look as if this score
was cut for the purpose of putting a withe
round for ahandle. The Chippewa Indians
all say that this work was never done by
Indians. This discovery will lead to anew
method of finding veins in this country, and
may be of great benefit to some. I suppose
they will keep finding new wonders for some
time yet, as itis but a short time since they
first found the old mine. There is copper here
in abundance, and I think people will begin to
dig itin a few years. Mr. Knapp has found
considerable silver during the past winter.”

THE DECORATORS

ASSISTANT,

The Atmospheric Railway.

In a paper “ On a Low Pressure Atmospheric
Railway,’’ read before the British Association
by Mr. W. P. Struve, after having described
the purpose of railway transit, from that of
Vallance in 1824 to the present extensive ex-
periment on the South Devon Railway, the
writer pointed out the great difficulty which ex-
isted of communicating the interior motion of;
the piston in the tube to the train outside: that
in order to do this, it became necessary to have
a slit or opening along its whole length which
is closed by an elastic valve, rendered tight and
impervious to air by a composition of fatty
matter placed in the groove in which the valve
falls. The difficulties, however, which had to
be contended with on account of the leakage
along the valve and piston were very great.
He went on to state:—The plan by which I
propose to obviate these difficulties is, to make
a covered viaduct of the railway for the purpose
of passing the train through. The sides to be
constructed of masonry, and the top of timber
or any other materials that may be found
equally convenient. The piston to be a shield
fixed on wheels made to fit the covered way ;
but allowing a sufficient space round its outer
edge, so that it may pass along without touch-
ing the interior surface of the passage. As the)
rarefaction required to urge the train through
would be very little, not much importance need
be attached to the leakage: a covered way of 9
feet square, equivalent to 81 superficial feet at
a pressure of six tenths of a pound to the inch,
would amount to 3 tons, cr four times the pres-
sure which was obtained on the Croydon Rail-
way. The train of carriages would thus pass
through a covered way; which may be lighted
through glass. As valves in the shield may
at any time be opened, so as to diminish or
remove the pressure, the train may be slack-
ened or stopped at anypoint. The advantages
of this plan appear to be increased speed, safety
and economy; also the resistance of the air in
front of the train will be diminished, and no
stoppages can be occasioned by a snow drift
or frost. The system also possesses all the
advantages claimed by the promoters of the
other mode of atmospheric traction. I propose
to exhaust the tube by means of two large cham-
bers constructed like gasometers moving up
and down in water by means of a steam-engine, |
which need not be stopped as the regulation of|
the speed and the stoppage of the trains would
be eftected by opening the valves in the shield,
or the doorways at the stations. Each station
would be provided with a loop liné so as not to)
destroy the continuity of the covered way, and
the trains would then run into open sheds at
each station for the purpose of receiving and!
taking out the passengers. The cost of the
covered way and apparatus for exhausting will,
in ordinary cases, not exceed £7,000 per mile ;
which is not more than the usual cost of loco-
motive engines, and the extra weight of rails
required for their support, nor more than the
cost of the present atmospheric railway. A
working model 20 feet long was exhibited, and
the subject generally excited much interest.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Ce ork.

Artificers’

—_——_—

No. V.

MASONS’ WORK.

To masonry belong all sorts of stone-work ;
and the measure made use of is a foot, either
superficial or solid. Walls, columns, blocks
of stone or marble, &c., are measured by the
cubic foot; and pavements, slabs, chimney-~
pieces, &c., by the superficial or square foot.
Cubic or solid measure is used for the materials,
and square measure for the workmanship. In
the solid measure, the true length, breadth,
and thickness are taken, and multiplied con-
tinually together. In the superficial, there
must be taken the length and breadth of every
ipart of the projection, which is seen without
the general upright face of the building.
Ex.—In a chimney-piece, suppose the
Length of the mantle and slab, each 4 ft. 6 in.

Breadth of both together.-.-.----. 3 2

Length of each jamb ......... pole 4

Breadth of both together....----..--l1 9
Required the superficial content. Ans, 2]

feet 10 inch.

Removat or Smoxe, &c., rrom Towns.—I
beg to submit, for the approval of the public, a
proposition to remove all smoke, noxious gases,
and effluvia, from any city, town, or village.
This I conceive can be effected by underground
tunnels, of sufficient capacity to pass off all
ithe smoke, &c., from manufactories, ware-
houses, and dwellings. For a large, densely
populated district such as Manchester, in
which there are many manufactories, produc-
ing much smoke, about eight main tunnels
should be constructed, of materials sufficiently
air and water tight to prevent the escape of
the gases or the eruption of water. Into these
larger tunnels smaller ones should be intro-
duced; and into these, still smaller ones, from
each individual establishment. The main tun-
nels, itis proposed, shall terminate at a distance
from the centre of the town, in any convenient
locality where the operation of absorbing their
contents can be best carried on. This absorp-
tion can be effected by the application of simple
machinery, set in operation by a small outlay
of power, combined with an adequate supply
of water at the extremity of the tunnel. The
effect of this will be to remove from every fire-
place connected with the tunnel, all smoke and
gas; and this will be soregulated by dampers
(to be used atthe will of the owners) as to
create more or less draught, to suit individual
conveniences. The expense of this plan would
probably not be more than half the amount
now charged to occupiers of dwelling houses,
&c., for water; and the cost would be no more
for owners of property than fourpence or five-
pence in the pound per annum on their rental,
and one penny in the pound to occupiers.
Owners would be greatly benefited by this
work, as I consider property is injured to
double that amount yearly ; and occupiers’ ex-
penses for chimney sweeping must be one
penny in the. pound at present, which would be

189

no longer necessary, and those charges would

pay ten per cent on the outlay and yearly ex-
penses.— Thos. Weatherby, in the “‘ Manchester
Guardian.”

Insuntous Errects or Brack Paint.—
The following is abridged from a paper on this
subject by Mr L. Thompson, published in the
Transactions of the Society of Arts. ‘‘ There
is nothing,’’ he observes, ‘‘ which will prove the
injurious effects of black paint, more than by
observing the black streaks of a ship after hav-
ing been in a tropical climate for any length of,
time. It will be found that the wood round
the fastenings is in a state of decay, while the
white work is as sound as ever: the planks that,
are painted black will be found split in all
directions, while the frequent necessity of,
caulking a ship in that situation, likewise adds!
to the common destruction; and I am fully
persuaded, that a piece of wood painted white
will be preserved from perishing as long again,
if exposed to the weather, asa similar piece
painted black, especially ina tropical climate.
I have heard many men of considerable expe-
rience say, that black is good for nothing on
wood, as it possesses no body to exclude the
weather. This is, indeed, partly the case; but
a far greater evil than this attends the use of
black paint, which ought entirely to exclude
its use on any work out of doors, namely, its
property of absorbing heat. * * * *
Wood having a black surface, will imbibe con-
siderably more heat in the same temperature of
climate, than if that surface was white: from
which circumstance we may easily conclude,
that the pores of wood of any nature will have
a tendency to expand, and rend in all direc-
tions, when exposed under such circumstances.
The water, of course, being admitted, causes a
gradual and progressive decay, which must be
imperceptibly increasing from every change of;
weather. Two circumstances, which have
fallen under my own immediate notice, deserve
mention. The first was the state of H.M.
Sloop Ringdove,
Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the year 1828. This}
brig has been on the West India station for
many years. On her being found defective,|
and a survey called, the report was to the effect)
that the wood round all the fastenings was to-
tally decayed in the wake of the black, while
that in the wake of the white was as sound as
ever. The next instance relates to H.M. Ship
Excellent, of ninety-eight guns (formerly the
Boyne). The ship is moored east and west,
by bow and stern moorings ; consequently, the
starboard side is always exposed to the effects
of the sun, both in summer and winter. In this
situation her sides were painted in the usual
manner of a ship of war; namely, black and

condemned by survey at/|!

white, of which by far the greater part is black ;
this latter portion on the starboard side I found
it impossible to keep tight ; for as often as one
leak was apparently stopped, another broke out,
and thus baffled the skill of all interested. In
the meantime, the side not exposed to the rays
of the sun remained perfectly sound. I then
suggested to Mr. Kennaway (the master caulker
of her Majesty’s dockyard at Portsmouth), who
had previously given the subject consideration,

200

the advantage likely.to be derived from altering
the colour of the ship’s side from black to white.
Captain Hastings having approved of the al-
teration, the ship was painted a light drab col-
our where it was black before, upon which the
leaks ceased, and she has now continued per-
fectly tight for more than twelve months; and,
indeed, I can confidently state, that the ship
will last as long again in her present situation,
as she had begun to shrink and split to an as-
tonishing. extent when the outside surface was
black, which has entirely ceased since the col-
our has been altered.”’

Che WCironotypist.

Tue School of Design at Somerset House closed
for the autumn vacation on the 15th of August,
—and will re-open on the 2nd of October.
The Class of Form will be conducted as here-
tofore by Mr. Townsend as its Head Master,
with the aid of four Masters—iwo of whom
are new appointments, which the extent of the
class has rendered necessary. The superin-

tendence of the Class of Colour has been

relinquished by Mr. Horsley, and Mr. Red-
grave has been appointed in his place, with
the assistance of one Master. The Class of
Ornamental Design, superintended during the
last session by Mr. Dyce, who has also lately
retired from the School, will be conducted,
with the aid of one Master, by Mr. Herbert.
At the close of the present vacation, rewards
to the amount of about £150, will be distri-
buted to the students for their best produc-
tions during the last year:—and one of acom-
plete course of lectures on the History and
Principles of Ornamental Art, commencing
with Egypt, will be delivered by Mr. Wornum
every fortnight throughout the forthcoming

session. —A_ gutta percha tube, for. the

purpose of supplying. water, has been fastened
from the base to the gallery of the London
Monument :—its length is 190 ft; its diameter,
3in; and its thickness, 3 in. The whole of
the representatives in the National Assembly
(numbering 900) are about to have their por-
traits taken by the Daguerreotype process. ——
Mr. Waller has recently proved that dates on
monumental brasses form no authority for
costume.——The Foreign Office of England, it
is stated, consists of five separate private
dwelling houses in such a ruinous state that
the documents of the department had lately
to be removed a floor lower because their
weight hazarded the stability of the building.
——In the case of the Weston-Super-Mare
Railway Company versus Dredge, it appears
that the defendant, the contractor, had agreed
to construct a bridge to connect Birnbeck with
Weston, for the sum of £10,000 by the 1st of
May, 1848. Prior to that time, however, a
storm arose, and swept away the uncompleted
fabric. Several witnesses were examined, who
declared that the work performed was bad, and
the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiffs.
Damage £1,400.— A subscription has been
started at Chelmsford to erect a monument to

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

‘the memory of the late Chief Justice Tindal.

| talents for dead silence and marble immobility.

——The public will not be admitted to view
the New House of Lords during the recess,
as the presence of visiters would impede
the progress of the works.——An additional
room for exhibition, at Hampton Court Palace,
has lately been opened to the public, It is
situated at the end, and is a continuation of the
great hall, formerly used as a chapel. The
walls are hung with tapestry of a similar cha-
racter to that which is so greatly admired in the
large hall, although, perhaps, not quite of so
brilliant a character and appearance; there
are also several chairs and seats of needlework,
of exquisite workmanship, and painted glass
windows of considerable variety and beauty.

Pritie TV. or Spain; Cuarues I, or ENGuAND;|
Louts- XIV. or Francze.—Philip IV. is one of;
those potentates who was more fortunate in his
painters then his biographers, and: whose face
is, therefore, better, known than his, history.
His pale Flemish complexion, fair hair, heavy
lip, and sleepy grey eyes, his long curled mous-
tachios, dark dress, and collar of the Golden'|
Fleece, have been made familiar to all the
world by the pencils of Rubens and Velasquez.
Charles I., with his melancholy brow, pointeci }
beard, and jewelled star, as painted by Van-
dyck, is not better known to the frequenters of,
galleries ; nor the pompous benign countenance,
of Louis X1V., shining forth from a valelerneee|
of wig amongst the silken braveries which|
delighted Mignard or Rignaud, or on bis.
prancing pied charger, like a holiday soldier as’
he was, in the foreground of some pageant
battle by Vandermeulen. Fond as were these,
sovereigns of perpetuating themselves on can-
vass, they have not been so frequently or so’
variously portrayed as their Spanish contem-.
porary. Armed and mounted on his sprightly
Andalusian, glittering in crimson and gold gala, |
clad in black velvet for the council, or in russet.
and buff for the boar-hunt, under all these.
different aspects did. Philip submit. himself to’
the quick eye and cunning hand of Velasquez. |
And not content with multiplications of his)
own likeness in these ordinary attitudes and)
employments, he caused the same great altist,
to paint him at prayers, .

“To take him in the purging of his soul,’?

as he knelt amongst the embroidered. cushions.
of his oratory. In all these various portrait, |
we find the same cold phlegmatic expression s,
which gives his face the appearance of a’mask;
and agrees so well with the pen and ink sketches
of contemporary writers, who celebrate his

—Stirling’s Annals of the Artists of Spain. —

Stowr.—AnoTHER Patace.—IThe rumour
that Stowe will be bought for the Crown
gains strength. The inspector of palaces has
made a minute examination of the mansion.

The India papers notice the discovery in the}
Deccan of a bed of lithographic limestone fif-
teen or twenty miles broad, and of great length,
which is considered likely to furnish a valuable ||
means of facilitating the instruction of the/|
natives. isk 8

| RRR RIAA INES SF RIICIN RSIIIST SING

) 44 rl ‘(4 ONS ul Tse A
| ao A T fi = a MN Z 4 2 nae ; Se AY
| SS

aVAVAVaValaVaVaYaVAvavavavalval aly avand
=e a ee

z=, O
()) /

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A FRAME OR PANEL (ELIZABETHAN STYLE),

No. 71.—Vol. III.

Shae) eb atA A th eee iy Aas yy Tyne tio Oe
bse nen Ht

age Boe

- * rs

Pale a Prsetinig t!

sie ean ae PSs MO AAG QS RE

OA aCe SRY AR ApS

paane

SaTuRpAy, |

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT. (SEPTEMBER 16, 1848.

- a

’

Artistic Ambition.

OUTH
indulges in anticipations—old age in reminis-
cences; the one looks forward, and the other
ibackward: the young long for the future—the
old regret the rapid flight of the past. This is
established by an ordonance of Nature, and is
correct in its application to the human mind,
which never esteems gratification so highly as
when it is far distant or has departed for ever.

Young artists are, generally, always anxious
to pursue the path of glory; but, like the
traveller who journeys along a pleasant vale
bespangled with flowers, looking so lively and
so fresh beneath the rays of the noonday sun,
and who only succeeds in arriving at his
destination when the black clouds of night
have confounded the hue of the myrtle and the
rose, feel disappointment when they find that
the road was pleasanter than the edifice it led
to—that the toil was sweeter than the reward.

Indulged to a moderate extent, ambition
proves itself the best assistant to ihe man who
has an active duty to perform. Livelier and
more energetic than hope, it never allows a
single doubt to interfere with the fancied cer-

tainty of its prospects, and beholds nought but
success ;—but it has, also, its attendant evils.

Coursing the veins and inundating the sou!!
with the exuberance of its happy agony,
ambition, if unrestricted, rapidly leads to mad-
ness ;—it soars too high and leaves reason in
the distance.

Ttis related that men are sometimes afflicted!
by a peculiar sensation, which produces
involuntary motions in the limbs,—and which
is denomineted the ‘‘ St. Vitus’s Dance ;’” of
a somewhat similar nature to this is ambition.
It is a spell which lodges in our minds without
passing the ordeal of our judgment—as a per-
son attracted by the singular beauty of a!
serpent, may place the viper in his breast,
unconscious of evil existing beneath a fas-

cinating garb..

It is not our intention, by these remarks, to
dissuade the young artist from cultivating the
utmost possible zeal for his profession—zeal is
a passport of industry, but ambition, too often,
finding itself unqualified for the task it imposes
upon itself, instead of seeking other and more
congenial employment, degenerates to lazi-
ness; and thus it is that we so often hear a
petsonage, attired in a thread-bare coat, deno-
minated an ambitious man.

@overmment School of Mesigqn.
We find the following announcement in the
Atheneum :—

The. Committee of Management of the
Government School of Design have made the
following arrangement of the staff of instructors
for re-opening the School on the 2nd of Octo-
ber. Class of Ornamental Design —Head
master, Mr. Herbert; master, Mr. Burchett.
Class of Colour, including flower Painting—
Head master, Mr. Redgrave; master, Mr.
Denby. Class of Form, including modelling—
Head master, Mr. Townsend; masters—
Geometrical and Architectural Drawing, Per-
spective, Shading, &c., Mr. Richardson and
Mr. Burchett ; Freehand Outline Drawing, Mr.
Herman and Mr. W. Deverell. The Commit-
tee have engaged a suite of spacious apartments
opposite Somerset House for the female school,

and the rooms which it has hitherto occupied

202
1
in Somerset House are appropriated to the
Elementary Class of the male school:—an

carrying on separately the instruction of this
numerous class, and provides in the upper
‘rooms more adequate space for the advanced
students.

Co Correspondents, Ke.

Writs LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH
|THY WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MAY BE
READILY DECYPERED BY THE RECIPIENTOF THY
COMMUNICATION.

—_—_

“A. B.”' (Shrewsbury ).—We cannot under-
take to pay for any contributions—besides, we
are ourselves acquainted with the secret.
| “J. L.” (Bradford).— We are getting on
with the reprints as fast as possible. ‘‘ Plaster
pap” is plaster considerably diluted with mois-
\ture.

“* Busby’ (Cheltenham).—Our correspondent
‘must be aware that several of the ancient alpha-
bets possess no corresponding small letters. His
second suggestion shall be attended to.

| ‘

| Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “‘the Editor
of the Decorator’s Asststant, 17, Holywell-
‘street, Strand, London.’'—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readersas will favour us with local information
‘connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’

Institutions, the fine arts, science, Sc.

| Cases for Vols. I. and IT, are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
‘marbled, 6d. extra.

| *,* Any of our readers having complete
‘ALPHABETS of an ornamental description suits
‘able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige u-
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 16 is now ready, price 7d.

Noven Aprpiication or Guass.—We hear
that a glass manufacturing firm at Birmingham
are now engaged inthe manufacture ofa pair
of glass doors, the framework of which is, of
course, wood. On either side are two pilasters
‘composed of crystal glass, fluted with gold.
The lower panels are of silvered glass, each
ornamented by a centre star, richly cut. The
upper panel is of the large dimensions of four
feet by two and a half, and is of plate glass,
with an etched border. The upper portion of
the doorway is inlaid with richly cut glass, and
the entablature is composed of crystal and plain
glass. The whole is surmounted by a large
shell, and on either hand are vases with flowers,
&c. The dimensions of the work are seven-
yeen feet by ten.

arrangement that secures the advantage of

ness than obsidian, and being more fusible.
‘He considers it to be true glass coloured with

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Arts of Ancient Egypt.

GLASS AND PORCELAIN.

Tue art of fabricating glass is of high anti-
quity; and it was probably known in Egypt
as early as in any other country, and perhaps
earlier. Beads of glass, generally coloured
blue, probably with copper, are found on many
mummies, and we have sometimes seen larger
and more irregular pieces that have been taken
out of mummy-boxes. Other ornaments of a
coarse kind are also found made of glass. It
has been conjectured, and, as we think, with
great probability, that the ornaments placed in

the ears of the crocodiles, which - Herodotus)

calls ‘‘ stone pendants, made by fusion or
melting,’’ were of glass. It may be well to

‘remark that the strict examination of M. G.

St. Hilaire confirms Herodotus even in so
minute a matter as the piercing of the croco-
dile’s ears. He found the anterior part of the
covering of the ear om a mummy crocodile
pierced as if for the purpose of putting a pen-
dant in it.

A kind of ancient. porcelain is found in
great quantities in Egypt. Sometimes it is
covered with a species of enamel or varnish.
It was used for making a variety of small

figures, such as we may see represented in’

Denon’s ninety-sixth plate, most of which are

probably representations of some form of,

deity. There is one, whichis a rare specimen,
being a figure of the ichneumon or mangouste,
in what Denon calls touchstone. It was the
only representation tnat he met with in Egypt
of this sacred animal. He purchased it in the
island of Elephantine, where he found a
woman wearing it suspended from her neck.
We find the beetle also made of porcelain of,
all colours, of touchstone, cornelian, jasper,
pot-stone, verde antico, and even baked clay.
Bonaparte had a jasper scarabzeus in his coil-
lection, with hieroglyphics on the under side:
Denon says that this scarabeus had evidently
been worked with the wheel. It is somewhat
singular that the under sides of the scarabai
almost always differ one from another in the
ornaments upon them. 4

The art of baking clay and fixing the varnish
strongly upon it, must be considered as an
ancient Egyptian art; vessels of this descrip-
tion, with their colours in high perfection,
were found in the great tomb that Belzoni
opened at Thebes. ;

A curious black substance has been found
in some mummies of the more costly kind,
which has often been incorrectly taken for a
kind of stone: it is shaped something like a
finger, only it is flat, but still rounded at the
ends and sides; the length is from three to six
inches, and the breadth half an inch or more.
Sometimes two are united, and present an
appearance like the index and second finger
of the hand stretched out close to one another.
Professor John observes that this substance is
either obsidian or glass, and that it appears to,
be glass from its having a less degree of hard-

Se ae Sen I ae TE AL SF a

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

iron. On the exterior itis of a dull appear-
ance, and in parts is gilded. .

As we find so many of the arts represented
on the ancient paintings of Egypt, we might
expect to find glass-making among them.

Rosellini’s plates (M.C. lii). certainly appear’
|\to represent men blowing glass, but we would

not positively assert this explanation to be
correct. Still the antiquity of glass-making
in Egypt is proved decisively by the evidence
already adduced, and it wants no confirma-
tion.

Pliny informs us (xxxvi. 26) that some sailors
having landed on the shore of Phoenicia, at
the mouth of the Belus, and wishing to cook
their provisions, placed some masses of salt
(of which their cargo consisted) under their
pots to support them, there being no stones on
the coast. The heat formed the salt and the
sand of the shore into a transparent liquid
mass and thus gave origin to the substance
called glass (vitrum). But though this fact
may be considered a truth, so far as to indicate
the general received opinion of the high an-
tiquity of the Phoenician glass-houses, it is
unsupported by the kind of evidence which
determines the high antiquity of the art in
Egypt—the specimens which have come down
to our own day.

It seems not unlikely that Egypt was the
parent country of the art, whence it was dif-
fused among the Phoenicians, Greeks, and
Romans. During the latter part of the
Roman republic, and under the early emperors,
the wealthy Romans made great use of glass
in a variety of forms as an article of luxury.
A great part ef it was imported from Egypt
and Phoenicia, and the art itself was also
transplanted into Italy. From Italy it is pro-
bable that the the Romans carried it into Spain
and Gaul, for the art of glass-making was
known in these countries in Pliny’s time; and
thus the remote parts of Europe received from
the banks of the Nile the principles of a branch
of industry which, revived and perfected in
modern times, has contributed perhaps as much
as any other to the comfort of life and the
progress of science. M. Boudet has collected a
great number of passages, principally from the
Latin writers, which show that glass was very
extensively used by the Romans, and that.the
art of the Egyptians and Phoenicians had
succeeded in giving it a variety of forms that
ministered to convenience or luxury. Drink-
ing-glasses, burning-glasses, mirrors, and arti-
ficial gems, were all made of glass, long before
the time of Pliny. Glass was also let into the
roof of the bathing chambers at Rome, in order
to light the rooms—a use which is still made
of it atthe present day in Egypt. Coloured
glass was also used to ornament the walls and
pavements of the houses of the rich. The art
of glass-making still exists in Egypt, but its
products are limited to clumsy bottles, pieces of
of glass slightly rounded for setting in the
ceiling of baths, a kind of jug or decanter
which serves for a lamp, and other similar
coarse articles.

An enormous quantity of broken pottery is
found about the sites of old Egyptian towns.

It would argue no great skill in the ancient in- | hopes for the future.

208

habitants of this country merely to show that
they could bake vessels of clay—an art not
unknown even to some tribes of the North
American Indians, who yet appear to have no
great taste for manufacturing. Butitisthe form
of such objects of domestic use that deserves
our Saaeoal at attention, as we hold it to be im-
possible that a nation can be low in the scale
of social refinement, where the forms of their
furniture and utensils are such as have ob-
viously been designed with the view of giving
pleasure to the eye. In the tombs, particularly,
and also on the sculptured monuments, we
find ample proof that the Egyptians knew how
give a beautiful form to a common water
pitcher, as well as to more elaborate articles of
luxury.

Tue First Streamsoat.—The first steam-
boat that made regular voyages in Europe,
was the Comet, asmall vessel containing an
engine of only three-horse power, the property
of Henry Bell, of Helensburgh. It was set
afloat on the Clyde in 1812, four years after)
Fulton had launched a similar vessel on the
Hudson in North America, and 24 years sub-
sequent to the experiments of Taylor and
Miller on Dalswinton Lake. We append the
original advertisement :—‘‘ Steam passage-
boat, the Comet, between Glasgow, Gree-
nock, and Helensburgh, for passengers only.—
The subscriber having, at much expense, fitted
up a handsome vessel to ply upon the river
Clyde, between Glasgow and Greenock,—to
sail by the power of wind, air, and steam—he in-
tends that the vessel shall leave the Broomielaw
on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, ahout
mid-day, or at such hour thereafter as may
answer the state of the tide; and to leave
Greenock on Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays, in the morning, to suit the tide.—The
elegance, comfort, and speed of this vessel,
require only to be proved, to meet the appro-
bation of the public, and the proprietor is
determined to do everything in his power to
merit public encouragement.—The terms are,
for the present, fixed at 4s. for the best cabin,
and 8s. the second—but beyond these rates,
nothing is to be allowed to servants or any
other person employed about the vessel.—The
subscriber continues his establishment at
Helensburgh Baths, the same as for years past,
and a vessel will be in readiness to convey
passengers in the Comet from Greenock to
Helensburgh.—Passengers by the Comet will
receive information of the hours of sail-
ing, by applying at Mr. Houston’s Office,
Broomielaw ; or Mr. Thomas Blackney’s, East
Quay Head, Greenock. Henry Bett.—Helens-
burgh Baths, 5th August, 1812.”

Tur Brussers Exrosition oF THE Fine
Arts ror 1848.—A correspondent of the Athe-
neum, who states himself to be ‘‘the first
English writer who called attention to the
modern school of art in Belgium,’’ states
that the exhibition this year is somewhat above
the average order of merit, although not ex-
actly perfect; but he also expresses sanguine

204

An Llustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
Zntertor Mecoration, Ke.

—

[Continued from page 195.]

Fascia, we gave a description of this member
last week, but without any illustration; this
we here supply. The fascia consists in that

|portion marked a inthe accompanying engrav-
ing, and zg in the engraving with which we this
week illustrate the word /rieze.

Fret, anciently called Guillochi, consists of
circles or curves twisting over each other, also
straight lines placed at right angles to each
other.

Frontisriece (in architecture and engrav-
ing), that part of a building which directly
meets the eye. An engraving prefixed to a
book, generally illustrative of the author or of
the whole work.

Frieze, Frize, or Frise (in archictecture),
The middle compartment of an. entablature,
marked a in the engraving. It was called
Zoophésos by ‘the Greeks, and by Vitruvius
‘after them, from being often sculptured with
figures of animals and plants. The frieze is
|\the best situation in an entablature for sculp-
tures and inscriptions; and many of the finest
of the ancient temples have had their friezes
superbly decorated. The splendid metopes of
the Elgin marbles were ornaments of the
frieze of the Parthenon, ‘and the Phigaleian
marbles of the temple of Apollo Epicureios at
Phigaleia. The frieze of the temple of Jupiter

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

Olympius at Elis bore sculptural representa-
tions of the chariot race of Pelops and Oeno-
maiis. Bucklers of gold, which were part of
the spoil after the battle of Marathon, were sus-
pended, accordiug to Pausanias, in the frieze of

;

the temple of Apollo at Delphos, which gave
rise to sculptural imitations of them in many
mmetopes of the Dorie frieze. Also the. upper
panel of a six pannelled door. Also the top
rail but one of a six pannelled door.

Frustum Cotumn, a column having no
base.

Frusrvum (in architecture and archaiology),
a piece cut off from a regular figure, as the
shaft of a column is a frustum of acone. It is
also used for a broken statue, a fragment of a
gem, or an antique coin or medal.

[To be continued.]”

Cucar Rattway Travetiinc.—There is
only one true way of encouraging cheap travel-
ling, and.that is by keeping down the original
cost, and the annual expenses of railways. All
the other contrivances which the public are
inclined to trust, such as legislative restriction
on profits, and so on, are ,mere quackery.
Even competition is inapplicable to railways,
and is not to berelied on. Mr. R. Stephenson,
the engineer, put the whole case into one sen-
tence when he said, to have combination is
practicable, competition is impossible. The
experience of all railway competition shows
that this is true; when, therefore, under the
plea of competition, unnecessary outlay is being|
incurred, the public may rest assured that they
will ultimately suffer for it in the charges they
will have to pay.—From a Paper read by Mr.
W. Harding, before the Statistical Section of
the British Association. :

Worresponvence.

Improved Scribing Gauge.
TO THE EDITOR.

‘Srr,—I beg to forward you a drawing of an
improved scribing gauge, and hope that you
will deem it worthy a place in your valuable
publication. a a are two perpendicular shafts,
jterminating with a base, and fixed to the plate
c. Bis the head of the thumb-screw ; 5, the end
‘lessserew used for adjusting the point p>—which

point can also be made to rise or fall as neces-
sity requires. c is another thumb-screw used
for the purpose of fixing the body of the points
on to a square head. This portion can be
taken off at pleasure for cleaning, &c. The
small diagram exhibits the side view. It
is a thumb-screw for fixing the apparatus, and
holding the points to the shaft. The whole
can be moved either up or down, according to
the altitude required. When used in scribing, it
is necessary to place, if possible, both the
object and the gauge on a flat surface, and to
move the gauge round the point p—marking

the depth or thickness required.

I an, Sir,

Yours, respectfully,

Cc. B. W.
Pimlico, September 9th, 1848.

A general meeting of the Builders’ Benevolent
Institution was held on the 5th instant, when
the affairs of the society were represented to
be in a most promising condition.——A reduc-
tion of wages and a lessening of the number
of labourers has taken place at. Woolwich
Dockyard and Government Factory.— H oly-
rood Church is to be restored.——The Great
Western Docks at Plymouth are in rapid pro-
gress, ,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘lselves and

Werspective.

_—-

_AContinued from page 197.]

To every person who possesses a general
knowledge of the principles of optics, this must
be self-evident: for, as vision is occasioned by
pencils of rays coming in straight lines to the
eye from every point of the visible object, it is
plain that, by joining the points in the trans-
parent plane through which all those pencils
respectively pass, an exact representation
must be formed of the object as it appears to
the eyein that particular position and at that de-
termined distance: and were pictures of things
to be always first drawn on transparent planes,
this simple operation, with the principle on
which it is founded, would comprise the whole
theory and practice of perspective. As this,
however, is far from being the case, rules must
be deduced from the sciences of optics and
geometry for drawing representations of visi-
ble objects on opaque planes ; and the applica-
tion of these rules constitutes what is properly
called the art of perspective.

The following definition of the principal
features in this art will, we hope, prove useful
to the student, Projection delineates objects
in plano by means of right lines called rays,
supposed to be drawn from every angle of the
subject, to particular points. When the objects
are angular, these rays necessarily form pyra-
mids, having the plane or superfices whence
they proceed for their basis; but when drawn
from or to circular objects they form a cone.

Ichnography, or ichnographic projection, is
described by right lines parallel among them-
perpendicular to the horizon
from every angle of every object, on{a
plane parallel to the horizon: the points
where the perpendicular lines or rays cut
that plane being joined by right lines.
The figure projected on the horizontal plane
is likewise called the plan or seat of that
object on the ground plane. The points are
the sites, or seats, of the angles of the object.
The lines are the seats of the sides. By this
we are to understand how the basis of figures
represented as superstructures stand or are
supported; and we are further enabled to
judge of, indeed, to measure, their several parts
and their areas.

Orthography represents the vertical position
and appearance of an object; and hence or-
thograpic projection is called the elevation.
When we see the front of a house represented,
we give it that term—when the side, we deno-
minate it the profile. If we suppose a house,
or other object, to be divided by a plane pass-
ing perpendicularly through it in a line at
right angles with the point, we call it the
lateral section; but if the plane pass in a
direction parallel with the front, it is termed a
longitudinal section. Ifthe plane passes in
neither of the former directions (not, however,
deviating from the vertical), it is said to be an
oblique section.

These afford us the means of laying down
plans, of showing the parts, and the manner in
which the interiors of edifices are arranged,

consequently are indispensable to the architect
or surveyor, and indeed should be understood
by every individual connected any way with de-
signing or building. Nor should the following
be neglected ;—namely, Scenography, which
shows us how to direct the: visual rays to every
point or part of a picture; and Stereography,
which enables us to represent solids on a plane,
from geometrical projection; whence their
several dimensions, viz., length, breadth, and
thickness, may all be represented and correctly
understood at sight. We conclude our readers
to have acquired some knowledge of geometry
before they commence on this or any other of
the abstract sciences founded thereon.

An original object is that which becomes
the subject of the picture, and is the parent
of the design. Original planes or lines are the
surfaces of the objects to be drawn; or they are
any lines of those surfaces; or, they are the
surfaces on which those objects stand. Per-
spective plane is the picture itself, which is
supposed to be a transparent plane, through
which we view the objects represented thereon.
Vanishing planes are those points which are
marked upon the. picture by supposing lines
to be drawn from the spectator’s eye parallel
to any original lines, and produced until they
touch the picture. Ground plane is the surface
of the earth or plane of the horizon, on which
the picture is imagined to stand. The ground
line is that formed by the intersection of the
picture in the ground plane. The horizontal
line is the vanishing point of the horizontal
plane, and is produced in the same manner as
any other vanishing line, z.e., by passing a
|plane through the eye parallel to the horizontal
plane. The point of sight is the fixed point
from which the spectater views the perspective
plane. Vanishing points are the points marked
down in the picture by supposing iines to be
drawn from the spectator’s eye parallel to any
original lines, and produced until they touch
the picture. The certre of a picture is that
point on the perspective plane where a line
drawn from the eye perpendicular to the pic-
ture would cut it; consequently it is that part
of the picture which is nearest to the eye of
the spectator.

The distance of the picture is that from the eye
to the centre of the picture. The distance of a
vanishing point is the distance from the eye of
the spectator to that point where the converging
lines meet, and after gradually diminishing all
the objects which come within their direction
and proportion, are reduced soas, in fact, to ter-
minate iu nothing. All parallel lines have the
same vanishing points; thatis to say, all such
as are, in building, parallel to each other,
when not represented precisely opposite to,
and parallel with, the eye, will appear to con-
verge towards some remote point, 2.e., their
vanishing ‘point. Circles, when retiring in
such manner, are represented by ellipses, pro-
portioned to their distances: their dimensions
in perspective are ascertained by enclosing
them, or the nearest of them, where a regular
succession is to be portrayed within a square,
which being divided into any number of equal
parts or chequers, will exhibit all the propor-
tions of those more remote.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

A bird’s-eye view is supposed to be taken
from some elevated spot which commands aj
prospect nearly resembling fhe plane or ich-|
nography of the places seen. Thus the view]
from a high tower, or from a mountain, whence|
the altitudes of the various objects on the
plane below appear much diminished, gives}
nearly the same representation. as is offered to
a bird flying over them—and hence the term.
Some idea of this may be obtained by standing
on any height, and observing how low those
objects which are near thereto will appear
when compared with those more distant;
taking however the perspective diminution of
the latter into consideration.

When a painter has formed a scene in his
mind, and supposed, as is customary, that the
principal figures of this scene lie close, or
almost close, to the back of his canvass, he is,
in the next place, to fix on some. point on this
side of the canvass from which he would choose
his piece should be seen. But in choosing
this point, which is called the point of sight,
regard should be had to its situation to the
right or left of the middle of the canvass; but,
above all things, to its distance and height
with respect to the lower edge of the canvass ;
which edge is called the base line, and is pa-
rallel with the horizontal line which passes
through the eye. For by assuming the point
of sight, and consequently the horizontal line,
tco low, the planes upon which the figures||
stand will appear a great deal too shallow; as
by assuming it too high, they will appear too
steep, so as to render the piece far less light
and airy than it ought tobe. In like manner, if
the point of sight is taken at too great a distance
from the canvass, the figures will not admit of
degradation enough to be seen with sufficient
distinctness: and if taken too near it, the de-
gradation will be too quick and precipitate to
have an agreeable effect. Thus, then, it is
evident that no small attention is requisite in
the choice of this point.

When a picture is to be placed on high, the
point of sight should be assumed low, and
vice-versa : In order that the horizontal line of
the picture may be, as near as possible, in the} |
same horizontal plane with that of the specta-
tor; for this disposition has a surprising effect.
When a picture is to be placed very high, as,|
amongst many others, that of the Purification, by
Paolo Veronese, it will be proper.to assume the
point of sight so low that it may lie quite under
the picture, no part of whose ground is in that
case to be visible; for, were the point of sight
to be taken above the picture, the horizontal
ground of it would appear sloping to the eye,
and both figures and buildings as ready to
tumble head-foremost. It is true, indeed.
that there is seldom a necessity for such extra-
ordinary exactness; and that, unless in some
particular cases, the point of sight had better
be high rather than low: as a reason for which
we may observe, that as we are more accus-
tomed to bekold people on the same plane|}|
with ourselves than either higher or lower, the
figures of a piece must strike us most when
standing on a plane nearly level with that on
whicn we ourselves stand. To this it may be
added, that by placing the eye low, and greatly

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

207

shortening the plane, the heels of the back
figures will seem to bear against the heads of
the foremost, so as to render the distance
between them far less perceptible than it would
otherwise be.

The point of sight being fixed according to
to the situation in which the picture is to be
placed, the point of distance is next to be
determined. In doing this, a painter should
carefully attend to three things :—first, that
the spectator may be able to take in, at one
glance the whole and every part of the composi-

tion; secondly, that he may see it distinctly ;
and thirdly, that the degradation of the figures
and other object of the picture be sufficiently

sensible.
: [To be continued.]

Anctent IWabplon.

Niyeven was one of the most extensive and
celebrated of ancient cities. A description of
Babylon may probably give us the most perfect
idea of the gigantic grandeur of their under-
takings. Babylon was situated upon the banks
of the river Euphrates, in an immense plain of
fat rich soil, intersected by long straight canals,
bordered by lofty poplar or lime treees. Its
area was about 60 miles, and an exact square,
enclosed by walls every way prodigious, 350
feet in height, and 87 feet in thickness, built of
brick, cemented by bitumen, a glutinous slime
arising out of the earth, binding far stronger
than lime, and even growing harder than the
bricks or stone. Exterior, and lined, was a
vast ditch, and the earth dug in forming it com-
posed the bricks. On every side of this square
were 25 gates, 100 in all, of solid brass; with
towers 10 feet above the wall. From each gate
in this great square went 25 streets in straight
lines, being 50 streets, each 15 miles long and
150 feet broad, crossing from gate to gate at
right angles, cutting the city into 676 squares;
around these squares were built the houses,

detached, and three or four stories high—their
fronts richly decorated. The hollow square
was as gardens, or open space, not building;
thus, half the area of the city formed pleasure
grounds; the river ran through the city bor-
dered by quays and a wall, having brazen
gates to each street, and steps to the water;
and a kind of tunnelling covered the river

\\for three miles: the plan of erecting this singu-

lar structure is on record, and deserves our
attention. Thesnow melting on the mountains
of Armenia caused, in summer, the Euphrates
to overflow the country, much as the Nile does
Egypt; to preserve the city, an immense lake
‘was dug, and canals connecting it with the
Tigris ; when this was ready, the course of the
|rlver was turned into it, and subsequently the
lake remained as a reservoir to supply the
‘canals, which, intersecting the immense plains,
iethece the country all the year, The bottom
of the river was sandy, and to secure for the
‘arches a firm foundation, large stones were
bound together-y chains and melted lead; the
immense structure was then erected, and the
channel throughout the city lined with brick.
At either end of this bridge was a palace, con-

eae aera nm ey Se rap] DST aE Ne SET a OSE MELON NE Sea ay Soop RE eR SSS ETE SSSR Se TS Ae

nected by a tunnel, built under the bed of the
river. Near the old palace stood the Temple of
Belus, and to the new one was attached the
hanging gardens. ‘The latter surrounded by
three concentric walls, seven miles in cireum-
ference; considerable space existed between
each wall, and they were adorned by an infinite
variety of sculpture and ornament,—one re-
presented Semiramis on horseback, throwing
her javelin at a leopard, and her husband,
Ninus, piercing a lion. These works of art
must have been in relievo, and a knowledge of
their existence is highly interesting. The
hanging gardens of all these mighty structures
became the most celebrated; they contained a
square of 400 feet each way, and were carried
upin a succession of decreasing arched ter-
races toa level with the city walls; stairs ten
feet wide led from terrace to terrace, flat stones
were laid upon the arches, then rushes, floated
in bitumen, and two rows of brick covered by
thick sheets of lead, upon which lay the mould
of the garden, so deep that the greatest trees
might take root; groves, plants, and flowers,
adorned the gardens, and an engine was con-
trived to raise water for its use; in the spaces
between the supporting arches were spacious
apartments commanding magnificent prospects.
The Temple of Belus was a prodigious tower,
used for worship and for astronomical purposes, |
for which the people were famed. The riches
of the temple are described as immense, con-
sisting of statues, tables, censers, cups, and
various sacred vessels, mostly of pure gold, and
richly wrought. Of the extent and magnifi-
cence of these cities there can be no doubt, and
if is equally certain that a people so powerful
and luxurious would as far as possible embel-
lish their manufactures with elaborate work-
manship; slight traces remain to guide our
inquiries, but from the unvarying habits of the
Eastern nations, we may persume the many
beautiful fabrics of India have descended from
them; rich carpets and woven shawls of elabo-
rate design remain a staple commodity of,
Persia. Their silver and arms are skilfully)
worked and elaborately inlaid in intricate and
often exceedingly elegant patterns. The exist-
ing architectural edifices and interior decora-
tions of India are full of peculiar beauty, and
deserve our attentive consideration : the design
is made to produce effects not known elsewhere,
and we must regret the deficiency of popular
avquaintance with their detail and ornamental |
disposition.— Crabb. i

A printing machine has been invented
by Colonel Hoe, of New York, which, it is
stated, is capable of printing 12,000 newspapers
an hour with the same amount of labour that,
has hitherto been required to print one-sixth
of that number.—Her Majesty has contri-
buted £350 to the fund for completing the
Cathedral at Cologne.

Marste Caritaus.—A number of Corinthian
capitals (both of columns and pilasters), sculp-
tured in marble, have been sent to England to
find a purchaser, and could be had cheaply.
They were originally made, if we are rightly
informed, for the mausoleum of Marshal Vau-
ban, but were not used.

Mechanical Wraking.

A ruart rectangular board is first to be provided,
of any convenient size, as from 18 to 30 inches
long, and from 16 to 24 inches broad. It may
be made of fir, planetree, or mahogany ; its
face must be planed smooth and flat, and the
sides and ends as nearly as possible at right
ang!es to each other—the bottom of the board
and the left side should be made perfectly so;
and this corner should be marked, so that the

'jstock of the square may be always applied to

the bottom and left hand side of the board. To
prevent the board from casting, it is usual to
pannel it on the back or on the sides.

A T square must also be provided, such that
by means of a thumb-screw fixed in the stock,
it may be made to answer either the purposes
of a common square, or bevel,—the one-half
of the stock being movable about the screw,
and the other fixed at right angles to the blade.
The blade ought to be somewhat flexible, and
equal in length to the length of the board.

Besides these, there will he required a case
of mathematical instruments; in the selection
of which, it should be observed, that the bow
compass is more frequently defective than any
of the other instruments. After using any of
the ink feet, they should be dried; and if they
do not draw properly, they ought to be sharp-
ened and brought to an equal length in the
blade, by grinding on a hone.

The colours most useful are, Indian ink,
gambouge, Prussian blue, vermilion, and lake.
With these, all colours necessary for drawing
machinery or buildings may be made; so that,
instead of purchasing a box of colours, we
would advise that those for whom this book is
intended should procure these cakes separately,
—the gambouge may be bought from an apothe-
cary—a penny-worth will serve a lifetime.
In choosing the rest, they should be rubbed
against the teeth, and those which feel smoth-
est are of the best quality.

Hair pencils will also be necessary, made of
camel’s hair, and of various sizes. They ought
to tapper gradually to a point when wet in the
mouth, and should, after being pressed against
the finger, spring back.

Black-lead pencils will also be necessary.
They ought not to be very soft, nor so hard

||that their traces cannot be easily erased by the

Indian rubber. In choosing paper, that which
will best suit this kind of drawing is thick, and
has a hardsh feel, not very smooth on the sur-
face, yet free from knots.

The. paper on which the drawing is to be
made, must be chosen of a good quality and
convenient size. It is then to be wet with a
sponge and clean water, on the opposite side
from that on which the drawing is to be made.
When the paper absorbs the water, which may
be seen by the wetted side becoming dim, as its
surface is viewed slantwise against the light.
It is to be laid on the drawing board with the
wetted side next the board. About half an
inch must be turned up on a straight edge all
round the paper, and then fastened on the
board. This is done because the paper when
wet is enlarged, and the edges being fixed on

TIE DECORATORS -

ASSISTANT.

{
the board act asstretchers when the paper con-
tracts by drying. To-prevent the paper from!
contracting before the paste has been sufficient-|
ly fastened by drying, the paper is usually wet
on the upper surface, to within half an inch of
the paste mark. When the paper is thoroughly’
dried, it will be found to lie firmly and equally,
on the board, and is then fit for use. |

If the drawing is to be made froma copy,|
we ought first to consider what scale it is to be
drawn to. If itis to be equal in size to, or
larger than the copy; and a scale should be.
made accordingly, by which the dimensions of |
the several parts of the drawing are to be regu-
lated. The diagonal scale, a simple and beau-|
tiful contrivance, will be here found of great
use for the more minute divisions; and when-
ever the drawing is to be made toascale of 1
inch, 4 inch, 3 inch to the foot, a scale should:
be drawn of 20 or 30 equal parts; the last of
which should be subdivided into 12, and a
diagonal seale formed on the same principles.
as the common one, but with eight parallels
and 12 diagonals, to expressinches and eighths
of an inch. For making such scales to any!
proportion, the line L on the sector will be’
found very convenient.

Great care should be taken in the penciling, |
that an accurate outline be drawn, for on this
much of the value of the picture will depend.'
The pencil marks should be distinct, yet not
heavy, and the use of the rubber should be.
avoided as much as possible, as its frequent.
application ruffles the surface of the paper.!
The methods already given for constructing’
geometrical figures will be here found applica-
ble, and the use of the T square, parallel ruler,!
&c., will suggest themselves whenever they:
require to be employed. |

The drawing thus made of any machine or,
building is called a plan. Plans are of three
kinds—a ground plan, or bird’s-eye view, an:
elevation or front view, anda perspective plan.

When a view is taken of the teeth of a wheel-:
with the circumference towards the eye, the
teeth appear to be nearer asthey are removed
from the middle point of the circumference;
opposite the eye, and it may not be out of place’
here to give the method of representing them
on paper :—If as be the circumference of a’
wheel as viewed by the eye, and it is required’
to represent the teeth as they appear on it.’

a semicircle, which divide into half as many.
equal parts as the wheel has teeth; then from
cach of these points of division draw perpen-.
diculars to the wheel az, then will these per-,
a mark the relative places of the
teeth.

When the outline is completed in pencil, it
is next to be carefully gone over with Indian;
ink, which is to be rubbed down with a little!
water, on a plate of glass or earthenware—so.

Only half of the circumference can be seen "|

a a

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

this way at one time, consequently we can only
represent the half of the teeth. On ax describe
as to be sufficiently fluid to flow easily out of
the pen, and at the same time have a sufficient
|' Body of colour. While drawing the ink lines,
the measurement should all be repeated, so as to
correct any error that may have slipped during
the penciling. The screw in the drawing pen
| will reeulate the breadth of the strokes; which
should not be alike heavy ; those strokes being
the heaviest which bound the dark part of the
shades. Should any line chance to be wrong
|\drawn with the ink, it may be taking out by
means of a sponge and water, which could not
be done if common writing ink were employed.

Tn preparing for colouring it is to be observed,
that a hair pencil is to be fixed at each end of
a small piece of wood, madein the form of a
common pencil, one of which is to be used with
colour, and the other with water only. Ifthe
| colour is to be laid on, so as to represent a flat
surface, it ought to be spread on equally, and
there is here’no use for the water brush ; but if
it is to represent a curved surface, then the
colour is to be laid on the part intended to be
‘shaded, and softened towards the light by wash-
ing with the water brush. Jn all cases it should
be borne in mind, that the colour ought to be
laid on very thin, otherwise it will be more
difficult to manage, and will never make so
fine a drawing.

» In colours even of the best quality, we some-
\times meet with gritty particles, which it is
desirable to avoid. Instead of rubbing the
‘colour on a plate with a little water, as is usual,
‘it will be better to wet the colour, and rub it
‘on the point of the forefinger, letting the dis-
solved part drop off the finger on to the plate.
In using the Indian ink it will be found
advantageous to mix it with a little blue and
‘a small quantity of lake, which rendersit much
more easily wrought with, and this is the more
desirable as it is the most frequently used of all
the other colours in Mechanical Drawing, the
shades being all made with this colour.

The depth and extent of the shades will
depend on various circumstances—on the figure
of the object to be shaded, the position of the
eye of the observer, and the direction in which
the light comes, &c. The position of the eye
will vary the proportionate size of any object
\in a picture when drawn in perspective. Thus,
if a perspective view of asteam-engine is given,
the eye being supposed to be placed opposite
the end nearest the nozzles, an inch of the
nozzle rod will appear much larger than aninch
of the pump rod which feeds the cistern ; but if
the eye is supposed to be placed opposite the
other end of the engine, the reverse will ba the
case. Butin drawing elevations and ground

plans of machinery, every part of the machine | f

is drawn to the proper scale—an inch or foot in
one part of the machine, being just the same
'size as an inch or foot in any other part of the
machine. So that by measuring the dimensions
of any part of the drawing, and then applying
ithe compass to the scale, we determine the real
size of the part so measured. Whereas, if the
view were given in perspective, we would: be
obliged to make allowance for the effect of
distance, &c. &c.

e0y|

The light is always supposed to fall on the
picture at an angle of forty-five degrees, from)
which it follows, that the shade of any object,
which is intended to rise from the plane of the
picture, or appear prominent, will just be equal
in length to the prominence of the object. |

The shades, therefore. should be as exactly
measured as any other part of the drawing, and
eare should be taken that they all fali in the
proper direction, as the light is supposed to
come from one point only.

It is frequently of great use for the.:mechanic.
to take a hasty copy of a drawing, and many,
methods have been given for this purpose—by|
machines, tracing, &c. We give the following
as easy, accurate; and convenient.

Mix equal parts of turpentine and drying oil, |
and with a vag lay it on a sheet of good silk pa-|
per, allowing the paper to lie by for two or three
days to dry, and when it is so it will be fit for
use. To use it, lay it on the drawing to be
copied, and the prepared paper being nearly
transparent, the lines of the drawing will be
seen through it, and may be easily traced with
a black lead pencil.
paper will be quite distinct when it is laid on
white paper. Thus, if the mechanic has little
time to spare, he may take a copy and lay it
past to be recopied at his leisure.

Care and perseverance are the chief requi-

sites for attaining perfection in this species of,

drawing. Every mechanic should know some-
thing of it so that he may the better understand
how to execute plans that may be submitted to
him, or make intelligible to others any inven-
tion he himself may make.

he Chronotyypist.

Mr. John Martin, says the Atheneum, lately
invited some of the professors and lovers
of art to see alarge landscape which he has
just executed in: fresco -in his house at Chel-
sea; when we had an opportunity of renew-
ing our acquaintance with some of the pictures
that have ranked amongst this painter’s most
successful efforts. Among them were the
‘* Nineveh,”’ ‘‘ The Deluge,’ and some of his
larger compositions in oil colours from the “* Pa-
radise Lost.” Many of these appear to be im-
proved by the removal of varnish, which tended

The lines on the oiled’

much to their obscuration. Some, however,
yetretain a highly enamel-like surface, restrict-
ing the spectator too frequently to a single
point of observation—and that not always an
advantageous one for perspective truth, This
fault cannot be charged on the frescolandscape-
scene, which is picturesquely inserted by Mr.
Martin in aspace at the end of the garden of his
house, appearing through a frame-work or vista
ormed by its hall and passage. The space or
depth thus picturesquely prolonged is an effect
of decoration often employed by the Italian
noble in the cortile of his’ palace:—facing
whose portone is usually seen some perspective
landscape with architectural enrichment. Mr.
Martin has evinced much facility in the manage-
ment of a material so little pliant to the
requirements of light and feathery foliage—
and which has, in consequence, been so little
employed in its representation.

Vp y

Saturpay, |

The Public Wealth will.

ODERN
progress has
hitherto been
but inade-
quatelyback-
ed by the ex-
ertions of
those whose
bounden
» duty it isto
put their
shoulders en-
ergetically to the wheel by whose means
public and social improvement is. propelled
towards its final destination—perfection. The
Act of Parliament relating to the better
preservation of the public health, which now
lies before us, certainly owes little to the
““many’’—whose utmost ideas of cleanliness

seem to go no further than a pail of water and
a lump of soap—-who can see noharm in dirty
streets—and conceive that manure may as well
undergo the necessary process of putrifaction
by the road-side and in private dwelling
houses, as on the spot where its application
tends to fertilise the soil, and where its noxious
effluvia would be lost in space ere it could
possibly reach the nostrils of a human being.

As our space is limited, we must not indulge
in discussion ; but at once proceed to our task,
which consists in laying before our readers
such portions of the act as may prove interest-
ing or useful to our professional readers.

In the first place, we find a clause relating to
that prolific subject of contention, main sewers
and drains, by which it ts enacted that the
management of all public sewers shall hereafter
||be vested in local boards; and that with respect
to private sewers, the power is also given to
purchase the same, where it may be deemed
advisable. The power of altering or repairing
sewers is also vested in the local board; and
also the right of carrying them through
private property—after due notice has been
given. It is furthermore enacted that existing
sewers may be discontinued, provided no
private right be interfered with, and that in

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT. [SEPTEMBER 23, 1848.

such case an equivalent sewer must be pro-
vided. With regard to cleansing, &c., the
power reposed in the hands of the local boards
is quite arbitrary, so long as a nuisance is not
created.- The penalties incurred by persons
making sewers to communicate with those of
the board, or constructing vaults or cellars
under any street, without written consent, are
£5, and £2 a day for continuing the offence ;
and the work may be destroyed and the cost
charged to the offender.

House drains, privies, &c., likewise come in
for a clause, which enacts that no house, in
future, shall be built or rebuilt without suffi-
cient drainage; and where no main exists, it is
provided that a cesspool be constructed to
carry off the drainage to such a distance from
the edifice as the local board may decide upon
—under a penalty not exceeding £50. This
measure also extends to existing houses—the
drainage of which is, in future, to be more
carefully looked after than heretofore, This
clause also provides for the regulation of the
supply of water to small places, by the digging
of wells, &c. A penalty of £20 is fixed for
building a house without an efficient water-
closet—besides a further one of £2 during the
time of default. The following must be care-
fully noted :—“‘ Before the building or rebuild-|
of any housg, fourteen days notice must be
giveu to the local board, and proper plans and
sections, showing water-closets, drains, privies,
&c., must be lodged, and the approval of the
board obtained. If the local board do not
decide in fourteen days after notice, the building
may be proceeded with; but a breach of law
is punishable by a penalty of £50, and by the
pulling down of the erection and charging the
cost to the offender.’’ Drains and water-closets
are to be kept in proper order by the owner or
occupier of the premises, under a penalty of
10s. for every day a nuisance complained
of, and of which due notice has been given,
shall be allowed to continue.

Skipping over several clauses which are
foreign to our purpose, we arrive at an import-||
ant one, which prohibits the employment of||
cellars for human habitations, unless their
admeasurement be as follows: seven feet high,
and have three feet of their height above the
level of the street ; provided also that there be

Su a re SS

212.

‘ay area in front of two feet six inches in
width, and the whole height from six inches
below the level of the floor of the cellar to the
level of the street; and in any case there must
be a sufficient drain laid at least one foot below
the floor of the cellar, along with a proper
4ye-place, water-closet or privy, and ash pit.
The window must be nine feet clear of the
frame, and made to open, and if there be a
back cellar, the window must be four feet clear
of the frame. Steps for access may be con-
structed so as not to obstruct the window.
Any cellar or vault in which a person passes
the night is a dwelling under thisact. The act
not to be in force as to cellars till one year
after its passing, nor till six months after its
application to any district.

With regard to the laying out of streets, the
following is enacted :—

Before laying out any new street a month’s
notice must be given to the local board, with
the level and width of the street, which shall be
fixed by the local board. All persons con-
travening this clause are liable to a fine of £20
a day, and to have alteratlons made in their
property to bring it into conformity with the
act, and the cost charged upou them. But if
the notice be not replied tv in one month, par-
ties may proceed to lay out the street, and should
they feel themselves aggrieved bythe proceed-
ings of the local board they may appeal to the
general board.

Che Regeniestrect Quadrant.

Ir will be observed by the reader that we have
this week inserted a paragraph in our “chro-
notypist,” which notices the removal of the
Regent-street Quadrant. A burlesque poet
somewhat happily, in a single distich, hits off
what, we have no doubt, was the prime cause of
this desecration, by observing that

* Diffrent men‘have diff’rent opinions:
Some likes happles, some likes hinguns;’’:
but surely, in a case like this, where one of
the most splendid architectural features, and
jjone of the most useful ornaments of the
|\metropolis is allowed to be carted away, and its
materials sold to chop up for railway work, at
‘|the dictation of some two or three score of

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

hairbrained shopkeepers, who desire novelty,
and, like the boy in the story-book—one
SIMPLE Simon by name—are’never contented
till they look at the wind inside the bellows,
it is a pity that some’ opposition has not been
brought forward by the public.

To prove the inconsistency of their present
proceeding, we need only remark, that the next!
gleam of sunshine that straggles through the
dark clouds of a wintry sky, we shall have

verandahs pulled down in front of every one of |

the shops of these sapient Quadrantites—much
to the personal annoyance of her Majesty’s liege

subjects, who happen to be but a leetle above}||
the ordinary stature, and decidedly inferior,||
with respect to appearance, to the handsome};
structure now pulling down to make way for||

canvas, wocden poles, and iron rods.

Che PMational Gallery.

——

In another page we have given the Report of
the Select Committee appointed to look after
the works of art which have become public pro-
perty, in which it is stated that no site could
possibly be better adapted for a National Gal-
lery than the present one overlooking Tra-
falear-square.
with our own, so far as situation is concerned ;
but here we would wish to have a more ex-
plicit understanding as to what are to be

This opinion exactly coincides

the points of superiority of the New Gallery
over the old.

We have not yet inspected Mr. Barry’s
design, and are, therefore, incapable of pass-
ing an opinion as to its merits or defects;
but from what we have been enabled to
gather relative to the subject, we have one

or two observations to make which we would
desire to see taken into consideration.

The present National Gallery, it is well

known, is only spoiled by one feature

mamely, the excessive lowness, and preten-

tious littleness of its facade; otherwise it
possesses all: the essential quatities of a per-
fect. piece of architecture.. Another storey,
we will be bold enough to declare, would
have been the means of setting aside all
objections. on the score’ of ugliness; there-
fore, we would respectfully urge one point—|

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

will now have to judge of the designs, and.
||that is, above all things to pay attention to,
| proportion.

We hear that Mr. Barry’s design is
\lof the same style of architecture as the’
||New Houses of Parliament. Here we must.
put in a protest. For an edifice intended
|\to contain works of art, this style is to our’
thinking, singularly inappropriate. The classic:
gracefulness of the earlier orders of architec-)
ture must always appeal successfully to true
||taste in such matters as these, and mere extrin-)
j\sic ornament can never bear away the palm |
from the classic purity of those styles which |
||the ancients employed in the erection of edifices |
consecrated to the purposes of the fine arts and
learning.

Projecting Shop Fronts.

A case was lately tried in which a shopkeeper
residing in Holborn was summoned for erecting
|\a shop-front, extending beyond the distance
{'allowed by the 57th Geo. III., sec 72. As the
||decisionis of some importance, we present our
| readers with a few of the details :—

Mr, Parry, for the Commissioner of Pave-
ments, stated the facts, and called Mr. Robert
| Southgate, the surveyor of pavements, who
stated that one end of the shop front extended
}|113 inches beyond the house, and the other
|\end was13$ inches. It was anew front, and he
| had given notice to Mr. Deane to alter it, but
|\the notice had not been attended to.—By Mr.
|/Bodkin, on behalf of Mr. Deane: He gave
notice that the front projected too far before
jit was finished. The old front had extended
the same distance. In fact, the new one
occupied exactly the same position. It was not
thepractice of the commisioners to interfere with
old fronts ,which exceeded the width allowed
by law, as it would put many tradespeople to
inconvenience; but when a new front was
erected, they gave notice to have it so con-
structed as not to infringe upon the foot pave-
ment. The old front at Mr. Deane’s, might
have existed for more than twenty years. It:
was originally a gunmaker’s shop, and witness

| the same position as the new front complained),

1 READILY DECYPERED BY

recollect anything in the parish—Mr. Henry,
on hearing this, said that, as the Commisioners
admitted that the front had existed for years in|,

of, the present one being, in fact, equivalent
to arepair of the old one, he did not think
they had any right to require Mr. Deane to
remove it; he therefore dismissed the case.|
Mr. Parry wished to know whether he could
appeal against this decision, but was informed
by Mr. Henry that there was no appeal.

Co Porresponvents, Ke.

WRriTE LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH
THY WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MAY BE
THE RECIPIENTOF THY

COMMUNICATION. nee

“* 4 Constant Reader.’—We very much doubt
the truth of your signature; refer to our last
number.

“MM. T.” (Liverpool).—We can make no
promise.

« Archi.’—The article will be acceptable.

“4 Friend.”—Any information respecting
Mechanics’ Institutes, likely to prove interesting
to our readers, will be thankfully received and,
readily inserted by us.

“WW. H. 1. **."—A series of articles have
already appeared on Fresco painting, written by
Mr. F. B. Thompson.

“ L.°—Peruse Dr. Brooke Taylor’s work.

Received.—" J. H.” —An Apprentice.”—“An
Oppressed Mechanic,” and “* Fido.”

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.’’—We shall at all tumes
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial’
readersas will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, Sc.

Cases for Vols. I. and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or;
marbled, 6d. extra.

*,* Any of our readers having complete
Atpuasets of an ornamental description suits
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige u-
by lending, or sending copies of them. d

Part 16 is now ready, price 7d.

214

THE . DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

An Elustratey Glossary of Technical |

— Terms used in Architectural anv
Intertov Mecoration, Kc.

[Continued from page 204.] ©

Frers, (in architecture) sometimes called
Guillochi, have characters which. are purely
Grecian on the part of fret but may be termed
Gothic on the part of Guillochi. The beauty

COU TTT i
fl

all, INT i. ml | :

allege

i | | i
] TM i TODANETALUAAHUEUT LU i |
| EE TT IN TT TT

and principle of the fret lies in an equality of
ground and fillets meeting at various angles.
The accurate form cannot be obtained without
laying down a geometrical rule (see engraving).

INANE

IOUOATNA TTT A ul

ATO XD BAU POE
eg a A 1
TUG ET AT TES
+ Yt | 0 | tO
QB) 1 1) 0
1 A a 101
DRE EEE AUNTY YO DET a
1510) 5 a
SIQRUAAAAOU AE eA

Take the width required and divide it in a cer-{

tain number of divisions, according to the pro-
posed pattern, by drawing on every alternate
square the pattern will be produced. The
Guillochi is more generally applied to circular
forms and are drawn on different principles as

GUILLOCHI,.

the annexed diagram will show, designs of
bosses or cups may be used in the centre. We
will give some illustrations at a future time.

Discovery or a Roman Vitta.—The Hon.
R. C. Neville has been enabled lately, through
the permission of Mr. Samuel Jonas, of Ick-
leton, to have a field in his possession explored.
It is situated within sight of the Roman en-
campment and Templi Umbra (as called by
Stukeley), and about a quarter of a mile from
the Chesterford station, by the road side leading
toIckleton. The men in the employ of the hon.
gentleman, and under his personal directions,
commenced their labours about ten days since ;
and have succeeded in discovering the remains
of alarge Roman building, supposed a villa,
having already exposed to view five rooms or
compartments.

CROSS FROM GABLE BRANDON CHURCH,
NORFOLK.

Transmutation oF Merrats.—Although the
days of the alchemists are gone, the alembic of
nature is stillin operation, and changes in the
material of which this globe is composed are
continually going on; perhaps, in many instan-
ces, unobserved. We are led to these remarks
from a specimen we saw lately of an umquhile
cast-iron pipe, that had been used in _ this
neighbourhood for carrying gas, and had been
laid some years in a peat soil. The cast-iron
was completely changed into. black-lead or
plumbago. It stained paper the same as a
pencil. Its specific gravity had been reduced
from the common gravity of cast metal, say
7°7 to 2°06. The original thickness of the pipe
we have no means of ascertaining, but we should
think it a good deal increased. Whether the
carburetted hydrogen alone can produce such
changes, or if it is a combination of that and
the peculiar soil, we cannot tell; but as we
believe the pipesin many places here have given
way, those connected with the gas manage-
ment should look into the matter, and see if
something could not be applied to the pipes be-
fore they are put down, to prevent the constant
loss and trouble attending this natural source
of decay.—North of Scotland Gazette.

New Sypuon.—We understand that a scien-
tific gentleman of this town intends to bring
before the savans, in August, an improved
syphon, which will go far to remedy the com-
paratively useless ancient instrument which
would transfer water merely. This invention,
we understand, will lift water—for instance,
from a canal into a water-cart. — Swansea
Herald.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

215

Striking

Arches.

In No. 67, page 165, ante, we gave an explan-
ation of the mode adopted for striking an
elliptic arch without the aid of the compass;
we now give the same with regard to a seg-
mental arch. The principle of drawing it is
somewhat similar to the ellipse. Divide the
base into eighteen equal parts, then find the

centre for striking the radii by throwing the
end diagonal lines down till they intersect each
other; from the centre carry a line through
each division as directed for the ellipse ; divide
the end into nine equal parts; from 1 carry the
line to the centre marked 1, from 2 to 2, and
so on to 9, the intersection of which will pro-
duce the required arc.

Mncaustic Painting.

Tue art of painting in encaustic is a manner of
painting which is executed with the operation
of fire. Ancient authors often make mention
of this Species of painting, and which, if it had
been described simply by the word encaustic,
which signifies executed by fire, might be sup-
posed to have been a species of enamel paint-
ing. But the expressions encausto pingere,
pictura encaustica, ceris pingere, picturam
murere, by Pliny, and other ancient writers,
makes it clear another species of painting is
thereby meant. We have no ancient pictures
of this description, and therefore the precise
manner adopted by the ancients is not com-
pletely developed, though many moderns have
closely investigated the subject, and described
their processes. At what time,and by whom
this species Of painting was first invented, is
not determined by antiquaries, although it ap-
pears to have been practised in the fourth and
fifth centuries. Count Caylus, and M. Bache-
lier, a painter, were the first of modern times
who made experiments in this branch of art,
about the year 1749. Some years after this,
Count Caylus presented to the Academy of
Painting at Paris, his ideas and experiments on
the subject of the ancient manner of painting
in encaustic. In 1754, the Count had a head of
Minerva painted by Mons. Vien, after the pro-
cess described by himself, and presented it to
the Academy of Sciences in 1755. This suc-

jcess induced Mons. Bachelier to recommence

his experiments, in which he succeeded better
than formerly; but his manner of painting
in encaustic differed from the ancients, as
described by Pliny, and thercfore he was un-
successful, inasmuch as he did not discover the
real ancient manner; after this he made some
other experiments on the same subject, differ-
ing from the process as described by Caylus
and others.

Pliny, in. a passage relating to encaustic
painting, distinguishes three species :—1st, that
in which they used a style, and painted on

ivory or polished wood (cestro in epore); for
which purpose they drew the outlines ona
piece of the aforesaid wood or ivory, previously
soaked or imbued with some certain colour;
the point of the style or stigma served for this
operation, and the broad end to scrape off the
small filaments that arose from the outlines,
and they continued forming outlines with the
point: till they were finished. 2nd. The next
manner appears to have been, where the wax
previously impregnated with colour, was spread
over the surface of the picture with the style,
and the colours thus prepared were formed in-
to small cylinders for use. | By the side of the
painter was a brasier for keeping the styles
continually hot, with the points of which they
laid on the colours when the outlines were
finished, and spread them smooth with the
broad end, and thus they proceeded tiil the
picture was finished. 3rd. The manner was
by painting with a pencil in wax liquified by
fire: by this method the colours contained
a considerable hardness, and could not be
damaged either by the heat of the sun, or the
deleterious effects of the sea water. It was
thus that they painted their ships with emblems
and other pictures, and therefore it obtained
the name of ship painting. The last process
was to smooth and polish the picture ;—thus far
the ancients.

Few of late years have made more experi-
ments in this mode of painting than the inge-
nious Mrs. Hooker of Rottingdean, in the
county of Sussex, who has, in this instance,
united practice with theory; and for her very
successful exertions in this branch of the polite
arts, was presented with a gold palette by the
Society for the Encouragement of Arts, &c., of;
London. — Her account is printed in the 10th
volume of the Society’s Transactions for the
year 1792, when Miss Emma Jane Greenland.
Her first communication with specimens of this
mode of painting was made in the year 1786,
one of which is preserved in the society’s rooms
at the Adelphi, and is worth the attention of
the artist. This honourable testimony of the

society’s approbationZdid not occasion any re-

216

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

{/laxation in this indefatigable lady’s endeavours

to/attain excellence, and she therefore, in the
year 1807, made a farther communication to
the Society of the result of no less than fifty

{jexperiments per day, during more than four
||months ; b
jjadded much practical knowledge,

and to theory. Mrs. Hooker has
having

painted several pictures successfully. The

||following account combines the results of this

lady’s two communications to the society,

|which, in honour to her extraordinary merits
{and exertions in this curious branch of the fine
jjarts, should be called the Hookerian mode of

encaustic painting. -
Method of preparing and applying a com-

Hooker.

water: when the gum is dissolved, stir in
seven ounces of gum mastich which has been
washed, dried, picked, and beaten fine. Set
the earthen vessel containing the gum, water,
and gum mastich over a slow fire, continually
stirring and beating them hard with a spoon,
in order to dissolve the gum mastich: when
sufficiently boiled it will no longer appear
transparent, but will become opaque and stiff
likea paste. As soon as this is the case, and

without taking them off the fire, add five

tovether till the wax is perfectly melted and
has boiled ; then take the composition off the
fire, as boiling it longer than necessary would
harden the wax, and prevent it mixing so well
afterwards with water. When the composition is

taken off the fire, and in the glazed earthen

hot (but not boiling) mix with it by degrees a
pint (wine measure) or sixteen ounces more of
cold spring water ; then strain the composition
as some dirt will boil out of the gum mastich,
and put it into bottles. The composition, if
properly made, should belike a cream, and the
colours, when mixed with it, as smooth as with
oil. The method of using it is to mix with the
composition, upon an earthen palette, such
colours in powder as are used in painting with
oil, and such a quantity of the composition to
be mixed with the colours as to render them of
the usual consistency of oil colours, then
paint with fair water.

The colours, when mixed with the composi-
tion, may be laid on either thick or thin, as
best suits your subject, on which account this

;|composition is very advantageous where any

particular transparency of colouring is
required ; but, in most cases, it answers best if
the colours are laid on thick, as they require
the same use of the brush as if painting with
body colours, and the same brushes as used in
oil painting. The colours, if grown dry when
mixed with the composition, may be used by
putting a little water over them; but it is less
trouble to put some water when the colours
are observed to be growing dry. In painting
with this composition the colours blend with-

position for painting, in imitation of the
ancient Grecian manner, as practised by Mrs. |
{holding a hot poker at such a distance as to

Put into a glazed earthen vessel four ounces.
and a half of gum arabic, and eight ounces or |
half a pint (wine measure) of cold spring

the contrary effect would be produced if too

the gum, water, and mastich are quite boiling, |

ounces of white wax, broken into small pieces, |
stirring and beating the different ingredients |

vessel, it should be beaten hard, and whilst |

H
14

1
1

out difficulty when wet, and even when dry the|
tints may easily be united by means of a brush],

anda very small quantity of water. When

the painting is finished, put some white wax\'
into a glazed earthen vessel over a slow fire,|

and when melted, but not boiling, with a hard
brush, cover the painting with the wax, and

when cold take a moderately hot iron, such as}
is used for ironing linen, and so cold as not to}

hiss if touched with anything wet, and draw it||

lightly over the wax. The painting will appear
as if under a cloud till the wax and whatever

substance the picture is painted upon are per-|’

fectly cold; but if when so the painting should
not appear sufficiently clear, it may be held
before the fire at such a distance as to melt the
wax slowly; or the wax may be melted by

melt it gently, especially over such parts of the
picture as should not appear sufficiently trans-
parent or brilliant: for the oftener heat is

applied to the picture the greater will be the)

transparency and brilliancy of colouring, but

sudden or too great a degree of heat is applied
or for too long a time, as it will draw the wax
too much to the surface, and may likewise
crack the paint. Should the coat of wax put
over the painting when finished appear in any
part uneven, it may be remedied by drawinga
moderately hot iron over it again as before-
mentioned, or even by scraping the wax witha
knife; and should the wax, by too great or
too long an application of heat, form into
bubbles at particular places, by applying a
poker heated, or even a tobaceo-pipe made
hot, the bubbles will subside; or such defects
may be removed by drawing anything hard
over the wax, which will close any small cavi-
ties.
fine linen cloth. Paintings may be executed
in this manner upon wood (having first pieces
of wood let in behind, across the grain of the
wood to prevent its warping), canvas, card, or
plaster of Paris.
no other preparation than mixing some fine

plaster of Paris in powder with cold water the)
thickness of a cream ; then put it on alooking-|
glass, having first made a frame of bees’-wax on) |
the glass, the form and thickness of which||
you wish the plaster of Paris to be, and when||

dry take it off, and there will be a very smooth
surface to paint upon. Wood and canvas are

best covered with some grey tint mixed with)
the same composition of gum arabic, gum)

mastich, and wax, and of the same sort of;
colours as before-mentioned, before the de-

Painting also may be done in the same’

manner with only gum water and gum mastich, ||

prepared the same way as the mastich and

wax; but instead of putting seven ounces of;|
mastich, and, when boiling, adding five ounces) |
of wax, mix, twelve ounces of gum mastich)
with the gum water, prepared as mentioned |

in the first part of thisreceipt: before it is put

on the fire, and when sufficiently boiled and) |
beaten, and is alittle cold, stir in by degrees) |

When the picture is cold, rub it with a).

The plaster of Paris requires||

sign is begun, in order to cover the grain of)
the wood or the threads of the canvas.)

twelve ounces, or three quarters of a pint
(wine measure) of cold spring water, and

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

afterwards strain it. It would be equally
||practicable to paint with wax alone, dissolved
in gum water in the following manner. Take
twelve ounces, or three quarters of a pint
(wine measure) of cold spring water, and
four ounces and a half of gum arabic, put
them into a glazed earthen vessel, and when
the gum is dissolved, add eight ounces of white
wax. Put the earthen vessel, with the gum
water and wax, upon a slow fire, and stir
them till the wax is dissolved and has boiled
a few minutes; then take them off the fire,
and throw them into a basin, as by remaining
in the hot earthen vessel the wax would become
rather hard; beat the gum water and wax till
quite cold. As there is but a small proportion
of water in comparison to the quantity of gum
and wax, if would be nevessary, in mixing
this composition with the colours, to put also
some fair water. Should the composition be
so made as to occasion the ingredients to
separate in the bottle, it will become equally
serviceable if shaken before used to mix the
colours.

Another very serviceable quality in the
vehicle for painting was discovered by Mrs.
Hooker, which was, that the composition which
had remained in a bottle since the year 1792,
‘in which time it had grown dry and become
as solid a substance as wax, returned to a
creamlike consistence, and became again in as
proper a state to mix with colours as when it
was first made, by putting a little cold water
upon it, and suffering it to remain on it a short
time. ‘‘JT also lately found,” says this inge-
nious lady, “‘some of the mixture composed
of only gum arabic water and gum mastich, of
which I sent a specimen to the Society of Arts
in 1792; it was become dry, and had much the
||appearance and consistency of horn. Ff found
on letting some cold water remain over it, that
|itbecame as fit for painting with as when the
||composition was first prepared.”’
|| J. Chr. Werner of Newstadt, in Germany,
|found the following process very effectual in
making wax soluble in water. For each pound
of white wax he takes twenty-four ounces of
potash, which he dissolves in two pints of
||water, warming it gently. In this ley he boils
the wax, cut into little bits, for half an hour;
at the end of this time he takes it from the
fire and letsit cool. Thé wax fixes itself at
the surface of the liquor in the form of a white
saponaceous matter, which being triturated
with water, produces a sort of emulsion which
he called wax milk, or encaustic wax, and may
be applied to pictures, furniture, or leather,
after having well cleaned them: in an hour

rubbed with a piece of woollen cloth, which will
cause the pictures to have a better effect, and
the furniture to acquire a peculiar brightness.
Another advantage of this preparation of wax
is, that it can be mixed with all kinds of
colours, and consequently be applied in a
single operation. Itis also useful to fix water
colours.

The following important observations are
translated from the Italian of the Chevalier
Lorgna, who has deeply investigated the sub-
ject, in asmall but valuable tract called ‘* Un

after the application, the article should be|

‘wooden

Discorso sulla Cera Puniea.”” The ancients
(says this anthor), according to Pliny, used
three species of painting, and in all three they
used fire; so that tc paint with encaustic, or
with a burning application (abbrucciamento), is
derived from a Greek word.

We have never thoroughly known the natnre of||
the Punic wax, which was anciently used, and||
which, after all, was the essential ingredient of
the ancient painting in encaustic. The che-
valier praises the genius and industry of M.
Requeno and M. Bachelier, who have also
treated this subject, but who have not fully|!
succeeded in finding out the true way of mak-||
ing the said wax, then quotes the passage of||
Pliny on the method of making it. Punica fit
hoe modo, &c., see Pliny’s Nat. Hist. 1. 21. ¢.
14, and asserts, with many other writers, that/|
Pliny’s nitre is not the nitre of the moderns, ||
properly so called, but it is the natron of the||
ancients, viz., the native salt which is found||
crystallised in Egypt and other hot countries, |}
in sands surrounding lakes of salt water; it)|
must not be mistaken for the natron of the new] |
nomenclature of our College of Physicians|}
which is the new name of the mineral alkali. |}

In the plains of Lower Egypt, which were}|
once covered by the sea in the environs of the
salt lakes of that country, at Tripoli, at Tunis,
as also in the adjacent parts of ancient Car-
thage, the natron, that same natron which under
the name of nitre, the Carthaginians, accord-
ing to Pliny, used in preparing their wax, is
to this day extracted, and hence it was called
Pune wane |

I began now (says Lorgna) successively to
try my experiments, first with three part of
wax and one of natron, and then with four of
wax, and soon till I used twenty parts of white
melted wax with one only of natron, with as
much water as was just sufficient to melt the
natron. I held the mixture in an iron vessel
over a slow fire, stirring it gently with a
spatula, till the two substances
thickened by evaporation, and in closely

‘uniting the mass by degrees assumed the con-
‘sistence of butter, and the colour of milk.

JT removed it then from the fire, and put itin
ithe shade to harden and to perfect itself in
‘the open air.

This natron was extracted from
the ley of kali of Malta, evaporated till it was
dry; it may also be extracted from the kali of

Spain, Sicily, Sardina, and from that of Tunis

and of Tripoli, which may be procured without
mucn difficulty. The wax being cooled it
liquefied in water, and a milky emulsion re-
sulted from it like that which could be made
with the best Venetian soap.. ;

Pliny, in another place, c. 7.1. 23, gives
further directions for the manner of using
caustic on paintings or walls ; but as it concerns
the antiquary more than the artist, I have
foreborne from making the quotation. It begins
at these words, Ut wparietis siccatoa cera
Punica, &c

As to making use of this wax in painting in
encaustic the chevalier says, that magnificient|
and repeated experiments were made ‘in the}
apartments of the Count Giovanni Battista}
Gasola, by the Italian painter Signor Antonio
Paccheri. He dissolved the Punic wax, when}

}

218

THE DECORATOR'S .. ASSISTANT, |

it was not yet so much hardened as to require
\|to be igni resoluta, as expressed by Pliny, with.

pure water lightly infused with gum arabic,
instead of sarcocolla, male incense, mentioned
by Pliny. He afterwards melted and mixed
his colours with this wax as liquefied as he
would have done with oil, and proceeded to
paint in the same manner; nor were the colours
seen to run or alter in the least; and the mix-
ture was so flexible that the pencil ran
smoother with it than it have done with oil.
The painting being dry he used the caustic over
it and rubbed it with linen cloths, by which the
colours acquired a peculiar vivacity and
brightness which they had not before the
caustic and the rubbing had been effected.

Entluence of the fine Arts on
Civilisation.

Tue great object which we live for, is to enjoy
the bounteous gifts of our Creator; the grea
object of civilisation isto enable us to do so,
that we may die happy, convinced that we have
not existed in vain,—but that, by the cultiva-
tion of the intellect we had sublimed our spirit,
to irradiate the sphere we each revolved in.
To extract as much pleasure as we can from
existence, by regulating the sense through the
mind, and so depart trom the lower animals
and approximate the higher powers, ought to
be, in my opinion, the result of civilisation ;
and, if I am right, then is art an integral portion
of the means by which a people iscivilised. In
the wide and extended regions of nature un-
limited scope is afforded to the true artist, widely
to direct the intellectual energies of his fellows ;
and [ pity the man who beyond the gaining of
a livelihood, sees in art no greater object to
exist: for. Does not the landscape painter
promote civilisation when he fixes on our souls
for ever, the happy, happy, feelings a glorious
landscape has charmed forth? When, by his
soul-breathing imitation of the works of God,
that which would otherwise have been transi-
tory, is, by the magic of his pencil, recalled
again and again to refresh the wearied mind
with sweet remembrance of the purest and
holiest sensation of our existence—he is the
medium of communication from nature up to
nature’s God! Doesnot the painter of the home
and domestic subject promote civilisation, when
he makes the rustic hearth, with all its honest
joys, excite the envy of the rich, and preach
contentment to the happier poor? Does not
the great mind which grasps at historic art,
promote civilisation, when, by the positive reali-
sation of the deeds of man, he brings the past
to the present, to excite reflection to the future?
Does not the sculptor promote civilisation,
when, joined to the aim ofthe latter, by the
sublime purity of form, teeming of the pristine
{|beauty of the sons of man, he creates visions
jjof that time which may recur again, when
|\nobler souls breathed in more glorious frames ?
Come forward, ye who would deny to art this
4/power to instruct, and if the authors of the
j|gentle and pleasing idea touch not your heart
j Heol: at that canvas, and at that, where terror,
|

and horror, and wrath, and rage, in blasted and

angular forms, amid blackness and despair,
strike?and paralize the sense as with a thunder-
bolt,—the awful page of mortal woe, disclosed

by Michael Angelo, and by Hogarth,—and

acknowledge the power of mighty art. And if
you tremble at the visions of Titanic power,
conjured up by the Italian, where even the blest
seemed saddended, and their beauty scorched
by the reflection of gloomy suffering, turn to
the Englishman, and in the brightness of virtue
escape from the sadness of vice. And when
you trace the course of the Ipiz and Inpustri-
ous APPRENTICE, if you do not acknowledge the
overwhelming power of art to teach, you must
indeed be poor—no power exists to civilise you.
Or if the wise man who lives to learn, will turn
his eyes with me to were the heavenly power
of beauty reigns supreme, where holy thought
and love.inspire the pencil of him who, by the
suffrage of mankind, has gained the title of
Divine, where the tenderest perceptions are
stamped by the energy of goodness, and with
a hand as firm as that ofa giant, and in an out-
line animated by the soul of angel, Raphael
draws your heart insensibly to a holy fervour by
the beauty of form, and more nobly seeks to
improve mankind by love, than sway the mind
by terror—then surely, you must acknowledge
all that art can do, from all that art has done.
Is it no proof of the power of Art, that she can
humanize the half-brutal peasant ?—that the
Italian feels her influences, and impresses the
stranger on his soil, with involuntary respect—
that he, the peasant, is alive to beauty, which
but half inspires that stranger’s mind; and
would it not be glorious to art, if we could
operate a charm on the sturdy ignorance of the
peasant of Great Britain, and elevate him in
the social chain by teaching him the beauty of
the scenes he lives in; or by delineating the
character of a country’s pride—her yeomanry,
make him most truly blest because his lot is
proved to be the happiest in the land—freed
from the misery of inaction, his honest toil
ensuring grateful rest, fitting him to fulfil his
ony p his family, his country, and his God.
—Park.

Brass Letrers on Griass.—According to the
specification of Mr. J. L. Tefuenaede: who has
secured a patent for cements, for affixing brass
letters on panes of glass, the following are
his recipes:—First, 15 parts of copal varnish,
5 parts of drying oil, 3 of oil of turpentine, 2 of
essence of turpentine, 5 of animal glue, dis-
solved in a water bath, and 10 parts hydrate
of lime.—Second, 15 parts of sanadrach and
galipot resin varnish, 5 of drying oil, 5 of oil
and essence of turpentine mixed; these are
first mixed, and then 10 parts of Spanish white
and dry white lead are added.—Third, 15 parts|
of copal varnish and gum lac mixed ; 5 parts of|
drying oil, 3 parts of a solution of caoutchoue,
or gutta percha, 7 parts of tar oil, and 10 parts
of Roman cement and plaster of Paris, in pow-
der, mixed.—Fourth, 15 parts of copal varnish
and colophane resin, 5 of oil and essence of||
turpentine, 2 parts of isinglass in powder, 3
parts iron filings, or blacksmith’s cinders,
ground and sifted, and 10 parts of washed earth,
ochre, or rotten-stone.

THE DECORATORS ‘ASSISTANT.

@n Ornament.

Tuere has been much said and written upon
purity of style, and it may startle some to see
it asserted that this has only had one tendency,
and that has been to retard the progress of
ornamental design in this country. But many
of the kinds of ornament called styles being
themselves impure, in so far as they are desti-
tute of the first principles of beauty, a servile
adherence to them is not only a very question-
able kind of purity, but calculated to corrupt
the taste, while it retards originality of con-
ception.

If an ornamental designer were asked to
imitate another in the same profession, he
must either be conscious of his own inferiority,
or feel his reputation compromised by the
request. And the same may be said of any
other profession where conception or origin-
ality of design is required to constitute excel-
lence. Ifa poet imitates the works of another
poet he thereby acknowledges his own infer-
lority: and so does the artist who copies the
work (either ancient or modern) of another
artist. But in neither case can the works
copied constitute or supersede the laws or first
principles of art. The greatest merit of all
works of art, either in poetry, music, painting,
or sculpture, consists in their being unlike the
istyle of any that have preceded them; for
\there are no limits to the inventive powers of
‘genius ; and indeed it is only invention and
originality that prove the possession of that
divine gift. But the mode of proceeding in
‘regard to tuition in the ornamental arts has, in
this country, been of avery opposite character.
What has hitherto been understood by purity
of style is nothing more than servility of copy-
‘Ing, and if we were to inquire very closely
‘into the origin of what are termed styles
of ornament, we should find their claims
ito this distinction to rest on a foundation of a
very slight.and unsatisfactory kind.

_The most beautiful of the architectural class
of ornamental designs of antiquity have, of
‘course, been handed down to us from the same
‘people, and the same era that have also sup-
plied to us the most beautiful specimens of the
arts of sculpture and architecture. And, but
‘for the perishable nature of the materials,
there can be but little doubt. but we might have
|\owed to the same period and people not only
| the finest specimens of pictorial art, but those
of that kind of design peculiar to manufactures
'\and interior, decoration.
|| When we take this in connection with what
|\we know of the poetry, the music, and, above
lall, the geometry of the same period, we can
| scarcely help feeling convinced that some
||fixed principles of taste and beauty were
|known and acknowledged amongst, that ex-
traordinary people at this period, of their
general refinement. And the more so, that
the progress of natural philosophy in succeed-
ing ages has proved that there are ruling prin-
ciples by which the sciences are in almost all
cases identified with one another; and by
which again the arts are identified with the

sciences, and upon which they are reciprocally

219)|

'dependent. Sir Dayid Brewster observes, |}
“that the disposition to this species of ex-|}
change, and to introduce into the intellectual||
}community the principles of free intercourse,
lis by no means general; but we are confident||
[that art will not sufficiently develop her)
| powers, Nor science attain her most command-|/
‘ing position, till the practical knowledge of the ||
‘one is taken in return for the sound deductions |
lof the other; and that “it is in the fine||
‘arts, pricipally, and in the speculations with
which they are associated, that the controlling ||
power of scientific truth has not exercised its |
legitimate influence. In discussing the prin-||
ciples of painting, sculpture, architecture, and/
landscape gardening, philosophers have re-!
nounced science as a guide, and even as an'!|
auxiliary; and a school has arisen whose’
speculations will brook no restraint, and whose.
decisions stand in opposition to the strongest
convictions of our senses.”

A proper comprehension of art as a whole, |
and as itis connected with science, is, there-|
fore, essential to right practice; and upon no
other foundation can a standard of just cri-
ticism be established. For that criticism
which judges an ornamental design by other
designs of the same description, without’
reference to the natural and scientific princi- |}
ples which ought to regulate the artist in the)
production of such works, concludes upon false
premises. Were the proper mode of estimating
works of decorative art adopted, those con-|
tracted and prejudiced views which take pre-|
cedents alone for guides, would soon give,
place to a correct understanding and apprecia-
tion of what is truly beautiful.

The names of the kinds of ornament called||
styles are numerous. We have the Grotesque, |
the Arabesque, the Moorish or Moresque, the|
Persian, the Turkish or Byzantine, the Hin-
dustanee the Chinese, the Pompeian, the'|
Elizabethan, the Louis Quatorze, &c., some of,
which, no doubt, have what may be termed
national characteristics, and they may, so far,
whether good or bad, be admitted as styles,
because they belong not merely to periods but}||
to nations. Yet, in general, they are not'|
worthy of being held up as models of per-
fection, far less are they worthy of being made
to supersede the necessity of studying the first |
principles of linear and chromatic beauty in
our Schools of Design.

A style of ornament may legitimately be
named after its originator, such as the)!
* Watteau”’ style, which is probably of all com-
‘paratively modern styles the most original and }
most graceful; for, although it is grotesque,
and may not have been established upon any||
‘known principles, yet it is the production of||
the intuitive good taste of an original genius.'||
\—Hay’s “ Essay on Ornamental Design.” |

Fine Arrs in Norwicu.—Amongst the}|/
‘preparations for the forthcoming musical fes-||
'tival in Norwich is a collection of modern||
‘works’ of art, nearly 400 in number, comprising ||
‘pictures by Turner, Eastlake, Maclise, Etty,||
‘Bright, Danby, Pyne, Stanfield, and other good||
‘artists. Itis said that so fine a collection hss||
never been seen in, Norwich before. ,

220

THE DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT.

The Chronotpypist. |

Tur removal of the Regent’s Quadrant Colon-
nade has commenced. The materials have
been sold by private contract, itis said, for
railway purposes. The cast-iron pillars, 145 in
number, realised £2,900. The total cost of this
alteration is estimated at £3,900, to be defrayed
by the sale of the old materials, and by a rate
on the inhabitants. The removal of the south
side is to be first proceeded with. Mrs. Hul-
ton says the Liverpool Albion having become
the possessor of the drawing, by Prince de
Joinville, of the Ocean Monarch on fire, she is
getting it lithographed, and the proceeds of the
sale will be given for the benefit of the Sailors’
Home. The print will be a spirited tinted
lithograph, executed, by the Messrs. Maclure,
Macdonald, and Macgregor. From the inter-
est excited by the princely conduct of the
author of the above sketch, on the late melan-
choly occasion which it represents, and the
object for which the proceeds are to be devoted,
a very extensive sale may be calculated upon.
—tThe Sanitary Committe recommends all
cisterns to be dispensed with, and the water
to be left to issue free and flush from the main.
——A life size medallion of Miss Helen Faucit
has been executedin Edinburgh, by Mr. Shak-
speare Wood. The countenance is boldly
chiselled, and an excellent resemblance. The
expression is that which well befits the passion-
ate representative of tragedy. The hair is
simply and massively disposed, and. the pro-
duction altogether one that. does great honour,
to the young artist.——In the week before last-
a public dinner was given in the cottage of
Burns, Ayr, to Mr. Fillans, sculptor, on the
oceasion of. his sojourn in the neighbourhood
after the ‘‘ inauguration ’’ of his statue of the
late Sir James Shaw, Bart:, at the cross of
Kilmarnock, and the bust of Professor Wilson,
at Paisley.

Decorations or THE Royat Yacut.—The
royal yacht is greatly improved in her internal
‘appearance since she was last at Woolich. The
entire deck has been painted to resemble oaken
wainscot, and the inside of the bulwarks is an
excellent imitation of American bird’s-eye
maple; the parts of the paddle-boxes next the
deck being of the same agreeable and neat pat-
tern. On the mterior of each paddle-box a
royal crown has been richly carved and gilt,
together with a laurel branch and oak branch
on either side. The paddle-boxes are joined
across the deck by platforms about eight feet
high, with ample room for two persons to
promenade, affording a far more commanding
view than. could be obtained from the deck.
A spacious seat covered with morocco leather,
and having richly-carved elbow-rests, is placed
against each of the paddle-boxes on the elevated
platform. On each ofthe stern ends of the
coal eeedages very handsome recesses or alcoves

ave been fitted and lighted seawards with
plate glass, the front being made to rise and
fall similar to the moveable roofs of carriages,
to shade from the sun or protect from rain.

the other parts of the room. The moulding
of the ceiling throughout the principal’ rooms’

ders will judge for themselves as to how far’
it has been verified :—‘‘ Westminster-bridge

The royal entrance tothe cabins is near the|}
tiller, and lighted on all sides upon deck with||
plate-glass windows, and it contains a table with)
cushioned seats for resting upon, and well)
adapted for shelter in unfavourable weather.

The principal cabin is beautifully fitted up, and

the seats are cushioned and covered with crim-

son morocco leather all round the stern side of

the vessel; the fire-place near the rudder

handle is quite a gem, being formed of beauti-

tully clustered groups of flowers, highly col-

oured, and preserved by the finest enamel on a:

delicate ground, and encased in solid and
brightly-polished brass mouldings, the, chimney
of the fire-place having the appearance of a’
handsome pillar supported on an appropriate,
base. The handle of the rudder passes through
the principal cabin, and is covered eee
round with carving, which gives it the appear-
ance of a pillar supporting the deck. The chief |
cabin is profusely lignted with plate-glass,
windows, and on the side next the passage, the)
doors and windows are filled with ground tai: |
The dining-room is spacious, and contains on
the walls large maps on spring rollers. The
royal bed-room on the other side of the royal!
yacht is very retired, and with the dressing
closet, chastely fitted up. The posts of the
royal bed are beautifully carved, and the cor- |
ners of the roof have each the figure of a
dolphin, richly gilt; the curtains are of a pure!
white ground with a subdued carmine-coloured
representation throughout the whole of a simple:
yet elegant opening bud, with two or three
leaves attached. The fringes are of a warmer)
crimson colour, and harmonise beautifully with |

and passages is formed of concave and convex
representations of a sea shell, the convex one
being gilt. The entire interior of the royal yacht
may be justly termed a naval palace befitting
the Queen of the Ocean.

WestminitER SBrince.—The following
strange prophecy concerning Westminister,
bridge, appeared in vol. xxxi. of the Centle-

man’s Magazine, published in 1761. Our rea-'

is, perhaps, the most majestic pile of the kind
in all Europe, but, although it appears strong,
yet on a critical examination, itis demonstra-
bly feeble. It is top-heavy, and too narrow for
its height: the piers are by no means propor-'
tioned to the weight they sustain, nor do they
take sufficient hold of the bed of the river, but |
stand loosely on the bottoms of the caissons'
they are built in, and, what is still worse, the;
bed of the river, between all the piers, continues
quite open and unguarded ; the consequence of
which must be that in case any one part of
the bed of the river under ary of the salient
angles of the piers proves softer than the rest,
which may not be improbable, then that softer
part must in time give way; and, though the
sinking may at present be imperceptible, even
by a plummet, yet the immense weight of the
superstructure, and the sandy footing of the
piers, will in time produce a very disagreeable
effect; whence itis evident that building piers
in caissons is liable to great objections. ‘ e

SS ee ee

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ALPHABET IN SEFTON CHURCH, NEAR LIVERPOOL, ERECTED ABOUT THE TIME
OF HENRY THE EIGHTH.
No. 73

*
Ps cal ee ee 1, III. 1d.

SaTuRpAY, |

Wabitations of the Woor.—No, i.

OR the im-
provement of
large

and

our
towns,
even the sub-
urbs, much
has
done, and is
still doing, in
the
widening
streets, pull-

been

way of

down
substituting

ing
and
straight and regular lines of buildings, pos-

crowded thoroughfares,

sessing a near approach to regularity in eleva-
tion and tastefulness of design; still these
works have been the products of time; and
while the middle and higher classes have been
deriving great benefits both in the erection of
possessing every
modern comfort, and from trade being par-
tially diverged from particular localities into
every direction, leading to the formation of
whole: streets of new shops, with handsome
facades, all tending to show the progress of
public opinion and the growing taste for im-
provement in building, what a striking dif-
ference do the habitations of the labouring
classes present! In order to make room for
these new streets, which spring up with mar-
vellous rapidity, “like mushrooms in the
night,’’ alleys, courts, and crowded thorough-
fares, containing accommodation for thousands
of the working classes, are destroyed—public
money first being employed, by authority of
Act of Parliament, in purchasing the crazy
tenements at far more than their real value;
and when the ground is cleared, instead of re-
erecting homes for a similar class of tenants,
where the industrious mechanic might reside
and carry on a small trade, large houses are
erected, with rentals that drive the small
tradesman and the working man to beat up
fresh ground, and accept equally scanty ac-
commodation at a greater cost than before the

more convenient houses,

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT. [SEPTEMBER 30, 1848.

philanthropist first visited the court. Though
Acts of Parliament have been applied for and
finally gained, and even come into operation,
still, but little, if any, advance has been made
in the dwelling of the mechanic.

The shopkeeper calls in workmen to put
large sheets of plate-glass in his shop-front, or
even, perhaps, to rebuild his business premises
—yet you find that that same tradesman never
dreams of building with his surplus profits.
Oh,'no! not he; for he can buy cheaper—he}|
can take advantage of the times and the
depression of trade—he can lend money on
mortgage—he can dabble in Capel-coutt,
and a hundred other things, all more advan-
tageous than budding ; and when these people
do become possessed of house property, is is
useless to tell them of ventilation or stability—
to such topics as these they turn a deaf ear,
satisfied that if the house possessed every possible
comfort that could be suggested, it would yield no
higher per centage. ow fallacious, however,
is this notion; and yet how difficult to per-
suade a person so, even when his daily expe-
rience proves him in error! For instance, take
the case of a builder who runs up six small
houses: he lets them, before they are well
finished, to tenants at a high rental, say £14 a-
year, subject to 30s. ground-rent; he does not
wait to see quarter-day, but sells these houses
for £700, telling the purchaser that they are
respectably tenanted, as cheap as dirt, and,
finally, that they pay more than 10 per cent.
Neither builder nor purchaser calculate the
purchase money by the labour and materials
employed in the erection, but by a calculation
as baseless, shifting, and uncertain as the sea-
sons, which is, ‘‘ What per centage will the
purchase pay at the rents that the tenants may
be then paying or have engaged to pay?”
Now, we do not hesitate to say that these
houses (without assuming hardly any depre-
ciation of value) would not realise more than
five to six per cent.; for it will be found, after
the first few quarters have passed, that the
purchaser must keep a jobbing carpenter] |.
almost as a domestic servant, and that in a few
years, these houses, so nice to look af, will,
from faulty drainage, have rats and mice tra-
velling in all directions up the quartered parti-
tions, round the skirtings between the joists,

299

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

and, through the timber not being sufficiently
|seasoned at first, that vermin of every descrip-
\tion will find their way into every room. We
can with equal truth aver that this very econo-
mical purchaser might not only have built
those identical houses with such materials as
would not only have obviated the necessity for
any but trifling repairs, but that those houses
would be respectably tenanted, and that, with-
Jout one farthing additional cost, he would
have benefitted six families, and provided
them with homes that would have increased
the self-respect of their inmates. It is the
purchase and encouragement of miserable
tenements that increases drunkards and
thieves, while the erection of homes possessing
a share of the comfort always carefully seen to
in the houses of the wealthy, would secure
order, decency, and cheerfulness around the
|\hearth of the British mechanic.

James Brooks.

A Mint to Picture-Bealers.
We have, on more than one occasion, noticed
the tricks of the picture-dealing trade in our
pages; and being anxious to lay before our
readers such information on the subject as
may tend to put them on their guard against
the disreputable practices of certain indi.
viduals whose honesty is certainly comprised
in a smaller compass than their ingenuity, we
now add the following to our list. About a
fortnight since, a man called upon a print-
seller residing not a hundred miles from our
publishing office, and offered for sale an old
painting, evidently executed in water colours,

art, somewhat the worse from age, &c., but most
carefully restored—the subject being a portrait
of Mitrox. Representing himself as being in
immediate want of money, the individual
offered the painting at a low figure, which the
other, however, declined giving; but, ulti-
mately, a bargain was struck, at a somewhat
reduced price, and the printseller bought the
picture under the impression that he had
secured a prize. A day or two elapsed, and
he hung it outside his door for sale, when
suddenly, a shower of rain coming on, and
several of the drops falling upon the picture,

he was considerably startled at perceiving
three longitudinal rows of white streaks appear
upon its surface. To inquire into the cause of}
the phenomenon was but the work of an
instant, when the reader may readily imagine
his surprise and chagrin upon discovering that
all the antiquity the picture possessed was
imparted by a thick layer of Spanish liquorice !
—the so-called painting being nothing more
than a common print coloured, but so dis-
guised beneath the saccharine coating as to
readily mislead even the practised eye of a
connoiseur. We understand that several of
‘these modern-antiques are now about.

Gxhibition for Mlinov WMBorks
of Art.

A corREsPONDENT of our’s has this week
offered a suggestion (published in another
column) which we should vastly like to see
carried into effect. Every mechanical effort
springing from the ingenuity of man, must
always vary in the excellence of its execution
according to the skill, perseverance, and taste
of him whose hands may have fashioned it to
its present appearance.

Every man is not a Micnaet Anceto,—and
we do not think the less of St. Paul’s Cathe-
dral because St. Peter’s at Rome still exists ;
then, why should not the rude, but promising,
attempts of incipient genius find a place of|
honour and reward ?—why, to state the case
shortly, should we not have regularly-formed
institutions established professedly for the
patronage and encouragement of the younger
members of all crafts requiring the exertion of

and bearing every mark of a genuine work of'| intellect, judgment, and manual dexterity?

These are questions worthy of our deepest
consideration. The proposition which we set
forth is neither novel nor chimerical : the prac-
tice of past ages removes all doubt about the
first, and our daily experience amidst the
youthful of both sexes fully convinces us of
the truth of the second.

To place encouragement in the path of the
young is tantamount to erecting a signal light
upon some dangerous shoal. None but those
who have struggled upwards, unaided, from
obscurity to a prominent position in the esti-
mation of their fellow-beings, can form a

, THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

corzect idea of the early sufferings both of
heart and brain of the secret toiler for future
honour! None but these can estimate sufli-
ciently the agonising pain which the rebuffs of
a callous world inflict upon the sensitive
minds of those who toil incessantly in the hope
of gaining its approbation, and upon whom
judicious encouragement would fall like
manna from heaven to cheer up their energies,
flagging under misfortune, and enervate them
to renewed strugeles,—nay, even to ‘implant
in their breasts a honourable ambition to per-
form successfully the difficult journey which
leads to perfection.

Upon a future occasion we will endeavour to
project a plan for the accomplishment of this
desideratum; in the meantime we shall be
open to receive suggestions from our readers,
and we hope they will not be backward in for-
warding any communications likely to assist
us in our attempt.

Simplicity.
Stmpticity is that quality, which, in all the
arts, is opposed to exuberance or pretension.
We say that a work of art possesses a noble
simplicity when the effect produced by it is
the result of means neither numerous nor com-
plicated. We say also that a form is simply
beautiful when, as in the majority of antique
vases, it pleases by its agreeable contour
alone, without the assistance of any acces-
sories. With regard to an edifice similar
remarks apply. It is simply elegant when
there is no confused or contradictory diversity
\of parts, and when the whole is harmonious
land graceful: Experience has abundantly
proved that simplicity, as distinguished from
meanness or boldness, is always conformable
to good taste. This quality may be evidenced
in all the different portions of a work, from the
general plan even to the execution of the
minutest details. The best works of art are
always the simplest in point of design. Their
projectors sought the principles of grandeur
and beauty not in a superfluous quantity of
parts, but in unity, in connection, in. tout
ensemble. It is true that the great masters
have sometimes produced works the composi-
tion of which is extremely rich, but only when

223)

the subject necessarily demanded such pro-
fusion. When Poussin painted the gathering
of manna by the Israelites in the Desert, he
could not limit himself to a small number of
figures. But often, in the finest specimens of
pictorial art, a single group, composed of four
or five figures, is found sufficient to tell an|}
interesting story, and to display the most con-
summate ability in the artist.
In order to attain this
quality, the artist should take care to propose
to himself one great aim, one principal point
de vue, to which everything else should be
subordinate. The grand style presupposes
simplicity in all its parts:—in subject, in
forms, in attitudes, in composition, in ordon-
nance, in accessories, &c. It presupposes also
a great mind in him who practises—a high
taste in him who appreciates and applauds it.

most desirable

Co Corvesponvents, Ke.

—_—_

WRITE LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH
THY WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MAY BE
READILY DECYPERED BY THE RECIPIENTOF THY
COMMUNICATION.

—

“ Charles( Bath). —We are much obliged, and
shall be glad of the assistance promised.

Mr. I. Thompson is thanked. Two proofs

shall be forwarded as soon as the engraving 2s
nished. We shall be glad to hear from him

again, when convenient.

“ A, §.°—We are much obliged. The alphabet
forwarded appears in this number. The proofs
shall be forwarded with the tracing, as our corres-
pondent desires.

“<M. W. D.’—Thanks for your favourable
opinion and the enclosure.
Other correspondents in onr next.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, Sc., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.’'—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readersas will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, Sc.

Cases for Vols, I. and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-|}
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

*,* Any of our readers having complete
Aurnasets of an ornamental description suits
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige u-
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 18 is now ready, price 7d.

TOE
KS
te

THE DECORATORS © ASSISTANT.

An Elustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
Untertor Mecorvation, Ke. -

——

[Continued from page 214.]

_ Fan Tracery, a description of tracery used
in Gothic architecture, the contour of which

resembles the form of a fan.

Friyine Burrress (in Gothic architecture), a
buttress supporting an outwork, and archway,
or a corridor, where the masonry supported
| springs from a wall on the opposite side.

||FLYING BUTTRESS FROM THE SOUTH TRANSCEPT
OF SALISBURY CATHEDRAL.

‘ Frit-crarn, the mode of splitting or sawing

timber in a line passing across the centre or
heart of the tree; itis opposed to the mode of
cutting, which following, as near as may be
the course of the annular rings, is called
quarter grain. >

Fire-proor Hovses, vaulted or arched

buildings may be constructed entirely of stone
or brick, and consequently will be incombusti-
ble; but the necessary thickness of the walls|}

arkens the rooms; and this mode of building
is also too expensive for. dwelling-houses.
Various methods have been adopted to attain
the intended purpose, and to obviate difficul-
ties; cast iron instead of timber joists have
been used, and plates of iron for floors and
roofs.

Froor, the bottom of a room. Floors are
commonly made of wood, which ought to be
well seasoned, to prevent its springing: the
timber and the boards for this purpose must
therefore be rough planed, and put out to dry
twelve months previous to their belng used.
For ground-floors, flagstones or bricks are
frequently used, or a composition of burnt clay
and sharp sand, mixed up with bullock’s
blood, which being well beaten together, and
spread out with a smooth surface, makes a
beautiful and firm floor. But plaster of Paris
with other ingredients, finely sifted, makes floors
nearly equal in appearance to marble; and
marble is frequently used for the floors of halls
and splendid apartments.

Franxine, a term used by the makers of
window-sashes, and applied to the mode of
forming the joint where the cross pieces of the
frame intersect each other.

Frieze-Pangu, the upper panel of a door of
six panels.

Frizeze-Ratt, the rail next to the top rail of
a dvor of six panels.

FricipARIUM, an apartment in the Roman
bath, supplied with cold water.

Funnet, the inside of the shaft of a chimney.

Furrines, are flat pieces of timber used by
carpenters to bring dislocated work to aregular
arrangement, by drawing the chief parts of it
to one regular surface.

Fusurote, a small member in form of a
collar, with somewhat long beads under the
echinus, or-quarter-round, of pillars of the
Doric, Ionic,-and Composite orders.

Cuinese Carvinc.—The means by whick the
concentric balls which come from China can be
carved one within the other, have long been
matter of dispute. No join is to be discovered,
but a recent traveller states positively that each
ball is constructed of two pieces, the edges of
which are so finely scraped down, that the edge
of one hemisphere is made to overlap its coun-
terpart with the’greatest nicety. Thus one ball is
easily inclosed within another. The joinings||-
are then united by a peculiarly strong cement,
aided by the employment of steam and pres-
sure. He says that any one who wishes to make
the expensive trial will soon ascertain the fact
by applying a very powerful heat to one of these
balls, which will open at the joints in due
time.

a eS EE EO La NS

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

225

ARABIAN CHAPTERS,

Fonts.—The shape of the interior, or aper-
ture, is almost always circular; irrespectively of
the external form of the bowl. A very few
foliated bowls occur, as at Wellow, Somerset,
and Lenton, Nottinghamshire ; an idea perhaps
derived from the orifices of piscinz. No ex-
ample of an octagonal bewl has come to our
knowledge, except those of Lanteglos, Corn-
wall, and Yate,.Gloucestershire. Square aper-
tures are not very uncommon in Norman Fonts.
For the diameter and depth of the bowl in
ancient Fonts no rule can be given: from one
and a half to two feet wide by about one foot
deep seem the average measuremants. One
of the largest bowls we have met with is at
Bradley, Lincolnshire, which is nearly a yard
across. It is, however, well known that ancient
Fonts were made large enough for the complete
immersion of infants. Exceptions to this all
but universal practice are very rare; one or
two instances are quoted in the Archzologia,
j|vol. xi. p. 123. At Horbling and Dembleby,
Lincolnshire, are extremely small and pro-
bably modern Fonts formed out of a stem or
shaft. The violation of the same principle,
arising from the unhappy custom of aspersion
now prevalent in the English Church, is one of
the commonest and worst faults of modern
usage. We have seen solid Fonts, in which
about a cup-full of water would lie in a small
cavity at the top. The general use of white
basins and other paltry and irreverent expedi-
ents are too well known to need remark or com-
ment. Modern Fonts, until lately, when some
very fine imitations of ancient models have
been executed in stone, have generally been
either pots of Wedgewood ware placed upon
or under the Altar, or at least within the

FROM GRANADA.

Altar rails, or in the Chancel; or they have
been meagre stone pedestals with a small
white marble basin on the top, or perhaps}!
Italian vases with all sorts of pagan devices
upon them. These and such practices are
fearful abuses both of common propriety and
rubrical ordinances. It is not our province to
speak of the corresponding depreciation of a
Holy Sacrament, which has ever been found to
accompany contempt for and neglect of the
visible instruments of its administration. We
would rather dwell lightly on the faults of a
most uncatholic and perverted spirit, which
turned out of the churches in hundreds their
beautiful ancient Fonts, and profanely con-
verted them into water-troughs to catch the rain
from the roof, or supply the animals of the field
with drink. But at the same time we must
endeavour to amend the many abuses in this
respect which are yet to be lamented in our
own times. The number of desecrated Fonts
which has come to our knowledge in the course
of the present publication is a startling proof
how very far we are yet removed from a return
to those Catholic practices, which the bitterest
hatred and the strongest puritanical influence
could not abolish from the Church of the seven-
teenth century, but which we have lived to see
rendered obsolete by mere apathy and idle
content. But it may be hoped that interest in
the things themselves is ever intimately con-
nected in a right mind with interest in their
use ; and that we shall yet see the profanations
which exist in the Church vanish before the
revival of a neglected ritual and with it of a
more rigorous superintendence over ecclesias-
tical matters.—Paleys’ Illustrations of Bap-
tismal Fonts.

996 . THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

mists can all well understand, that supposing:
we lived and moved in an atmosphere of coal
gas, instead of one of oxygen and nitrogen, as
at present, our gas manufactories would have’
to use not coal but manganese, or some other
product yelding oxygen. Imagine two gas-
ometers, one filled with coal gas, and having a
gas chandelier hung from the roof, inside, and
this connected by a flexible pipe, with the
second gasometer, filled with atmospheric air
or oxygen; itis evident that the air or gas
might be pressed from this second gasometer
through the flexible tube, down the tubes of the
chandelier, into the coal gas occupying the first
gasometer. If flame, or the electric spark,
were then immediately applied to the jets, on
the instant of their so issuing from the chande-
lier, combustion would proceed as at present;
only apparently atmospheric air would seem to
be acombustible! This is just what is taking
place in the argand furnaces; the air so to speak,
is showered into the volumes of coal gas, in
innumerable small jets, ensuring complete
admixture and rendering combustion so per-
fect, as entirely to avoid those dense clouds of}
smoke, which disgrace the funnels of every
steam-boat on the river, and all the large works
in and about our otherwise favored town.

The Smoke Puisance.

—_—

A correspondent ‘of the Kentish Mercury
makes the following important remarks :—

Avery simple question, if answered sci-
entifically, would at once suggest the only
proper method of going to work, to seek a
j|jremedy for this abomination of modern times,
\jthis foul stain on our boasted knowledge, in
{conducting every process of manufacture on the
||best and most approved principal. Now, what
is the cause of smoke? _ What his the cause of
smoke in a lamp or candle? Can any one, the
merest tyro in chemical science, doubt but it is
wholly and solely referable to ‘imperfect
combustion?’? We have no smoke ina good
argand lamp, and we have no smoke from a
well trimmed candle, On the subject of the
combustion of coal, I know no better treatise,
than that by Charles Wye Williams, Esq. He
demonstrates in a very lucid manner, that the
product of coal in furnaces, the crude carbu-
retted (or coal) gas, can only be consumed
perfectly, without smoke, by admitting a due
{|proportion of atmospheric air; but, as the
injudicious admission of air into furnaces would
affect the draught, cool the flues, and be other-
wise prejudicial, he shows that it can only be
admitted advantageously in small jets, and this
he effects by a very ingenious arrangement of
apparatus, which literally showers into the
great body of heated impure coal gas, coming
from the incandescent fuel in the furnace, many
hundreds of jets of pure air, so that immediate
mixture ensues, with perfect combustion of the
gas, and the total. absence of smoke. Mersrs.
Dircks and Co., the well known furnace archi-
tects, of Moorgate Streets, City, have erected
upwards of 500 furnaces on this improved
principle, which was patented some years ago.
and gives rise to what are called argand
furnaces. Smoke being, as just stated, the
result of imperfect combustion, we find that
the purest coal gas, so pure that when collected
in a bell glass over water it is as pellucid as the
air we breathe, would if burnt from a wide tube
smoke intolerably, yet only screw on the same
tube an argand gas burner, and as we now
give the gas to the air in jets, thereby increas-
ing its surface and facilitating its admixture
with the oxygen of the atmosphere during com-
bustion, we obtain perfect, what in the first
instance was crude and imperfect, and as a
consequence have a clear, brilliant, smokeless
flame. What we do inthis case, we must at-
tempt to effect in the combustton of the crude
coal gas on the larger scale of engine boiler and
other fnrnaces. But as in these we cannot col-|
leet and control the hot gas, and reduce it to
jets, Mr. Williams in his practise found that it.
answered every purpose of pefect combustion
if the air was presented to the gas in jets. Th.
thus reversing the operation, theory and prac-_
tice agree, the chemist can burn a jet of oxygen |
in an atmosphere of coal gas; or he can burn a|
{jet of coal gas in an atmosphere of oxygen, so
that each becomes to the other a supporter of
}}combustion, according to circumstances. In
short, it is a curious circumstance, which che-

Shetield School of MBestgn.

—

On the 7th inst. the annual meeting of the
Sheftield School was held, Lord Wharneliffe in|
the chair, when a report was read, stating that
larger premises were being fitted up for the
school ; that candidates were at this time wait-
ing for admission : that some of the pupils had
been admitted to study in the botanical gardens;
that tlre council had the satisfaction of fre-
quently receiving the testimonies of many||
manufacturers as to the increased intelligence
and artistical knowledge displayed by those
young ‘men in their employment, who are re-
ceiving instruction in the school; and they
appealed not to the manufacturers alone, but
to all classes of the community for assistance.

The chairman madea very good adress.
After praising the works exhibited, he said—I
am sure I need not enlarge on the immense
advantages obtained by giving to artisans of
the town the skill which the execution of such
works as we now witness display: but I think
it doubtful still whether the nature, benefits,
and objects of the school are fully appreciated
by those connected with it. I do not mean to
underrate at all—far from it—the value of such
acquirements as are exhibited in these works.
I have said that they are of great value. An
artisan who has the power of drawing correctly,
and who-has access to such subjects of study
as this institution affords, has great advantages
over one who has not such opportunities. But}
I think it desirabie to remind all connected with|
such establishments, that this is not the whole, |
or the most important object to be achieved by
such institutions. Let us recollect the title of
them—that very title shews that they are not||
merely academies for drawing or modelling,|

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

but schools of “‘design.”” Whatis meant by
such a term? It meansa school which not
only gives the power of executing such works,
but of designing, inventing, and composing
such combinations of art, and producing such

original works as those exhibited in that room.

That is the great object intended, and it is to
that (on the part of the master and all con-
nected with the institution) that the attention
of the pupils must be directed; for we cannot
go on for ever copying works: we must form
new combinations, and improve on the subjects
handed down to us, and multiply the many
sources of beauty which decorate the different
subjects of life. We may depend upon it that
what we should look at principally is not mere-
ly skill but the formation of taste, which is one
of the most difficult of all objects in connection
with the arts.

His lordship pointed owt the necessity of
education the mind to perceive and appreciate
the beautiful. He said, itis to acquire suc
efficiency as to enable the mind of the pupil to
extract the beauties, and combine them, and
present to the eye that which is agreeable, that
these institutions are established; and if this
is obtained, immense advantages will be
acquired by the trade they are in connection
with; by the community among whom they are
to be found: and the country will think it wise
to give its funds to support such institutions.
I cannot see why this country should be behind
others in the possession of those acquirements
which it is the object of these schools to impart.
Above 100 years ago one of our greatest poets
exclaimed—

*©Q, when shall Britain, conscious of her claim
Stand emulous of Greek or Roman fame ?’’

I think thatinstead of Greek and Roman fame,
we may say French and German fame. At
present we are unable to compete with them in
matters of art. Why should this be? Weare
not behind them in emulation, or the exercise
of the understanding. Those who go abroad
will scarcely ever find themselves on a foreign
steamer or a railway but they meet with
English engineers, and skill from England,
which is thought necessary to superintend their
establishments. Why, then, should there be
one department of industry, or I should rather
say one branch of the exercise of the under-
standing, in which we are behind other nations ?
Depend upon it there can be no sound reason
for it: itis a want of education in that particu-
lar branch of knowledge—it is a want of the
habit of mind for contemplating the beautiful ;
and unless we can attain this point for all those
concerned in the operations of this country,
and enable them by their own knowledge and
habits to investigate different forms—until we
can give them that benefit we shall not be in a
position to vie with other countries.

Alderman Dunn, in urging the manufacturers
to assist the school, combated the absurd and
short-sighted objection made by some to the
school to this effect :—‘‘ We are established in
business, we have capital, and can command
skilful artisans ; and these institutions, by rais-

S
—_—_—_— oh h— eS ——-— Or OO OO OOO ee

227

ing up competition, take away part of the ad-
vantages of which we are in possession.” Such
observations appeared pitiable in the extreme ;
so contrary to every honest and good feeling
of our nature, that they might be sure, without
resorting to any metaphysical argument, that
there was some hitch in the matter. Mr.
Dunn continued, I take it that with regard to
the prosperity of the district, they are so bound
together one to another, that the prosperity of;
the meanest person toa certain extent affects
the position of the wealthiest individual, and
that persons in the working classes cannot be
educated, instructed, or raised in their class, |
but every class above them. is also raised in)
proportion. “The moral welfare of a great
part of our fellow townsmen is to considerable
extent bound up with the prosperity of this in-|
stitution. You cannot give a young man a love
and taste for art, but you raise his moral educa-

tion ; and therefore looking at both the money
and moral parts of the question, I feel that the
welfare and prosperity not only of the working
classes, but the masters and manufacturers of
Sheffield, is considerably involved in the suc-
cess of this institution, and in raising up a.
higher appreciation of art than now exists.”

Thanks being voted to Mr. Mitchell, the head
master of the school, with many complimentary |
remarks on his efficiency,

Mr. Mitchell, in his reply, very properly
pointed out that more time and study are re-
quired to make an artistthan are usually given.
He said,—With regard to the great superiority
of the English over the French and Germans,
your lordship remarked, our engineers and
mechanics are sent over all the world, and no,
doubt such is the case, but the reason is, our
mechanics take time to learn and to become,
proficient in their work—they labour under
skilful masters, with great assiduity and more
intellizence—therefore, they have more ex-
tended experience than continental manufac-
turers. On the contrary, the French artists
labour as hard as the English mechanics.
can speak to this fact, having myself been
educated three or four years in France. My
hours of study were from six in the morning
until eight or nine at night—12, 13, or 14 hours
a day, and this not merely for days, or months,
but for years. This will account for the
superiority of France over England in this
department. The drawings now exhibited are
executed by pupils who come tired to the
school for an hour or two each evening, and
are worthy of admiration. The object of this
school is to bring up young men to be accom-
plished designers; but an accomplished de-
signer is not—to use a common expression—
made as a Birmingham button, but only by
assiduous study: he must be an intelligent
man, and conversant with history; he must
give his whole time to the study of artif he
wish to be an accomplished artist or designer ;
and it is almost impossible to have an accom-
plished designer who devotes but six hours a
week to the study. How can you expect under

such circumstances to compete with French
artists who labour twelve hours a day for years
before they offer to gain a single sixpence?

Les
2 a

The Miah Lebel Isridvae.

—_

‘“¢ Wuo would have thought it ?”’ asks the Gates-
head Observer. Yes! who would have thought
it? Fifty—twenty—ten years ago—who would
have thought it? Who would have dreamt
that, in the year of grace, 1848, a ponderous
engine, weighing we know not how many tons,
j|and drawing we know not how many passen-
gers, would shoot across the Tyne from Gates-
head to Newcastle, at an elevation of 130 feet
above the water! The Scots, when firing can-
non balls along the same line, in their siege of
Newcastle, had no conception that a generation
would arise which would send a locomotive-
engine on that identical course; nor had the
poet Darwin realised the stupendous feat of
the 10th, when, dimly descrying the glory of
the coming time, he wrote the prophetic dis-
tich—
‘* Soon shall thy arm, unconquer’d Steam, afar
Drag the slow barge and drive the rapid car!??

It was well, therefore, amid the forest of flags
and banners that sprung up on the 10th in-
stant, in Newcastle and Gateshead, from the
railway-station and the townhall, and tke
Observer office, and other points, on this side of
the Tyne, and along the high-level bridge, and
from the old castle of Newcastle, and the ship-
ing on the river, bearing the inscriptions of
“Hudson for ever,” and ‘‘ Stephenson,’’ and
“Railways and Commerce,” &c., &c., &c.,;
it was well, we say, that some one (probably
our ‘‘oldest inhabitant’) hoisted in Gates-
head, over the new ‘‘ getting up stairs’’ station
of our borough, a flag which put the question
that must already have arisen in many minds:
—‘* Who would have thought it?” Never was
such a day witnessed before on the banks of
the Tyne. The builders of the bridge, who
had completed the temporary structure which
was to serve its purposes till the perma-
nent erection was finished, had not thought
of opening it with éclat; it was only in com-
pliance with the solicitations of friends that
they handelled it with a public ceremony;
and they were hardly prepared for the enthu-
siasm with which the partial accomplishment
of their gigantic work was hailed by the
‘people. The population of the two towns and
their vicinities turned out en masse; and Dar-
lington poured a thousand or more of its in-
habitants into our streets, the railway having
transported them to the banks of the Tyne at
less than a farthing per mile! . . From
the train the view was as strange as it was
interesting and beautiful. Everywhere human
heads were visible. Streets were thronged
—the old bridge was clustered from end to end
—the ships swarmed with gazers—church-
towers and spires had crowds of tenants—

ousetops were covered—the battlements of
the old castle were both manned and womaned
—the two towns, in short, were ‘‘turned in-
side out.” . . . Onward went the train,
soaring aloft over applauding Newcastle —over

known thoroughfares, all paved with human

THE DECORATOR’S

Dean-street, Pilgrim-street, and other well-:

ASSISTANT.

faces, upturned to catch the woudrous sight.
One common joy filled the population. The
richest and the poorest were alike infected;
and one old lady, hanging forward from the
window of her miserable attic, waved an un-
mistakeable flannel petticoat in the wind, as she
said to herself—(the words were plainly written
in her face) —“ Who would have thought it?”’

The National Gallery,

REPORT,

From the Select Committee of the Commons,
appointed ‘“‘to consider of the best mode of
providing additional room for works of art
given to the public or purchased by means of
parliamentary grants.”

“Tn considering the matter submitted to their
attention, your committee were naturally led
to turn their first thoughts to the valuable col-
lection of pictures just presented to the country
by Mr. Vernon. They have been gratified to
find that temporary accommodation can be at
once provided for them within the precincts of!
the National Gallery itself, although the amount
of room, now but barely sufficient for this
single purpose, and the early prospect of greater
demands upon it, render it most desirable that
additional space should be provided as soon as
may be possible

““Your committee are unwilling to pass from
this topic without recording their sense of the
public spirit and considerate liberality which
have prompted this living bequest on the part
of Mr. Vernon, and they entertain no doubt
that the public gratitude will furnish the most
powerful incentive‘forleliciting further instances
of munificence similar in kind, as well as the
most honourable reward to him who has affor-
ded this noble example. To this end, however,
the means of adequate reception seem to be an
indispensable requisite. ,

“* The likelihood, therefore, of fresh supplies
to the National Repository of Art, whether
derived from individual generosity, or by
gradual purchases from the public funds,ren-
ders it advisable that the best mode of dealing
with the National Gallery should be promptly
taken into consideration. Your committee
cannot but regard the present building to be not
only deficient in the requisite space, but, what-
ever may be the merit of particular portions or
details, to be also very much wanting in the
dignity and elevation due both to its purpose
anditssite. They have not omitted to consider
the question, whether it would be expedient to
erect an entirely new building upon another
spot, and with this view they gave their atten-
tion to the most obvious situations in the
metropolis; but, after careful deliberation, they
unanimously concurred in the opinion, that
taking into account—

““The commanding nature of the site occu-
pied by the present building, to which perhaps
it would be difficult to find a parallel in our
own or any other capital : i

“ Its accessibility, and nearness to the chief
thoroughfares, and centres of business, which

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

are fed by what has been described in a well-

known phrase as*the fullest tide of human
existence:’

‘The aids to economy, which, without sacri-
ficing the beauty of effect which a new front
and additional height may confer om the struc-
ture, would be furnished by the rare circum-
stance of only one ornamental front being ren-
dered necessary from the disposition of the
ground, and by tle means which are at hand
for making use of the whole of the present
interior, due regard being paid to the con-
venience of the Royal Academy in procuring
suitable accommodation elsewhere :

““The space for enlargement, which, in the

exigencies of the collection, might be supplied
by occupying the uncovered ground now in the
occupation of public establishments, in the rear
of the present building,—

“For all these combined reasons, without
presuming to indicate the precise period for the
commencement of such a work, the determina-

that whenever it is undertaken, the enlarged
and improved National Gallery should be on
the same site as the present; and for the com-
pletion of such a work, which ought to be not
unworthy of the age, the country, and its own
destination, they would gladly see the most
eminent talent of the nation invited to complete
in designing an appropriate and enduring mo-
nument.
“September 1, 1848.”

Tue New Suspension-Bripce at Niacara
Fauus.—It makes the head dizzy to look at it,
says the Albany Journal, and yet itis traversed
with as much security as any other bridge of
the same width. Wewere present while the
workmen were engaged in hanging the planks
over the fearful chasm. It looked like a work
of peril, but it was prosecuted with entire safety.
Not an accident has happened since the first
chord was carried across the river at the tail of
a kite. Jtis impossible to give the reader a
clear idea of the grandeur of the work. Ima-
gine a foot bridge 800 feet in length, hung in
the air, at the height of 230 feet, over a vast
body of water rushing through a narrow gorge
at the rate of 30 miles an hour. If you are be-
low it, it looks like a strip of paper suspended
by a cobweb. When the wind is strong, the
frail, gossamer looking structure waves te and
fro as if ready to start from its fastenings, and
it shakes from extremity to centre under the
firm tread of the pedestrian. We saw the first
person pass over it—Mr. Ellet, the builder.
His courageous wife soon followed him, and
for two days hundreds, attracted by the novelty
of the thing, took the fearful journey. Strange
as it may seem, there were those who had no
hesitation to slide over the awful chasm in a
basket, upon a single wire cable, who could
not be induced to walk over the bridge. When
you find yourself suspended in the air, with
the roaring, rushing, boiling Niagara’ 250 feet
below you, if your heart don’t flutter, you will
have nerve enough to swing over Vesuvius!

process of time, and concurrently with the |

Artificers’ UeAork.
Ne. VES
PLUMBERS’ WORK.

Plumbers’ work is rated at so much a pound, |

or else by the hundred weight, of 112 pounds.
Sheet lead used in roofing, guttering, &c., is
from 7 to 12lb. to the square foot.
| of an inch bore is commonly 18 to 14 lb. tothe
yard im length.

And a pipe

Ex.—What cost the covering and guttering
a roof with lead, at 19s. the cwt,; the length

of the roof being 43 feet, and breadth or
girth over it 32 feet—the guttering 60 feet long,
jand 2 feet wide, the former 91b., and the
latter 8lb. to the square foot?—Ans. £113
|3s. 83d.

tion of which may be governed by other con-|
siderations, your committee would recommend |

Extineuisuine Fires 1n Sures.—Flame or
combustion cannot go on where there is car-
bonie acid gas. This is one of the elementary
principles of chemistry. It may be shown in
various ways: A lighted taper thrust into a jar
of carbonic acid gas is instantaneously extin-
guished; or, if we take the glass of a common
argand burner, and close the upper end of it by
a flat plate of glass, or even by a piece of card
or pasteboard, firmly, so completely as to pre-
vent any current of air through the tube, on
introducing for about an inch or so the flame
of a candle at the other extremity (the glass
of the argand burner being held upright), it
will shortly, usually in the space of little more
than a minute, be extinguished, merely by the
accumulation of the carbonic acid gas pro-
duced by its own combustion. The produc-
tion of carbonic acid gas is completely at our
command, for on adding dilute sulphuric acid
to chalk, we can set at liberty, in the space of
two or three minutes, enormous volumes of the
so called fixed air. ‘The cost of material for a
ship of 1,000 tons would not exceed, at the ut-
most £15 or £20 sterling. By means Of tubes
proceeding from the upper deck, in connection
with a cistern containing the dilute sulphuric
acid, to the quarters below where there is most
likelihood of danger from fire, or moveable
hose (made of gutta percha), which can be
introduced into any part of the vessel,—the
oil of vitrol, previously diluted with water, can
be at once poured over the chalk (which is to
be thrown down in the place where the fire
rages), and immediately, the carbonic acid
being set at liberty, the fireis extinguished ;
for combustion cannot go on in an atmosphere
of carbonic acid gas. I have been much occu-
pied experimenting on this subject, and I
find that from five tons of chalk as much car-
bonic acid gas may be obtained as will be suffi-
cient to completely fill a vessel of 1,000 tons
burden. The expense of laying the tubes will
not exceed £30 or £40; and, once laid, there
is no further. trouble or expense.—Dr. Reid in
the ‘* Daily News.”

enue
230

The Chronotyptst,

Tue model of a new system of telegraphic
communication was recently exhibited in
the Liverpool. Underwriter’s Rooms. The
apparatus, and the principle upon which the
system is based, are each extremely simple; the
former consisting of gutta percha tubes con-
taining water, which water, when raised at
one end of the tube by pressure applied at the
opposite terminus, signifies various - given

tion. Practical experience would demonstrate,
we believe, however, that gutta percha is a
substance much too liable to contraction or
expansion from ‘the state of the atmosphere;
and the same objection applies equally to the
water inclosed’ therein.——-A new steam
frigate, of 1,400 tons burthen, named the
Viademir, has lately been completed for the
Emperor of Russia, built by Mr. Mare, late
of the firm of Ditchburn and Mare, at Black-
wall. She is fitted with engines of 500-horse
power, and is described as a fine specimen of
naval architecture : is replete in accommodation
both as regards the comfort of the officers
and crew, and the means of warfare; and is
throughout finished in a style of first rate ex-
cellence. The ward-room is a splendid saloon,
the officers’ berths being on either side. At
the midships is a buffet furnished with a splen-
did assortment of electro-plate, supplied by
the Russian Consul at Birmingham. The
officers’ cabins are fitted-up in a superior style,
each cabin containing a sofa-bed, escritoire,
jland chest of drawers, with water laid on.
The ports for admitting the light and air are
glazed with thick plate-glass windows, which,
by means of screws, can be opened to any ex-
tent, or completely and hermetically closed. The
captain’s cabin is asplendid semicircular room,
affording every'accommodation. The furniture
is crimson cut velvet. On the deck there is a
pavilion or cabin for the Emperor, in which
are a good-sized. cabin containing a sofa bed,
\\a dressing table, &c., and a small room for his
Majesty’s attendant, immediately adjoining.
The furniture in this pavilion is of mahogany
and green morocco leather. The deck affords
spacious accommodation for fighting or naviga-
ting the vessel, and for six 48-pounders which
are to be placed on traversing carriages.——
The most extraordinary journey that has yet
been made upon the Great Western Railway,
was performed on Saturday, August 26th, with
the Courier locomotive, from Didcotto Padding-
ton, with the 12 o’clock express train. from
Exeter, consisting of six carriages containing
60 tons. The Courier is one of the eight-wheel
class of engines, with eight-feet driving avheels,
18 inch cylinders, and 24 inch stroke ; and the
only difference between her and the others of
the class, the extraordinary speed of which
have been frequently recorded, is, that her tubes
are three inches shorter, and her fire-box larger
by six square feet. It appears that the engine
started from Didcot at 389 minutes 17 seconds
past three, and reached Paddington. at 28
minutes 13 secouds past four. The 53 milés

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

seconds, or at an average speed. of upwards,

j|signals, according to its greater or lesser eleva- |’

were performed in 49 minutes 13 seconds, or at) |

the average ‘speed of 67 miles per hour. Th

forty-seventh mile post was passed at 3.46.403,/|

and the fourth mile post at 4.23.244, so that
43 miles were performed in 36 minutes 44

of seventy miles per hour! | The train left.
Swindon at 3.9.1, stopped at Didcot 5 minutes
35 seconds, and reached Paddington at 4.28.13.
The 77 miles were therefore gone over in 78
minutes 29 seconds, including the 5 minutes
35 seconds stoppage at Didcot. 5

SHor-Front ARcHITECTURE.—Frequent as|
are the opportunities, and great as seems to be,
the solicitude, on the part of the occupiers of.
shops to render them as striking and.attractive
as possible in point of decoration, there is, in
reality, very little of either: novelty or variety
of shop-front architecture ;—scarcely a dozen
different examples can be pointed out in the
metropolis of any particular merit for their de-
sign. This is certainly not owing to excess of
economy, as many are got up regardless of
expense. Nevertheless such is the case; nor)
is it at all to be wondered at when the gene-'
rality of tradesmen universally begrudge, if not
their money, the requisite space for architec-|
tural design.
window is made a sine quad non, it is hopeless te)
look for propriety of architectural character,
either as regards front of house, or architec-
tural decoration in shop front: . The whole of
the lower part of the elevation becomes in
appearance a mere gap, without piers, or any

}

visible support to the mass above, which pro-||
duces an effect asif the glass sustained the||

whole weight. In some instances the door
jambs are not seen, and at the return ofa
corner the window is continued without any
interruption of a support of any kind at the
augles. There is nothing susceptible of
decoration, except, the bretsummer: or hori-
zontal lintel above the window; which, if;
treated architecturally, like an entablature,
occasions another offensive solecism and palpa-

ble defect, there being nothing for its support)}

as before mentioned, but the mahogany or
metal bars between the several sheets of plate-
glass. Neither is the effect very much more
satisfactory where Grecian Doric columns or
pilasters are used, as at present, viz., one on
each Side the door, and one at either extremity
of front, asin many cases the openings are many
according to the indication of the style, there
would necessarily be three or four other columns
between, as every tyro in architecture well
knows, agreeably with that order: the columns
were seldom more thana diameter-and-a-half
apart, and some times notso much, Of course
such a close intercolumniation, or any approxi-
mation to it, would be utterly impracticable in
a shop-front, but then why should a style be
employed merely for the purpose of being
mangled. Something might be attempted, if)
only experimentally, and ‘the ‘successful
instances would be so much pure gain, were
they only as hints for something still better.—
Builder. ! 19 974

So long as the greatest surface of |

Sarurpay, ]

Wabitations of the Woor.—No. Li.

OTWITHSTANDING
whatever may be said to the contrary,
we, cannot possibly fgil to be struck with
the fact, that all the charitable attempts
hitherto brought forward to improve the con-
dition of the working classes have begun at
the wrong end; for they endeavour by the aid
of religious and moral instruction to attempt
the conversion from intemperate and vicious
habits to those of
while the root of the evil evidently still exists,
as it is undeniable that while the landlord
neglects his houses, the tenant will suffer in
his domestic comforts, condition, and enjoy-
iment—for nothing will increase or decrease
the happiness or sober industry of the
werking-man more than the state of his home.
We are satisfied that if parks, public prome-
nades, and public galleries of arts and sciences,
&c., are formed on the supposition that it is
consulting the health and comfort of the poor,
that it is all the more essential for the coun-
teracting causes of domestic misery to be
removed. Imagine the appearance of a man
with his family seeking enjoyment in the park
—see the glow of health they gain, and how
clean their attire, while, on the other hand,
take a man whose house, situated in the dark
atmosphere of acourt or alley; perhaps with a
dunghill of decomposed matter under his
nose, with his energies prostrated, careless of
the world and of himself, The one you can
easily, and, in nine cases out of ten, conclude

sobriety and industry,

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT,

[OcrosreR 7, 18 203

to be industrious—the other reckless, anssional
to every impulse, nearly, of moral goor

The home of the first is cleanly and comfor! spirit
while that of the other is miserable and. to in-
contaminating the intellect while it deman of
the energies of the body. The Morning Fice his
in a recent able article on the importa, petty,
providing a better description of house ad some
dation for the labouring classes, says—‘‘ 1 food
the first step towards the improvement of f1.
social condition of the poor. It is the onlye
thing that can lead the working-man to that
self respect, which is the preservative against
moral contagion. ‘Give a mana bible anda
calling,’ said Rosert Hatt, thinking he had||
named everything necessary to keep mankind
out of mischief, give him a home, too, we would
add; it is the want of a home that makes
thieves, drunkards, and vagabonds, The brick-
layer must precede the schoolmaster; let the
parent have but a comfortable home, and there
is but little fear either for himself or his
children. If there be order, decency, and
regularity in his little household, comfort and
Give the poor

happiness will also be there.
man something to take a pride wn; let him feel
that while he respects himself—he is respected by
others, and the gin-shop, and the tavern, will
lose its charms. We know of nothing better
that the philantropist can do than to build
houses for the poor,—nay, there is nothing better
that the capitalist can do, for no investment can
be more profitable, whether in town or country.
Our labouring men are paying out of all pro-
portion to the real value of the tenements they
inhabit.”

The general propriety of improved drainage
and increased ventilation has been universally
admitted —nearly all large streets have now
main sewers, while the crowded thoroughfares
of the poorer class of houses must wait till their
richer and more fortunate fellow-creatures have
been served; so, in all late improvements, the
good has only, or in a degree out of all pro-
portion, been felt by the middle classes; so, in
parizhes where often the courts and alleys con-
tribute more than their moiety of taxes, all
ideas of improvement are neglected and sacri-
ficed to the leading thoroughfares, The pre-
sent government, it must be admitted, have at
last struck a decisive blow in favour of the

THE DECORATOR’ . ASSISTANT.

An Ulustratev Glossary of Technical
Terms used in Architectural anv
Interiot Mecorvation, Kc.

——

[Continued from page 224.]

i
| Framine, the principles of. The form of a
frame should be designed according to the
nature of the load it is to carry; for it is clear
that the framing which would be best adapted
for supporting a load in the middle, would not
be equally fit to carry a load at any other point
of its length. In carpentry the load is usually
distributed over the whole length of the fram-
ing; but it is generally supported from point to
point by short beams or joists.. We will first
consider the case where the load is collected to
one point of the length of the frame. And, in
order that the advantage of framing may be
more obvious, we will suppose its parts to be
cut out of a single beam, which in a solid mass
would have been too weak for the purpose.
Let fig. 1, be a piece of timber, and make the

Yip
“A

a
e
Ss

NWS
\
SS

saw-cuts in it which are shown by the dotted
lines, and in the same proportions, and remove
the triangular pieces E,F. Then raise the
pieces AE and AF till they form close joints at
E and F, and insert a piece of hard wood at A,
cut so as to fit the ends. The piece of timber
will then form a frame or truss, as represented
in fig, 2, if a slight strap in the middle be added
to sustain the lower part Bto the piece A. If
the depth of the frame at the middle be double
the depth of the beam, the strength of the frame
will be a little more than three times the
strength of the beam, and its firmness will be
very nearly eight times as great as that of the
beam. If the depth of the frame be made
three times the depth of the beam, as repre-

sented in fig. 2, it will be about six times as
strong as the beam, and about eighteen times
as firm or stiff:-that is, it would bend only an
eighteenth part of: what the beam would bend
by the same weight. When the depth of the
frame is increased in the middle to more than
three times the depth of the beam, the truss
ceases to be equally strong in all its parts, and

| has the greatest strength in the middle, but is

weak near to the joints at C and D.

To render the strength more equal, and to
obtain two points of support instead of one, the
piece A may be made longer, and joined, as in
fig. 8. But, in this case, if a greater weight
were to be supported at G than at H, there
would be a teudency to spring outwards at H,
and inwards at G. This may be effectually
prevented by inserting the short struts a, 6, and
the iron straps shown in the figure.

Frames or trusses constructed in this man-
ner are exceedingly strong, and easily made,
and the learner will gain much instruction by
trying them in model. The abutments at C
and D are stronger than any that can be formed
by mortises and tenons, and a small part of the}

wood being left whole at the angles C, D,
renders tenons unnecessary. The parts are
kept together at G and H by the straps. The
wood is abutted end to end, and therefore its
shrinkage cannot affect this truss.

Figure 4 shows two different modes of obtain-
ing the same kind of effect. In one of these a
short piece, G, is inserted, and connected to
the tie, B, by a strap. In the other, the con-
struction is the same as fig. 3, excepting that a
piece, HI, is notched on each side at the joint,
and the two pieces bolted together.

We have now to show why the strength of a
piece of timber is increased by forming it into
a truss; and to have a clear conception of this

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

subject is one of the most important in the
science of Carpentry.

Let ABC (fig 5,) be a truss, to support a
pressure to be applied at A ; the action of the
pressure wil] tend to spread the abutments B
and C apart; and the nearer we make the angle
BAC toa straight line, the greater pressure
will be exerted on the abutments B and C by
the same load at A. On the contary, if the
height be inereased, as in fig. 6, the stress tend-
ing to spread the abutments will be less.

But when the height, AD, is very small, as
in fig. 5, the stress on the abutments is very
great, and the parts BA and AC must be also
much compressed, and likely to fail through
the excess of strain on them; while there
is an immense strain, tending to thrust the
piece BC asunder in the direction of its length.
If AD were tobe no deeper than the solid
beam, there is no framing nor disposition of
the parts that would render the piece stronger
than the solid beam, unless some stronger
matter than timber were to be employed. A
beam may be stiffened a little by tight wedging
on the upper side, but the increase of stiffness
is very small, and it does not retain it for more
than a few months in a place where the truss
is exposed to vibration, as in floors of houses.

Face-Movutp; a mould for drawing the
proper figure of a hand-rail on both sides of
the plank ; so that, when cut by a saw to the
required inclination, the two surfaces of the
rail-piece, when laid in the right position, will
be everywhere perpendicular to the plan.

{To be continued.]

Mernop or Wetpine Iron, STEEL, AND
SueEt-Irnon.—In an earthen vessel melt borax,
and add to it 1-10th of sal-ammoniac. When
these ingredients are properly fused and mixed,
pour them out upon an iron plate, and let them

GOTHIC ORNAMENTS.

‘| mered, and the surfaces will be found to be

There is thus obtained a glassy matter,
to which is to be added an equal quantity of
quick lime. The iron or steel which are to be
soldered are first heated to redness; then this
compound, first reduced to powder, is laid
upon them—the composition melts and runs
like sealing-wax; the pieces are then replaced
in the fire, taking care to heat them at a tem-
perature far below that usually employed in
welding; they are then withdrawn and ham-

thus perfectly united. ‘The author asserts that
this process, which may be applied to welding
sheet-iron tubes, never fails.—Rec. dela Soc.
Polytech.

A Winter Garpen at VavxHati.—lt is
prosed to transform Vauxhall into a winter
garden. Itis said. that the four long avenues
which form the large quadrangle at present,
are to be increased about 20 feet, that is, 10
feet on either side. The roof of this pathway
is to be raised a considerable height, and the
whole of it is to be inclosed by means of a
panorama of the overland route to India. This
is to commence with Marseilles, then are to
follow Malta, Alexandria, and all the principal
points in the journey. These walks will lead
directly to the Waterloo ground, which is to be
covered in and converted into a hippodrome,
where are to appear all the splendours of the
chariot race, and other performances. To the
right of the hippodrome there will be con-
structed a large conservatory, to form a very
agreeable promenade, and gas is to simulate
the sun.

It is calculated that within the next five
years there will be upwards of 10,000 miles of,
railway open in Great Britain, which will give
permanent employment, at good wages, to up-
wards of 140,000 men,

| Light any Shave,

obo
| [From Williams’s “ Instructions in
Drawing.’’]

|Ourtine alone is not sufficient to complete
the representation of an object in high relief,
or to give an idea of relative distances, so that
everything may appear in its proper place:
various dispositions of light and shade are
required to give the appearance of solidity,
and to vary the form of the object.

Creraiy Errects or Licnr awn Snape
OsservasLe wn Narurz.—In that branch of
the science of drawing which refers to the dis-
position of light and shade, rules as precise
and universal as those explained for linear
perspective, cannot be pointed out as guides in
every case. Nevertheless, as certain general
effects of light and shade may be observed to
obtaim generally in nature, they will serve as
guides or rules to be rarely departed from,
although not capable of being applied with
that universality and precision which charac-
terise optical effects in as far as they influence

the apparent magnitude of objects or direc-
tions of lines.

Awriat Pexrsprcrive.—In contemplating an
extensive prospect, all may have noticed that,
on the objects. and forms nearest to the eye,
the most brilliant lights and the deepest
shadows are seen; that these lights and
shadows gradually diminish in intensity as the
distance from the eye is increased; and that in
the most remote prats of the prospect, the
lights and shadows cease to be distinguishable
from each other, but appear to blend in a
common gray or bluish tint. This effect, which
is sometimes called aérial perspective, is ob-
served in a greater or less degree in all cases ;
the following rule may therefore be founded
thereon, namely,
j\lights and shades in the drawing, the lights

shall be made less brilliant, and the shadows
less. intense, as the surfaces on which they
appear recede from the eye.

By a careful application of this rule, the ap-
pearance of solidity or roundness, and of rela-
tive distances, will be easily given to the
representation of objects previously drawn in
eorrect lineal perspective upon a flat surface,

By again referring to the observation of an

extensive prospect, a rule may likewise be
established to guide in the drawing in of the

the contrasts. between surfaces become also
less prominent, and their outlines less distinet,

observed effect is deduced the following rule :
that in the drawing of the outline on the
paper, the lines shall be made fainter and finer
the farther they recede from the eye. A proper
harmony will ‘thereby be preserved between
the shade of each surface, and the outline
which marks its boundary.

No Linz Vistsre InpEprNDENTLY OF THE

that, in the representation of

outline. Not only is it found that the lights |
and shades diminish in intensity as they recede |

. ° i a * e 4 W7
from the eye; but, as anecessary consequence, ‘this at length, because it is a very prevailing

fault with learners to mark the outline too

the more the distance is increased. From this jose | Ei on ould sete prea

THE - DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Apsoinine Surracus.—This reflection leads to
the consideration of an important effect in|}
shaded drawings, which is, that no line is to
appear in the finished drawing as a line singly,
independent of the tints or shades on the
adjoming surfaces. In nature, outlines are in
reality but the boundaries of surfaces, and do
not exist independently of those surfaces. If
we examine an object, the cube, for instance,
we see the lines which apparently separate
one face from the other, only because the dif-
ferent faces of the cube present to the eye
different shades or tints. There, were the
exact boundary of any one tint terminates, a
line seems to mark that boundary, but it does
not exist independently of the surface of which
it forms the limit: it merely constitutes a part
of, or a continuation of, that shade or tint
which belongs to the whole surface. The
teacher will illustrate this proposition by lay-
ing on the desk, or fixing on the black board, a
sheet of the tinted drawing-paper. The rec-
tangular outline of the sheet of paper is made
manifest by the contrast between the colour or
shade of the paper, and the colour or shade of
the desk or board on which it may be placed;
nevertheless, the outline, does not exist inde-
pendently of the remainder of the surface

‘which it terminates; for, within the outline,

the paper is of the same tint or shade as at the
extreme edge, which differs in nowise from the
interior parts, and is only made manifest from
its contiguity to another contrasting tint or
shade. In order, therefore, to produce on a
drawing as cloae an imitation as possible of the
appearance of actual forms, no line should
appear singly and independently as a mere
line; but wherever it is desired to mark the
boundary between two surfaces, that boundary
must be indicated as on the model or in
nature, by bringing the tint or shade of one
surface to meet, at a very precise common
boundary, the different tint or shade of the
adjoining surface: the outline or separation
between the two surfaces is thus made ap-
parent simply by that, difference in their tints.
This required effect is always to be born in
mind when drawing the outline, which should
be made sharp and. precise, but never so dark
as to prevent its being blended with or lost
sight of in the shading, which is to be after-
wards applied, and, inasmuch as the distant
shades are to be made fainter than the near

shades, the distant outlines are also to be them-

selves made fainter in the same proportion,
otherwise they could not. be properly subdued
as required.

We have taken an opportunity of explaining

by the above, or similar explanations, that such
a course is faulty. However, this being accom-
plished, some are liable to fall into the opposite
error of leaving the boundaries of the surfaces
indistinct, cloudy, and undefined, imagining
that, because their outline is not to appear as}|
consisting of mere lines, it is therefore to be
indistinct and ill defined. The pupils should

‘likewise be cautioned against this error.

The Sector.

Turs very useful instrument consists of two
equal rulers, each six inches long, joined to-
gether by a brass folding joint. These rulers
are generally made of box-wood or ivory; and
on the face of the instrument, several lines or
scales are engraven. Some of these lines or
scales proceed from the centre of the joint,
and are called sectorial lines, to distinguish
them from others which are drawn parallel ito
the edge of the instrument, similar to those on
the common Gunter’s scale.

The sectorial lines are drawn twice on the
same face of the instrument; that is to say,
each line is drawn on both legs. Those on
each face are,

A scale of equal parts, marked L,

A line of chords, marked C,

A line of secants, marked 5,

A line of polygons, marked P, or Pol.
‘These sectorial lines are marked on one face of
the instrument; and on the other there are the
following :

A line of sines, marked S,

A line of tangents, marked ‘TT,

A line of tangents to a less radius marked 7.
‘This last line is intended to supply the defect

‘of the former, and extends from about 45 to
75 degrees.

‘as to form equal angles at the centre ; and
it follows from this, that at whatever distance

‘two lines marked L, will be equal to the dis-

and also to 90 and 90 on the two lmes of sines,
&c., at any particular opening of the sector.
Any extent measured with a pair of com-
passes, from the centre of the joint to any
| division on the sectorial lines is called a lateral
distance ; and any extent taken from a point in
‘a line on the one leg, to the like point on the
‘similar line on the other leg, is called a ¢rans-
verse or parallel distance.
With these remarks, we shall now proceed
ito explain the use of tke sector, in so far as
it is likely to be serviceable to mechanics.

USE OF THE LINE OF LINES.

| This line, as was before observed, is marked
'L, and its uses are,

To divide a line into any number of equal
parts; take the length of the line by the com-
passes, and placing one of the points on that
number in the line of lines which denotes the
number of parts into which the given line is
'to be divided, open the sector till the other
‘point of the compasses touches the same di-
vision on the line of lines marked on the other
leg; then, the sector being kept at the same
width, the distance from 1 on the line L on
the one leg, to 1 on the line L on the other,
will give the length of one of the equal divi-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

| till the other point of the compasses is on the

The lines of chords, sines, tangents, and,
secants, but not the line of polygons, are.
‘numbered from the centre, and are so disposed.

the sector is opened, the angles which the ies,
form will always be respectively equal. The.
distance, therefore, between 10 and 10, on the.

tance of 60 and 60 on the two lines of chords, |

| the lateral distance of 4, the fourth proportional,

237
)
sions of the given dine to bedivided. Thus,
to divide a given line into seven equal parts:
—take the length of the given line with the
compasses, and setting one point on 7, on the
the line L of one of the legs, move the other
leg out until the other point of the compasses
touch 7 on the line L of that leg; this may be
called the transverse distance of 7 on the line
of lines. Now, keeping the sector at the same
opening, the transverse distance of one will be
the length of one of the 7 equal divisions of,
the given line; the transverse distance of 2 wil
be two of these divisions, &c. |

It will sometimes happen, that the line to be
divided will be too long for the largest opening
of the sector; and in this case we take the
half or third, or fourth of the line, as the ease
may be; then the transverse distance of 1 to Il
will bea half, athird, or a fourth, ofthe required
equal part.

To divide a given line into any number of
parts that shall have a certain relation or pro-
portion to each other: take the length of the
whole line to be divided, and placng one point
of the compasses at that division on the line of
lines on one leg of the instrument which ex-
presses the sum of all the parts into which the

given line is to be divided, and open the sector

corresponding division on the line of lines of
the other leg. This is evidently making the
sum of the parts into which the given lineis to
be divided a transverse distance; and when
this is done, the proportional parts will be
found by taking,with the same opening of the
sector, the transverse distances of the parts
required.—To divide a given line into three!
parts, in the proportion of 2, 3, 4: the sum of
these is9; make the given lime a transverse
distance between 9 and 9 on the two lines of
lines; then the transverse distances of the
several numbers 2, 8, 4, will give the propor-
tional parts required.

To find a fourth proportional to three given
lines: take the lateral distance of the second,
and make it the transverse distance of the)
first, then will the transverse distance of the
third be the lateral distance of the fourth;
then, let there be given 6:3:: 8,—make the
lateral distance of 3 the transverse distance of
6; then will the transverse distance of 8 be

required.

This sector will be found highly serviceable
in drawing plans. For instance, if it is wished
to reduced the drawing of asteam engine from
a scale of 13 inches to the foot, to another of
5-8 to the foot. Now, in 13 inches there are
12-8 parts; so that the drawing willbe reduced
in the proportion of 12 to 5. Take the lateral
distance of 5, and keep the compasses at this
opening; then open the sector till the points
of the compasses mark the transverse distance
of 12; keep now the sector at this opening,
and any measure taken on the drawing, to be
copied and laid off on the sector as a lateral
distance,—the transverse distance taken from
that point will give the corresponding measure
to be laid down in the new drawing.

If the length of the side of a triangle, of
which we have the drawing, is to be reckoned

238

THE DECORATORS

ASSISTANT. |

45; what are the lengths of the othertwo sides?
Take the length of the side given, by the
compasses, and open the sector till the mea-
sure be the transverse distance of 45 to 45;
then the lengths of the other sides being ap-
plied transversly, will give their numerical
lengths.

USE OF THE LINE OF CHORDS.

By means of the sector, we may dispense
with the protractor. Thus, to lay down an
angle of any number of degrees:—take the
radius of the circle on the compasses, and
open the sector till this becomes the transverse
distance of 60 on the line of chords; then
take the transverse distance of the required
number of degrees, keeping the sector at the
same opening; and this transverse distance
being marked off on an arc of the circle whose
radius was taken, will be the required number
of degrees.

We will not enter farther on the use of the
sectoral lines, as what we have said will, we
hope, be found sufficient for the purposes of the
practical mechanic.

Practica, GromMETRY aT THE Lonpon
Mecuanics’ Insrirurion.—On Tuesday even-
ing in last week, after Mr. J. S. Hallersley had
delivered an introductory lecture on the science

i|of Practical Geometry, illustrating the same

by models and drawings, Mr. Joseph Ash was
elected hon. secretary, and Mr. H. Friend, the
retiring secretary, presented a testimonial from
the late class to the lecturer (in the shape of a
marble and bronze inkstand), with the thanks
of the class for the manner in which he had
taught them geometry. The speaker justly
asked what is a practical man without a
knowledge of geometry ? as long as he
remains ignorant of this science, he is under
the control of another in his own sphere of a
superior class. For what mechanical profession
is there that has not this science for its base ?
could the engineer construct his engine or his
railway, the architect his building, or the
mariner his ship, without this science? Nor did
it stop here: it gave elegance to the mansion,
and strength to the fortress, and they were con-
vinced that geometry formed the principle base
of all mechanical arts, and would advise all so
situated to study it, not only by books, but
practically. It was afterwards proposed that
a geometrical library be established, and a
subscription .was opened at.once for the
purpose.

Aw Arcuitecr’s JAw.—Amongst a number |
of very odd things, the property of the late
reverend ordinary of Newgate, Mr. Cotton,
sold a few days ago, was the asserted ‘‘lower
jaw of Peter of Cole-Church, the original archi-
tect of London-bridge.’’ This bone was found
on removing the foundation of part of the old
bridge by a Mr. Knight, who superintended
the building of the new bridge under Rennie,
and the relic was christened by him without
any godfather to answer for the child. The
real value of the thing seems to have been well
understood, for the public would not ‘take his
jaw,’ and poor Peter fetched but five shillings!

Selection of Grnaments for
Furniture,

—_—_—

In this the Cabinet-maker is not, and ought

not, to he negligent of the beauties of vegetable

nature; indeed, in some instances, we find

works which abound with imitations of them,

and so admirably adapted to the purposes to

which they are applied, that they are viewed by
the artist, not as copies, but as original inven-
tions. The Greeks, who studied combinations
of form with the greatest care, adopted, as
prototypes for ornament, those ligneous plants
which best permitted an arrangement of grace-
ful lines, and which they could use as amedium
for connecting one part of the design with
another, or for leading the eye of the spectator)
by the course most advantageous to the general
design. In carving these, they observed the
same principle of relief, and of light and shade,
that is so beautifully exemplified in their com-
positions where the human figure was em-
ployed.

In selecting ornament from vegetable nature,
the Greeks usually chose those where the stem’
prevailed over the quantity of foliage: whereas,
in Roman decorations, the stem was made sub-
servient to its luxuriant burden. The Roman!
examples of ornament show how capable their,
artists were of using these means of decoration
most amply, though not always without seem-
ing to overcharge the object which they inten-.
ded to ornament.

Our own country also affords some fine speci-
mens of a peculiar style of ornament, in the
carved work of those cathedrals and churches,
which are usually said to be of pure Gothic, but, |
witb more propriety, of English Architecture.|
In these we find the parts of plants, and chiefly|
the leaves moulded into graceful forms to orna-|
ment, connect, or terminate parts, as the
pleasure of the artist, or the nature of the
primitive form of the work rendered necessary.
The plants of the neighbouring woods furnished}
the prototypes; and from these the -artist se-
lected parts and forms adapted to his purpose,
selecting those which could be combined with|
effect, and yet not otherwise than as the natural
plants might have been trained to grasp and
ornament a solid mass formed to receive them.

In preference they seem to have chosen the
stem, leaves, and acorns of the British oak:
and, next in predominance, we find those of the
graceful vine ;—also the trefoil, and various
other plants, more or less adapted for their
objects. The cathedrals of Wesminster, York,
Litchfield, Winchester, &c. ; and the churches
of Southwell, Sefton &c., afford various speci-
mens, many of them carved in oak with singu-
lar spirit and beauty. :

The introduction of animal forms, in furni-
tnre, 1s common, and conformity with the
example of the Greeks, and in a few instances
it has been done by the old English carvers.
But, high as we esteem these authorities, and
beautiful as we acknowledge the forms of the
Dolphin, the Serpent, &c., to be, we hesitate in
admitting that such forms may be employed
with propriety in the design of furniture ; and

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

still less are we inclined to allow that the hnman
fizure should, in any state, from a part of such
designs. We ground our opinion on the fact,
that a living animal cannot be so employed,
neither are they adapted to such purposes; and
imitative forms cease to be pleasing when we
cannot imagine them to exist in the state they
are represented, Our opinion may be con-.
sidered as formed on too refined a view of the,
subject, but we only express it for the reader’s
assistance, in forming his opinions and practice, |
and leave him to be guided by his own judg-
ment.

In speaking of these different styles of orna-
ment, we have already mentioned the principles
which ought to be kept in view in the addition
of ornament; and we have only to repeat that,
in the use of natural forms, they should be such
as are not inconsistent with nature, modelled
by art. The fantastic and chimerical combi-
nations of the old German style of ornament
may be instanced as the very reverse of the
‘chaste and natural species which is now sought
after by people of good taste; and we are
‘happy to observe that this corrupt German
style is now nearly obsolete even among up-
holsterer’s carvers.

Wauitwortn’s STREET-swEnPiInc MacHtne.
'—The inventor, Mr. Whitworth im a “‘ general
summary of the advantages machine-sweeping
possesses over hand-sweeping,”’ thus contrasts
‘the two systems:—‘‘ By hand-sweeping, the
dirt has to be gathered together by one opera-
tion, and the carts loaded by another; the
‘machines load and sweep at one operation: in
‘hand-sweeping, the dirt gathered is liable to
be splashed over the street and over the pas-
sengers; by the machines, it is at once carried
away: heaps of dirt are sometimes left by
‘hand sweepers at the side of the roads, and
\become a source of danger, as well as of
annoyance, to carriages and foot -passengers ;
by machine-sweeping this evil is entirely ob-
viated: hand sweeping obliges the carts to
stand in the streets, while being loaded,
causing loss of time and obstruction of the
‘traffic; the machine loads as they sweep,
passing along at the rate of a common cart:
‘the cleanliness of a town cannot be greatly
increased by hand-sweepers without great
increase of cost; the economy of machine-
sweeping increases in proportion to the clean-
liness produced: hand-sweepers cannot easily
and cheaply be increased, according to the
exigencies of cleansing; an extra number of
‘machines can be kept ready for emergencies,
with little trouble or cost: hand-cleansing has
but little tendency to improve and consolidate
the road; machine sweeping tends powerfully
to remove ridges and improve the surface:
the continuance of hand-sweeping tends to
perpetuate a degraded and ill-paid class of
labourers, whom the introduction of the ma-
chine will elevate, or supersede by better paid
and better conducted men, who must be em-
ployed to, manage the machines. All these
advantages are obtained together with greatly-
increased cleanliness.”

Co Corresponvents, Ke.

Writer LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH
THY WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MAY BE
READILY DECYPERED BY THE RECIPIENT OF THY
COMMUNICATION. ;

“ Ingquirer.”—Any person can send in works
for competition to the Society of Arts for their
neat annual award of prizes. All designs:
sent in must be original, i.e., the bona fide pro-
duction of the exhibitor. The model of Shaks-
peare’s house, we should say, would not possess
sufficient novelty to claim admittance. Our cor-
respondent makes some excellent remarks in|
simple language, which we should like to see prac-
tically adopted. Referring to some ornamental,
articles, of little value it is true, but executed with
good taste and in a workmanlike manner, he says,
‘* I believe that if there was a place for the exhi-
bition of any such simple works as I have men=
tioned to you, it would be the means of extending
a love of the fine arts, and of inereasiny the
number of those who would attempt something
either useful or ornamental; but whose limited
means or capacities will not allow of their en-
gaging on a very large scale.” }

““ Blucher (Oxford).”—Thanks for the terms,
gc. We cannot agree with your strietures upon
the design you mention, and we think that you
will alter your opinion upon alittle consideration.

* Pencil (Hull). —We are sorry that we ean-
not at present afford you the required information ;
but of we should hear of anything likely lo suit
within a week or two, we xill let you know nnder
the above signature. You will perceive that we
have complied with your request.

—

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-'|
street, Strand, London.’’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readers as will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, &c.

Cases for Vols. I. and II, are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, of gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

*.* Any of our readers having complete
Aurnasets of an ornamental description suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 18 is now ready, price 7d.

Braprorp Mecuanics’ Instrrutr.— The
annual distribution of prizes was awarded on
Tuesday week in the Athenzum of. the Insti-
tute; the Rev. Dr. Acworth, president, in
the chair; when a series of. books were dis-
tributed as prizes to successful competitors in
drawing as well as other branches of ordinary
school eduation. The formation of classes for
the study of chemistry and natural philosophy
in general was resolved on, shige Of

i is

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

Mexican Art,

—_—_—

Arthe epoch of the discovery of America by the
Spaniards, the Mexicans had already reached
a certain degree of civilization, and had prac-
tised several arts, including that of drawing.
On the landing of Cortez, the inhabitants of
various parts of the country apprized their
‘monarch of what was going forward by making
a kind of paintings on cloth. Some relics of
this sort are extremely curious. They repre-
sent marches of the different armies, sacrifices
(made to their gods of straggling Spaniards by
the enraged barbarians; triumphal entries of
the combatants into various towns, &c. &c.
The Mexican paintings, however, which some
have extravagantiy praised, are depreciated by
‘other writers, as uncouth delineations of com-
‘mon objects, or very coarse images of the hu-
‘man and other forms, destitute of gracefuiness
and indeed of propriety. In the armoury of
ithe royal palace of Madrid are exhibited seve-
\ral suits of armour said to have belonged to
Montezuma ; and which are composed of thinly
‘lacquered copper-plates. Dr. Robertson ob-
‘serves of these that, in the opinion of competent
judges they are evidently Eastern. Clavigero,
‘on the other hand, maintains them to be actually
‘Mexican; since, says he, we are absolutely
certain, from abundant testimony, that those
nations used such plates of copper in war, and
nat they covered their breasts, thighs, and
‘arms therewith as a protection against arrows:
‘whereas we do not know that such were ever
in use amongst the inhabitants of the Philip-
‘pine Islands, to which Dr. Robertson refers
them, or among any other people who had any
commerce with the Mexicans.

These people, proceeds Clavigero, could boast
of many inventions worthy of immortalizing
their name. Besides those of casting metals,
and mosaic works in feathers and shells, they
‘understood the art of making paper: together
with those of dyeing in indelible colours; of
spinning and weaving the finest hair of rabbits
‘and hares; making of a stone called itztli beau-
'tiful looking-glasses set with gold; the cutting

and polishing of gems; breeding of the cochi-
neal, and making use of its colour; preparing
of cement for the pavements of their houses,
&c. Their potters were famous; and_their
carpenters wrought several kinds of wood with
instruments made of copper.

It must, however, be admitted, that in the
copper-plates and wood-cuts which have been
published as representations of Mexican paint-
ings, every figure introduced, whether of men,
quadrupeds, or birds, is extremely rude and
ungainly. But although necessarily ranking
low as works of art, they rise into immense in-
terest and importance, when, as we before
observed, they are considered as national
records.

Of their picture-writing some singular speci-
mens have been preserved; the most valuable
of which have been published by Purchas in
sixty-six plates, divided into three parts.
The first contains the history of the Mexican
empire under its ten monarchs. The second

Oc $$$ $$$ $_<$<£$<$<$$$

is a tribute-roll, representing what each
conquered town paid into the Royal Treasury, |
The third is a code of their institutions, domes-|
tic, political, and military. Another specimen.
of Mexican painting has been published in|
thirty-two plates by the Archbishop of Toledo;'
and some very curious examples have been!
recently brought over to this capital by Mr.|
Bullock of the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, whose
exhibition ‘of ancient and modern Mexico
(the result of a spirited voyage to that country
for the purpose of collecting materials) is inter-.
esting in a variety of ways, and highly desery-.
ing of a visit from every lover both of Nature,
and Art. |

All these paintings resemble each other
strongly in style and character. They repre-
sent things rather than ideas ; exhibit images’
to the eye, without arrangement or selection;|
still they are worthy of consideration as exhi-)
biting an instance, by no means common, of.
the efforts of a barbarian nation towards a very |
high degree of refinement.

|
The Cronotppist. |

Tue largest chain ever sent out of Birmingham
was manufactured by Messrs. Bailey, chain |
manufacturers, of New-street, from whose
warehouse it was recently removed to the,
wharf, consigned to a firmin Liverpool. It
was a link chain, and intended for the use of |
an incline; its length was 2,400 yards, or,
rather more than one and one-third of a
mile, and its weight about 14 tons !——)
Another statue of the Duke of Wellington, |
similar in appearance to that of King Wil-|
liam IV., at London Bridge, is to be erected,
in the Tower. It is to be placed midway,
between the White Tower and the green,
fronting the noble flight of steps leading;
from Traitor’s Gate. The pedestal will occupy
a space of 144 square feet.——The beautiful
collection of photographic portraits of the,
nobility and gentry who appeared in the his-|
torical quadrilles at her Majesty’s bal costumé, |
taken by the improved process employed by
Mr. Beard, jun., has received some important
additions recently. Nearly all the noble and
distinguished personages who appeared in.
that novel and magnificent group have’!
honoured Mr. Beard with sitting in the cos-
tume worn by them on that occasion. Inde-

pendant of the personal interest attached to
the portraits, they bear an additional value as’
records of the most accurate authorities that
could be obtained of English court costumes,
of the various periods they represent. Many)
striking portraits of the nobility, and of indivi-

duals celebrated in arts, science and literature,
are now to be seen in Mr. Beard’s rooms.

Tue Genera Boarp oF HeEattH, under
the Public Health Act (11th and 12th Victoria,
chap. 63), has just been constituted. The
First Commissioner of Woods and Forests
(Lord Morpeth) is the president, and Lord
Ashley and Mr. Edwin Chadwick are the two
other members.

SatTurpay, |

Q UAorwd with our Weavers,

ROFIT
and popu-
larity are
not in all
cases sy-
non y-
mous; and
eS) B
common
aphorism
that those
who work
the hard-
est — we
will not say the best—do not always meet with
their just reward.

Nearly eighteen months since, struck with
the scantiness and dearness of industrial litera-
ture, and incited by a reasonable hope of at
least getting paid for our labour in the attempt,
we projected the present work, and flattering
tokens of its ultimate success greeted our first
appearance. Letters, advice, and commenda-
tion flowed in from almost every part of the
United Kingdom, and we were induced thereby
to lay the flattering unction to our soul, that
we should, at least, get paid the value of our
hire—that in serving others we might also serve
ourselves—and that an extensive circulation
would be the short-coming climax of our
efforts—efforts made in a honest spirit, and
with the earnest desire of benefitting a large
portion of our fellow-creatures. This, no
doubt, would have been the case, but hardly
had we launched our little venture, ere a great
national distress came upon us like a mighty
wave, almost prostrating hope itself. However,
we struggled manfully through the storm with-
out uttering a single word of complaint; but
we have not, as yet, succeeded in clearing the
lee shore of Misfortune, and although our
whole energies have been exerted strenuously
to combat with fate, still we are utterly unable
to gain the victory unless our appeal be re-
sponded to by our readers.

We have now lost, to state the case plainly,
several hundred pounds by the Decoraror’s
Assistant, and each succeeding week’s sale

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

[Ocroper 14, 1848.

adds still further to our loss, but still we do
not despair, and intend to endeavour further
to keep our work afloat. In order to assist us
in the attempt, we shall be compelled to in-
crease the price of the Decorator’s AssIsTANT
at the commencement of the new volume, to
2d., feeling assured that our subscribers will
respond cheerfully to our demand. We also
intend to increase the number of original de-
signs; and, to follow up the early English al-
phabets, already commenced, we propose pub-
lishing one weekly: also to commence illus-
trating the principles of perspective. Articles
on ornament, mensuration, carpentry, &c.,
will still be continued and improved. Trusting
that the bill of fare will prove acceptable, we
leave ourselves in the hands of our subscribers.

Papier Mache MManutacture in
Birmingham,

—

Brruincuam has of late years vastly pro-
gressed in the quality and appearance of its|}
manufactured goods — particularly in those 5
formed of papier maché. From an excellent};
series of papers lately published in one of the
leading journals of that place. We extract the
following interesting particulars :—

Perhaps there is no description of manufae-
ture so,ancient, or brought to so high perfection
in this town, as that of papier maché goods. It
has existed here for more than one hundred
years, and has during that time undergone
many transmutations; first was presented the
common tray, then came the decorated hand,
then the work-box or the writing-desk, anda
last a variety of adaptation of this beautifult
were discovered, such as vases, screens, pic-
ture frames, and even furniture.

A peculiar advantage derivable from the use
of papier maché is its power for receiving orna~
mentation. On its smooth and even surface
the most delicate artistic touches may be laid
whilst it also affords a good medium for the
display of the most vigourous and original
efforts of art. Asa field for the exercise of
ornamental art the manufacture is unbounded,
and a judicious employment of the means
afforded to the manufacturer in this branch
would, we feel convinced, do much, very much,

242

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

to reform the existing bad taste, and to create
a desire for better things in its room.

A review of the history of the trade teaches
us that to this point of ornament the attention
of manufacturers has been constantly directed,
and that all, from the mere japanner up to the
maker of the most costly article, have sought to
lay upon their varied productions ornament of
some kind or other. The quality of the orna-
ment was a matter hardly considered, but orna-
nament was indispensable. Unfortunately,
until within the last few years, such a thing as
design applied to manufactures was unheard
of, or if propounded was disregarded, and
consequently the ornamentation of most or
indeed all goods was barbarous in the extreme.
True there was a period when artists were
workmen, and when a Ceuuini or an ANGELO,
nay, even a Rarran.ie, did not hesitate to
work or to direct the workmen, not merely in
their own sublimer arts, but in what we may
justly call industrial art. Of these times,
which we are glad to see in the present efforts
of Mactise, of Muurzapy, of Ricrarpson,
and of SummMERLY, returning, we do not speak,
but of that darker age of art from the effect of
which we are but just recovering, when men
abandoned the true and the beautiful to seek
profit, and neglected the works of great men,
because they feared the expense of copying
their forms. These times were bad ones for

Jart. Everything was dull and leaden, or was
gorgeous and tawdry, and real ornament was
unknown. The evil day is, however, passing
away, and manufacturers, some of them im-
bued with a love for art for its own sake, and
others professing alove for art for their pro-
fit’s sake, are steadily and surely progressing,
in the application of art to manufactures. We
sincerely trust that we are only on the verge of
on artistic revolution, and that ere long we
shall behold the consummation of our hopes in
the perfect working out of art principles in
decoration and in form. The good work is
going on, let manufacturers only take conrage
and it will not fail,

_ We make these remarks as an introduction
to anotice of the works of Messrs. Jennens and
BertripcE, papier maché manufacturers, in
Constitution Hill, in this town, whose show
ooms and manufactory we visited last week,

and who have the merit of introducing into
the paper manufacture almost every article
beyond the common tray. The manufactory
is a very extensive one, and our readers will
understand our notice by a division of the
work into departments. In the first of these
divisions we shall place the newest kind. of
manufacture, furniture; and the others will
comprise a notice of vases, desks, work-boxes,
&c., trays, and panels, and the usual miscel-
laneous assortment of fancy articles.

In furniture, we had an opportunity of test-
jng the appearance of the paper chairs, as
compared with those made of wood, and also
of ascertaining, by comparison, the progress
made in design since the first introduction of
paper in furniture manufacture. That paper has
an advantage over wood, no one can beinclined
to doubt, but we were scarcely prepared to find
such manifest improvement in the design of
the paper furniture at present made, as com-
pared with that first produced. At first,
makers appeared to doubt the capability of
the material, and were consequently cautious
in their efforts; but at the present time the
power of the material is so well developed
that no fear is entertained as to its capability,
and, therefore, no design is too difficult for
production. We were shown some chairs
which are in every respect equal both in
appearance and firmness to the old Buhl furni-
ture ; and others which are faithful copies from
richest specimens of old carved English oak.

In tables of various kinds considerable
taste has been exhibited, both as regards
shape and ornament. Much has been gained
in decoration by the introduction of pearl, as
an adjunct to the pencil, and by this. means
many effects are acquired which could not be
otherwise produced. In one case, that of a
small round table, a group of shells and coral,
resting on sea-weed, is very effectively repre-
sented in pearl. The centre group is contained
within a delicately gilded ring, and the whole
is bordered by an arrangement of shells,
again in pearl. The pillar of the table is good
in design, the stem moulding being that of the
lotus leaf. The colour is rather gaudy, other-
wise the general effect of the article is very
good. Other tables are ornamented by various
scenes, copies of landscape and genre paintings,

Sa aE STSRIGST Se ER

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

and elassical subjects. Among the latter is a
very noticeable specimen, the subject of which
isthe story of Europa. The figures are
spiritedly rendered, and the execution is cha-
racterised by the highest finish. We must
here advert to an omission which we feel
convinced Messrs. Jennens and Berraipae
will readily correct. In copying scenes from
the painted or engraved works of artists, the
name of the artist copied is omitted. Now
this should not be: there is no doubt that an
artist is benefited by having copies of his work
used in decoration, but in no case should this
appropriation be made without acknowledg-
ment. It would be no trouble to copy the
name of the artist as well as his work, and at
the same time the adoption of such a course
wouldmerely be an act of justice. To return
to our notice. A large centre table (which
was last year exhibited during the session of
the London Society of Arts) is remarkable
for the beauty of its ornament, consisting of
a group of flowers, such as poppies, lillies,

roses, camellias, convolvoli, and honeysuckles,
nicely grouped, and painted with great breadth
and effect. Much taste is also displayed in
the borderings. Many views, which we re-
cognised as being from Prout, Shayer, Richard-
son, Watteau, Jan Both, and others, hada
pleasing effect when painted on tables; and
we may justly admire ths feeling which dictates
the production of works of this description.
In screens landscapes and figure compositions
are effectively introduced, and the forms have
been much improved. The old cramped out-
line has given place to a graceful curve, while
the ornament has changed its character from
gaudiness to chasteness of effect. Still there
are many features in the decorations of these
articles we would willingly see avoided; and,
as we before remarked, much gold may be dis-
pensed with, and glaring colours may give
place to tints more subdued. There is, how-
ever, much to praise. Design has made a long
step forward, and decoration has gone with it.
The cases of which we complain are the excep-
tions to the rule. Two cheval screens are of'a
high character: one containing a view of Salis-
bury Cathedral is remarkable for the clearness
of the drawing, and the management of the pic-
torial effect; the other, a view of the Hall of
Judgment, at the Alhambra, is a rich specimen
of colour. We do not recollect the artist from
whom it is copied, but the copy is evidently
faithful, and the colour is exquisitely managed.
The frame of the screen is a copy of the en-
trance-gate to the palace of the Alhambra, the
tracery in the original being represented in the
sereen by perforations of a most elaborate
character. The drawing of the stand is cor-
rect, with the exception of the feet, which ap-
pear to be slightly too depressed. The colour

243

of the frame, though brilliant, isnot sufficiently
subdued for our taste. The colours are crim-
son and white, picked out with green and blue.
Scenes from Davin Rozsrrts, R.A., Cuarkson
STanFiELD, R.A., and other artists, are also
nicely copied upon screens. A large folding
screen, nearly seven feet high, and of eight
leaves, is remarkable as a specimen of the size
of the articles which can be manufactured in
paper. A few cabinets and tea-poys are no-
ticeable as possessing good mouldings.

A pleasing branch of paper manufacture is
that of vases, and in this department we saw
many articles of great beauty. On the whole,
the forms of the vases are good, and the orna-
ment is, as we have always urged it should be,
subdued. ‘The principal ornaments for vases
were flowers, of which we saw many specimens.
The whole of them were naturally and effect-
ively painted. One or two copies of Etruscan
vases were remarkably fine and correct, both
in form and colour. We may mention that
vases are made from four inches in height up to
forty inches.

In work-boxes, desks, inkstands, and tea-
caddies, great variety of form is apparent, and
in many cases there is a good deal of vigorous
design. Still there is also a straining after)
effect, which sometimes leads to a distortion of)
form in the attempt to produce a novelty.
Many of the desks and work-boxes are orna-
mented in a very splendid style, and on the
whole there appears to have been considerable}
effort at consistent design.

In panels for steamboats some very good spe-
cimens were shown us. One set, intended for
a New York liner, was worthy of notice, as}
containing a good view of Warwick Castle, and
others of the capital at Washington, and of a
scene on the Mohawk River. There were also
some good original panel pictures by artists
employed in the establishment. A few of
Landseer’s animal pictures were nicely given
in panel.
= We must now draw our notice to a close, for
where, as in this manufacture, there are so
many articles which may be instanced, we may
go on to almost any extent. We will merely
observe generally that our impressions as to
the shape and ornament of the minor branches
of manufacture, such as snufi-boxes, card-
cases, picture-frames, reading frames, lamp
pillars, &c., were, on the whole, that much has
been done to raise both manufacture and design
to a high point, yet that much still remains to
be effected. To two points especially we wish
to direct the attention not only of the firm
under notice, but also of all manufacturers of
paper goods, first to the harmony of colour,
and second to the importance of making
their workmen artists. Without the latter,
indeed, the former cannever be effected, for
the man who has no art-istic education, will
never be able to execute works of industrial
art. Our schools of designare admirably cal-
culated to effect the proposed object, and we
cannot too powerfully impress upon the
manufacturers the absolute necessity of sup-
porting these institutions, inasmuch as in
their welfare manufacturing interests are
vitally concerned.

\24-4

THE DECORATORS

ASSISTANT.

A DESIGN FOR A TERMINAL FOR A GROIN (EARLY ENGLISH).

Tue Spire or St. Mary’s Cuurcn, Snet-
TisHAM, Norrotk.—A correspondent informs
us that the lofty stone spire of this church,
which, on account of its towering eminence,
1s used by mariners asa sea mark, being 105
feet in height, _and together with the church
reaching an altitude of 177 feet, has recently
undergone a careful restoration, and the upper
part to the extent of several feet, has been
entirely reset, and an iron cross and weather-
cock raised on its summit. Crosses have also
been added over the gables of each of the
Spire windows. These designs were furnished

by Mr. H. L. S. Le Strange and the mason’s
work has been executed by Mr. William Brown,
of Lynn. To raise the scaffolding Mr. Brown
availed himself of the openings formed by the
upper windows of the spire, which are about
30 feet below the summit, through these he
passed, at right angles, boards of sucha length
asto leave the ends projecting—these were
secured at the centre and formed a cross: from
the projecting ends he carried a gallery round
with a hand rail—the whole forming a light
and secure stage, of simple materials, and at a

small expense.

aaa aaa a

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

An Lllustratey Glossary of Technical
Terms used in Architectural and
Entertov Wecoration, Ke.

[Continued from page 234.]

Ficurr, Proportions or tHE Human (in
painting and sculpture). The following are
the proportions of the ancients as they are
given by M. Audran, from the proportions of
the Apollo Pythius, in the garden of the

From the pubis to the
small of the thigh,

knee-pan a We
The small of the thigh to
the joint, or middle of
the knee +s re
The joint of the knee to
the small of the leg,

Vatican, at Rome, and the Venus Aphrodite, a a
belonging to the family of the Medicis: both of| ys toc De ae
which figures are supposed to stand upright,| the ankle...

The bottom of the pale
to the bottom of the
heel -. : ae

Length of the lower ex-

tremities ae oe
Length of the head and
trunk .. as +e

Total length of the figures

From the top of the
shoulder to the elbow
The elbow to the hand
The joint of the hand to
the root of the middle
finger -- 36 ate
The root to the tip of the
middle finger ..

Length of the upper ex-
| tremities “S as

~_ {Breadth between the out-
- ward angles of the eyes
Of the face at the
temples.. aie ie
Of the upper part of the
neck .. a Me
Over the shoulders ..
Of the body below th
arm-pits Ne
Between the nipples --
From the bottom of the
chin to the line cross-
ing the nipples --
Of the body, at the small
of the waist .. °°
Over the loins -- eg
Over the haunches, o
tops of the thigh bones
Of the thigh, at the top
Of the thigh, below the
middle .. ie ie
Of the the thigh, above
the knee oe Pr
Of the leg, below the
knee .-- ae ele
Of the calf of the leg -.
Below the calf -- a
Above the ankle ee
Of the ankle’ -- ae
Below the ankle. . ae
Middle of the foot .-.

duly poised on both legs. The whole height
of the former is divided into 314 parts, being 7
heads 3 parts and 6 minutes; and the latter
into 31 parts, being 7 heads and 3 parts, as
follows :— ;

Length of the Head, and Trunk of the Body.
Apollo. Venus.
Hd. Pts. Min, Hd. Pts. Min.
From the top of the head
to the bottom of the
chin 4 pts. or -- Ste
The bottom of the chin
to the top of the stern-
um, or breastbone .. 0 1 7 01
The top of the sternum to
the pit of the stomach 0 310 0 3
The pit of the stomach to
the navel “ve --« © 210 0 2
The navel to the pubis-- 0 2 6 0O 8

onar © ow

Length of the head and
trunk of the body -- 3 3 9 38 8 6

above the patella, or ‘

ecosoSSSlPFO SG 6 OF Re we

Apollo.
Hd. Pts. Min.

3.3 9

T1213
1a 2

Se WO © So

om CW WO

Ree ttt OO

Non CO WY @D

Cc
WNBD © bw OM wo N

—
HA tthe

Oa aa
Length of the Lower Extremities.

3
7

Length of the Fore Arm, or Upper Extremities.

1
i

See HO S&S O&O

Venus.
Hd, Pts. Min.

SscooeSfoF eo Oo oF Fe

23
0 6

—_
a

—
=
So

eS
Oo Ore bo “I

OO Coe bo —

oO NN MO OO

=
9 I 09 hots Coe

Beep wp wp wh HO OO
—

nnn Deer

246 ‘

At the roots of the toes

Of the arm, over the
biceps muscle..

Of the arm, above the
elbow ..

Of the arm below the
elbow

At the wrist ..

Of the hand, over the
first joint of the thumb

Of the hand, over the
roots of the fingers c-

Breadth over the shoul-
der blades...

Length of both arms and
hands, each of Apollo’s
being 3 hds. 2 pts. 11
min. and each of Venus
3 hds. 1 pts. 5 min.

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1]

Breadth between the tips
of the middle fingers of
each hand, when the
arms are extended ho-
rizontally

Side View.

From the top of the head
to the shoulder -- J

The top of the shoulder
to the loins, above the
hip ae oe a

The loins to the lower
part of the hip "

The hip to the side of the
knee ..

The side of the knee to
the bottom of the heel

Do = »

Length of the figures .

From the fore to the back
part of the skull

The wing of the nose. to
the tip of the ear

The upper part of the
neck .

The breast to the back,
over the nipple

The belly to the small of
the back

The belly, above the
navel, to the back of
the loins

The bottom of the belly
to the round of the hip

The fore part of the thigh
to the bottom of the

hip
The adic of the thigh
The thigh, above the
knee...
The middle of the eee
The leg, above the knee
The leg, at the calf
The leg, at the ankle ..
The foot, at =e wg
part

Ss SSS

oooco oo

THE DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT.

a sls ysrnenteebipit tlle haribo shpat ld eae
Apollo,
Hd. Pits. Min.

Fee pd

So NO OO OW

o S&S pe —

oO WwW

MmermIbobs coco

or
We OC Cee Ob

7
8
6
10
1

9
7
0

hala

8 310

iS)

Go
tet QQ

a Oo &

Venus.
Hd, Pts.2Min.

Ovi
019
015
Oe 7
Did 0
018
OL
Lio Le
6 210
8.102
12s 6
Di By
12041
101
DiGi
7 BPO
Onis: 4
016
Ou vtetT
10 6
DNs sc7
90x62
1: 100.5
Oise
0 3 64
G23
O22
0 divid
0/9
Oliv. 464
OlAitS

Apollo. Venus.

Hd. Pts. Min: Hd. Pts. Min.
Length of the foot 106 1:0 43
The heel to the fore part
of the bend of the foot —— — OM ee,
The arm, over thebiceps 0 2 0 O 1 9
Over the elbow .. SEONG 0 0 6
Below the elbow.. eran ee Le ODF
At the wrist A 011 0 O11
Bolen, ihe jos of the
01 0 0 010
The eal At one Toots ae
the fingers .° O'0°SS 1 OO 5
At the roots of the nails 0 0 3 00 38

Go Porrespondents, Ke.

WRITE LEGIBLY AND SENSIBLY, SO THAT BOTH
THY WORDS AND THEIR MEANING MAY BE
READILY DECYPERED BY THE RECIPIENT OF THY
COMMUNICATION.

“ Brutus."—We have handed your note to
our artist for his decision, and will be enabled to
give you an answer next week.

“A. Snell” has our best wishes.

“R.S.”—Forward the drawing and we will
decide.

¥*.* Several letters have been received, the an-
swering of which we are reluctantly compelled to
postpone until next week.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to ‘‘ the Editor
of the Decorator’s Assistant, 17, Holywell-
street, Strand, London.’’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readersas will favour us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, &c.

Cases for Vols. I. and II. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt or
marbled, 6d. extra.

*,* Any of our readers having complete
AupHasEets of an ornamental description suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 18 is now ready, price 7d.

Oaxs.—The following are said to be the lar-
gest British oaks which we have on record :—
The Cowthorpe, in Yorkshire, which measured
48 feet in circumference at a yard from the
ground; the Shrewsbury, 44 feet at the bottom;
the Essex, 36 feet at the bottom, and known by
the name of ‘‘ Fairtop;” and the Hatfield, 38
feet circumference and 120 feet high.

Better Lares tHan Never.—The venerable
church of Lanfrynach, near Cowbridge, having
been to a considerable extent restored, was re-
opened:for divine worship (after a lapse of 150
years or more), on Sunday, the 27th ult.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

247

Arvabhesques.

sical mixture of flowers, fruits, buildings,
and other objects; to which are joined, by
some artists, the figures of men, women,
animals, real and imaginary monsters, &c.
used in painting, sculpture, and architecture.
In pure ancient arabesques, such as are found
in the Alhambra, no animal representations
are used. Although the Arabians may have
been the restorers, or modern inventors of
this’ species of decoration, yet it certainly had
its origin in very ancient times. Some writers
||find its origin in those leaves and flowers with
which the Egyptians, and even the Greeks,
decorated their edifices, and which were used
as borders to many antique vases; but the
resemblance is too slight to stamp;much credit
on the conjecture. A more rational idea is,
that the arabesque ornaments were suggested to
the Greeks by the oriental tapestries, which
they much admired, on which were wrought
the most fantastical compositions of plants,
animals, &c., and which probably gave rise to
many of the fabulous animals, of poetry; such
as centaurs, griffins, chimerez, &c. The Greeks
named these cloths Zodia, from the animals
they contained. Itis not possible to say now
whether the Greeks first employed this species
of ornament in painting to decorate panels,
vases, &c., in the interior of their apartments;
or in sculpture for the exterior: how far the
fact may direct us of the Temple of Apollo
Didymeeus, near to Miletus, in Ionia, erected
during the best time of Grecian art, which
had its frieze ornamented with griffins, and its
pilasters with ornaments similar to those
called arabesques, and which had genii spring-
ing from the foliage of the acanthus, is dif-
ficult to ascertain. This species of ornament
was not known in Rome till near the time of
Augustus, when, it is probable, they were
introduced from Alexandria; for Vitruvius,
who lived at this period, speaks of them with
the expression audacia Aigyptiorum in pictura,
as novel introductions into Rome. The Romans
loved the arts, from the opportunities they
afforded them of displaying their riches, and
gratifying their love of splendour and magni-
ficence. This disposition introduced by degrees
a greater latitude in their composition, and
which became more and more costly in their
materials, and varied in their designs; such
as the most showy flowers, and beautiful
foliages, delicately and agreeably entwined, and
figures springing from the calices of the
flowers. The ornaments upon many antique
Greek vases, upon the walls of Herculaneum,
the ruins of the baths of Titus at Rome,
Hadrian’s villa at Tivoli, the palace of Dioc-
letian, the edifices of Pompeii, and others,
are among the most elegant ancient examples
of this species of decoration. In spite of the

censures of Vitruvius and Pliny, arabesques
not only prevailed but increased in Rome down
to the very. last edifices of the lower ages.
They have also been discovered in gothic
buildings, in glass, in musaicks, and in pavings,

ARABESQUES, oY moresques are a style of
ornament which are composed of a whim-

——————

in all varieties of exuberant, unrestrained
ornaments. The Arabians, in giving their
name to these works, in which they so much
excelled, carried the style to all the perfection
to which it was susceptible. Yet from the
restrictions of their religion, whicb prohibited
the introduction of men, women, and animals,
they are inferior, in variety and beauty to those
of the ancients. The arabesque of the Goths,
or, as it has been called, the arabotedescho,
was more exaggerated, but less elegant. A
novel mixture of Christian and Pagan subjects
rendered them, in many instances, complete
burlesques. These defects, and the consequent
discredit brought upon it, and upon the style of
architecture it was intended to embellish,
caused it to decline till the discovery of the
ruins of ancient art, which presented the
purest models, restored the taste of this wild
and romantic species of ornament, and of the
arts in general. MRaffaelle perceived, in the
style of the arabesque, a gaiety and freedom of
style that would soften the arid stiff manner of
predecessors and cotemporaries: and therefore
employed it in the decoration of his grandest
works. No painter has since employed it with
such taste as Raffaelle,and the only good modern
aradesques are of this great artist’s school.
One of his most admired compositions, in this
style, is the fine allegory of the seasons, with
an arabesque which represents the ages of life,
under the forms of Parezs. After the death of
Raffaelle, arabesque degenerated in Italy, both
in design and execution, till at last it changed
both its forms and proportions. To the light
and playful grottesque succeeded the gigant-
esque of decoration, of which Michael Angiolo,
in the Sistine chapel, has given the most im-
posing and grand models. After the dis-
coveries of Herculaneum, Pompeii, and of the
Villa Negroni, &c., the imitation of the antique
began to spread the taste of the arabesque
again in Italy. Primaticcio, Rozzo, and other
Italian artists, brought by Francis I. into
France, introduced there a style of decoration
less approaching the arabesque than the gigan-
tic style of Michael Angiolo, as may be judged
from the sculptures in the chateau de Gaillon,
and in the paintings at Fontainbleau. This
taste prevailed in Italy at the time of Louis
XIV. supported by the Caracci and other
artists of celebrity. The French artists fol-
lowed the style, and Versailles shows their
talents. It prevailed from Le Brunto Mignard,
and governed all the ornamental style of the
seventeenth century. Audran executed some
arabesques in a good style, and with much
spirit and invention, in the castles of Seaux,
Meudon, and Chantilly. The arabesques of
Berin, of Gillott, and Vateau, which were
designed as patterns for the manufactory of
the Gobelins, of tapestry, &c., forthe king’s
apartments, to which, as well as to the furni-
ture, they injudicionsly applied these orna-
ments, did not obtain much praise, either for
invention or faithful imitation of approved
models. Arabesques, however beautiful, should
not be applied to small objects, or they lose
their character ; they should never be used in
places where gravity of style is required, or
regularity of design agreeable

Sn sie ee

248

A Door is the gate or entrance of a house,
or other building, or of an apartment in a
house. Doors are to be proportioned, and
adapted to the use for which they are in-
tended. In correspondence to the human
size, the door of a dwelling house is 7 to
8 feet in height, and 3 to 4 feet in breadth.
The entrance doors of churches and public
buldings should be wide, to allow a multitude
to pass without difficulty; and their height
should be in proportion. The outer entrance
of stately mansions ought also to be of en-
larged dimensions, averaging from 6 to 12 feet
in width, and of proportionate height; the
inner entrance door may be from 4 to 6 feet in
width, and placed in the central part of the
building.

A door of the simplest kind, for out-houses,
is made of boards rebated together; or
ploughed and tongued, and nailed upon across
piece called a ledge, from which it derives its
name of ledge-door. Doors intended: when
closed to present an even surface, are called
jib-doors, or flush-doors, and give an uniform
appearnace to rooms, or save the expense of
corresponding doors. To combine durability
with beauty, in doors, they are constructed of
framed work enclosing pannels, which are
fitted into grooves in the edges of the frames,
which are joined together by mortise and
tenon. The three horizontal pieces mortised
into the upright sides of the door, are called
the top, the bottom, and the lock-rails ; and if
a fourth occur under the top-rail, it is called
the frieze-rail: the side pieces are denomina-
ted stiles; the two intermediate pieces are
called meeting-stiles; and additional pieces
are called munnions. Framed doors are diver-
sified by the number and different kinds of
their pannels. The pannels of doors, when of
the same thickness as the frame-work, are
generally beaded; in which case they are
fitted into the frame, and the whole smoothly
planed; after which it is taken to pieces, and
the edges of the frame-work are worked with
the bead-plane, In doors with double margins
representing two folding doors, the broad mid-
dle still extends the whole length, and is in-
serted into the top and bottom rails by notches
in the latter fitted to forked ends of the double
middle stile. The baize door is covered with
that material, to keep the cold air out of
rooms. The batten door is almost exclusively
appropriated to the style of architecture called
Gothic: boards grooved and glued together,
form the ground on which stiles, rails, and
munnions made of battens are nailed, to give
the appearance of a framed door. If the bat-
tens be on one side, it is said to be singly, if on
both sides doubly battened. In these latter,
the stiles on each side are bolted together,
which gives great strength to the work. The
entrance gates of ancient British mansions
were of this construction.

Those doors which are double are either
folding doors, closing against each other,
covered with baize, to prevent access of cold

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

air; or they are double margin doors, formed
of two door-frames, with a strong middle piece
called the staff-stile, finished with the appear-
ance of two inner stiles of folding doors.

The doors of the ancients were of stone,
marble, wood, brass, or iron, and sometimes, in
temples, of gold. They revolved on pivots,
and were raised a little above the ground.
The Roman doors opened inwards; those of
the Greeks, outwards; the form of both was
narrower at the top than the bottom, in conse-
quence of which they shut themselves. In his
fourth hook, Vitruvius gives rules for the con-
struction of Attic, Ionic, and Doric doors.

@oymbination of Eoloured CeAoovs
for Furniture.

Sometimes richness of effect is no further at-
tempted than is obtained by the natural beauty
of the wood which is employed; and when
this natural beauty is considerable, this simple
kind of furniture is most highly valued.

But wood, so fine in colour and figure, as
alone to give richness of effect to furniture, is
very rare, and still more frequently defective ;
hence, the more usual mode of combining dif-
ferent coloured woods, or of metals and shells
with woods, require some degree of attention.
The prevailing combinations are formed by
coloured bands, lines, and ornaments of wood,
or by lines, beads, or ornaments of brass; the
brass being in many instances cut into beauti-
ful forms, and further embellished by engraved
lines on its surface.

The circumstances to be attended to in form-
ing these combinations, are, harmony of colour,
due proportion of the cqloured parts to one
another, and relief by contrast.

Contrasts is produced by opposition in
colour, and it should not be more powerful
than is necessary to produce an agreeable dis-
tinctness of figure. For example, the contrast
of bandings should not be too strong for the
body of the work to which the banding is
joined; as, in that case, the beauty of the wood
would be partly lost, in consequence of the eye
being most attracted to the banding. Strength
of contrast is produced both by opposition of
colour, and opposition in the strength of the
natural figure of the woods.

Where a richly-figured ground is to be ex-
tended to a larger size by a border, contrast
may be gained by the joint effect of a differ-
ence of colour and figure, but in this case we
prefer that the difference in colour should be
only in shade, and not of a different species ;
for instance, a darker or lighter variety of the
same wood with a stronger figure; the separa-
ting lines should be of an opposite colour, but
so narrow as only to determine the boundary
between the border and the centre, about as
distinctly as the form of an object is deter-
mined by a line on paper.

As opposite colours produce contrast, some
explanation of a mode of knowing the colours,
which are directly opposed to each other, will
be of use to the artist.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

All the various colours in nature may be
produced by combining the three primitive
colours, red, yellow, and blue: if a circle be
drawn, and divided into six equal triangular
parts by straight lines from the centre, and one
triangle be coloured yellow, the next to it
green, the third blue, the fourth purple, the
fifth red, and the sixth orange; then, the
colours which are opposite one another in the
cricle, are most opposite in their nature; as
orange is opposite to blue, purple to yellow,
and red to green.

If the three primitive colours be properly
chosen, it will be found that the yellow and
blue being mixed, they produce the green
between them; the blue and red being mixed,
they produce the purple; and the red and
yellow, being mixed, produce the orange; and,
by varying the proportions in the mixtures, an
immense variety of tints may be produced.
Again, if any two colours which are opposite in
the circle be mixed, the result will be a brown
neutral tint; thus, purple and yellow make
brown, red and green make brown, and orange
and blue make brown, and the neutral colour
brown combines with indifference with any of
the others,
i*Those colours which are opposite in the
circle produce contrast, and those which are
nearest to being side by side approach nearest
to harmony. Contrast, however, must always
be sparingly introduced, and in small lines or
bands, and when it is properly managed, it
enlivens the appearance of the work, while a
little excess of contrast renders the effect
florid, and the excess pushed a small degree
‘further renders the object gaudy and vulgar.
The theory of the combination of colours
may also be illustrated by drawing an equila-
jteral triangle, and from each of its angles
‘describe an arc of a circle, with a radius equal
to two-thirds of one of its sides; by this
means the area of the triangle is divided into
seven parts; and,if the centre be brown, and
the angular parts of the primitive colours, and
the other three of the compound colours, the
opposite colours in the triangle will be of op-
/posite natures as in the circle before described.

The advantage of a clear idea of the rela-
tions of colours, is not only of use in the com-
bination of woods in cabinet-work, but also in
upholstery, and, indeed, in all works where the
object is to produce richness of effect by
colours.

Referring again to the circular diagram, the
agreement of our principles with the maxims
of painters may be easily shown; for they
divide colours into two classes, warm and cold,
and one side of our circle has the warm colours
yellow, orange, and red, and the opposite the
cold colours, green, blue, and purple; the
warmest colour is orange, and it is opposed to
the coldest or blue.

The maxim of Dufresnoy—

“Forbid two hostile colours close to meet,
And win with middle tints their union sweet,’

may be attended to with much advantage, in
cases where it becomes desirable to use
coloured woods which have opposite colours;
as the object may be attained by band lines, or

249

ornament between them, having the colours of
the middle tints in the circle between the
opposing colours.

We shall close our remarks on combination
of colours, with afew general maxims. Much
depends on the colour of the principle mass of
the piece of work, which we call the predomi-
nating colour. If this colour be rich, very
little variety of other colours should be added.
On the contrary, if the predominating colour
be light and delicate, it will bear to be en-
livened and supported by contrast, with fine
lines or borders of an opposing colour; taking
care that the mass of opposing colours be so
small as not to produce opposition instead of
contrast; for contrast, skilfully managed, gives)
force and lustre to the ground, while opposition
destroys even its natural beauty.

Arts anv Trades.

The operatives of the Anglo-Saxons were
mostly in a servile state. The clergy and the
great had domestic servants, who were qualli-
fied to supply them with those articles of trade
and manufacture which were in common use.
Hence, in monasteries we find smiths, carpen-
ters, millers, illuminators, architects, agricultu-
rists, and fishermen. Smiths and carpenters
were the most numerous and importaut, as
ministering to the chief secular pursuits of the
time—war and agriculture.

The shoemaker’s was acomprehensive trade,
united branches that now form distinct busi-
nesses, as appears from the following list of
articles he fabricated :—ankle leathers, shoes,
leather hose, bottles, bridle thongs, trappings, |
flasks, boiling vessels, leather neck-pieces,
halters, wallets, and pouches.

The salter, baker, cook, and fisherman were
common oecupations. Besides the persons)
who made these trades their business, some of}
the clergy sought to excel in mechanical arts.
Thus, a monk is described as well-skilled in
smith-craft. Dunstan, besides being compe-
tent to draw and paint the patterns fora lady’s
robe, was also a smith, and worked on all the
metals. Among other labours of his industry,
he made two great bells for the church at
Abingdon. His friend Ethelwold, the bishop,
made two other bells for the same place, of a
smaller size,and a wheel, full of small bells,
much gilt, to be turned round for its music on
fast days. One of our Kings made a monk,
who was a skilful goldsmith, an abbot. It was
even enacted by law, that the clergy should||
pursue these occupations, for Edgar, according
to Turner, says, ‘‘We command that every
priest, to increase nowledge, learn some handi-
craft.” The invention of the musical scale, or
gamut, in 1022, by an Italian monk, tended to
diffuse a taste for music. Church music
greatly improved in consequence, and its in-
ventor, Guido Aretine, was sent for twice to
Rome to explain and teach it to the clergy of
that city. In the seventh century, Benedict,
the Abbot of Weremouth, procured men from
France, who not only glazed the windows

of ‘this church and monastery, but taught the

windows, Jamps, drinking vessels, and for other
juses. The arts of colouring and painting
glass were also known. The figures of Alfred,
and of his grandson, Athelstan, in the window
of the library of All-Souls, Oxford, were
probably painted not long after the age in
which these Princes flourished: Picture paint-
jing, too, was common for the embellishment of
churches. “A’picture of Christ, drawn by St.
Dunstan; with his picture prostrate at his feet,
and several inscriptions in his own hand-
writing, are still preserved in the Bodleian
Library.

The art of dying scarlet by the help of an
insect, was discovered about the year 1,000.
Weaving and embroidery were likewise. prac-
tised. Edward the Elder, had his daughters
jtaught fo exercise the needle and distaff. In-
|deed spinning was the common occupation
jof the Anglo-Saxon ladies. Alfred, in his will,
calls the female part of the family the “‘ spindle-
side.” So, too, Egbert, when entailing his es-
jtates on his male descendants, to the exclusion

to the spindle-side.’’ Of the skill and industry
of the ancient spinsters, we have an extraor-
dinary instance in the tapestry which is still
preserved in the Cathedral of Bayeux. This
curious relic of antiquity is a vast linen web
442 feet long, and two broad, on which is em-
broidered the history of the Conquest. It is
supposed to have been executed by English
women, under the direction of Matilda, wife of
Wiliam I. Many of the figures are without
|stockings, though none are without shoes,
which make it probable that shoes were more
generally used than stockings, in this period.
The common people for the most part, had no
stockings, nor any other covering on their legs;
and even the clergy celebrated mass with their
legs bare, till a law was made against the prac-
tice in the Council of Chalchuythe in 785.
Wooden shoes, which are now esteemed the
marks of the greatest indigence and misery,
were worn by the greatest princes in Europe in
the ninth and tenth centuries !

From the custom of kings making presents
of rich garments, vases, bracelet, and rings to
their witans and courtiers, and of great lords
doing the same to their knights, the trades for
making these must have had much employ-
ment. One of the Saxon trades seems to have
been the tavern, or public-house; for a priest
is forbidden to drink at the ‘‘ wine tuns.”” An
ale-house and ale-shop are also mentioned in
the laws. °

The Anglo-Saxons, who were unacquainted
with the building arts, distroyed the magni-
ficent stuctures left by the Romans. Nor did
they much improve in the knowledge of
architecture for two centuries after their
arrival. During that period, masonry was
quite unknown and unpractised in this island;
the walls of churches and even of cathedrals,
were built of wood. Towards the end of the
seventh century, masonry was restored, and
some other arts conneeted with it, introduced
by two ecclesiastics who had visited Rome.
These were the famous Wilfred, Bishop of

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Anglo-Saxons the art of making glass for

‘of females, says: “‘ To the spear-side, and not |

York; and Benedict Biscop, founder of the
abbey of Weremouth. Wilfred was a great
architect and erected several structures at
‘York, Ripon, and Hexham, which were the
admiration of the age. Those singular struc-
tures, called round towers, of which specimens
are still to be seen at Ardmore, in Ireland, and
Abernethy, in Scotland, are supposed to have
been erected in the tenth century.

Such are the facts of history, and the
doctrine resulting from them is obvious. The
grand element of true civilization is the Gospel ;
but such are the difficulties which it has to!
overcome, that many centuries are required of
expense and toil suffering and sorrow. Were
some twelve of the chief of these noble
Saxons now to arise and take a deliberate
survey of all that the woundrous island now
contains, what would be their wonder ‘and
joy! Let the friends of man, in savage lands,
take heart and labour on! ;

The Chronotpypist.

On Wednesday last the first portion of the |
Vernon Collection was removed from the resi-
dence of its munificent donor to the apartments.
in the basement story of the National Gallery
where it is to be temporarily lodged until other,
and final arrangements can be made. Mr!
Ward’s picture of the ‘‘Council of horses,”
purchased by Mr. Vernon at the late Exhibi-|
tion of the Royal Academy, has been added by
him to his public gift.—The National Gallery)
will be re-opened to the public a fortnight
hence: when the two pictures by Taddeo Gaddi, |
lately given to the National Gallery by Mr.
Coningham, will be seen in addition to the
modern collection.—tThe great picture of the
Battle of Waterloo which Mr. Sidney Cooper.
exhibited at Westminister Hall has found a’
purchaser in Lancashire. The sum paid for it
is said to be one thousand guineas.—Mr. Frost’s
picture of ‘ Euphrosyne,’ lately exhibited at the
Royol Academy, has had the Fifty Pounds!
Prize awarded to it by the Management of the,
Liverpool Exhibition—in which it is now!
a conspicuous feature. — Atheneum. —— A
new heavy grade steam locomotive engine’
has been successful in New York. The im-'
provement of Mr. Sellers consist of an applica-|
tion of two small wheels in the hinder part of
the engine, which work horizontally, and take |
hold of each side of an edge rail, set up on!
centre sleepers, between the two main rails.!
These wheels are worked by a pair of extra
cylinders, which are only used when on a@
grade. When the engine reaches the foot of '
a grade, the weight of the train is thrown off
from the frame of the engine, and it draws
entirely upon machinery connected with these
two small wheels, so that the heavier the train, |
the greater the adhesion. So great is the)

adhesion, that a train can be forced up 2

grade of 276 feet to the mile, while the regular
driving-wheels are worked backwards and |
slipping on the rails, the train can be stopped)
at any point in descending a grade and driven |

back. |

meee

\ (<a

AN OLD STEEL LAMP AT NUREMBERG, DATED 1586,—ELIZABETHAN STYLE.

No. 76—Vol. III. Three-halfpence.

SATURDAY, |

An EMlustratey Glossary of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural and
‘Entertor Decoration, Ke.

——

(Concluded from page 245.)

ForM, PROPORTIONS OF THE HUMAN.—
(Concluded from our last.) The method of en-
larging or contracting a copy of any object consists
in dividing the original into any number of equal
squares, and then dividing the paper upon which
the drawing is to be made into the same number
of equal squares, either greater or lesser than those
in the original, according as the drawing is to be
enlarged or contracted, and drawing the several
parts of the copy as they occur in the squares of

the original in the corresponding squares of the

paper.—(See figure given last week.)

FOUNTAIN, or jet d’eau. They are of various
kinds, viz., Arched, Bason, Covered, Cup, Marine,
Naval, Rustic, Satyrical, Statuary, Symbolical,
Pyramidal, Spouting, Spring, &c. It is a contri-
vanee by which water is violently spouted up-
wards. They are founded either on the elasticity
of the air, or the pressure of the water. Foun-
tains or sources of rivers were held sacred among
the ancients, being a point of religion not to
muddy the water in bathing. The accompanying
drawing is from the Flower market, on the Quay
Desaix, and is called a Cup Fountain, having, be-
sides a bason,a cup supported by a pedestal, &c.,
\|having a jet of water spouting out of the centre

of it.

CUP FOUNTAIN.

ORNAMENTAL FOUNTAIN.

THE, DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

| Senting the light which is emitted from fire ; used

- [OctropeR 21, 1848,% }

Fistuca. An instrument of wood, anciently
used in driving piles. It was raised by pullies
fixed to the head of large beams, and having two
or more handles, was let fall directly on the piles. |

FURNITURE. (In Building.) Door knobs, ex-)
ternal brass-work of locks, window fastenings, &c.

FORESHORTENING. (In painting.) The art of
representing figures and other objects, projections,
&c., as they appear to the eye. This art, which,
in many instances, is so difficult, appears to have
been known to the Greeks, and Pliny speaks par-
ticularly as to its being successfully practiced by
Parrhasius and Pausius. Among the moderns,
Correggio must be allowed the palm for excellence
in foreshortening,

FLAME. (In Sculpture.) An ornament repre-

to decorate funeral monuments, as representing
the unceratinty of human life. Wren has used it
on the top of his gigantic column called the Mo-
nument, as being commemorative of the great
conflagration of the city.

A vein of iron ore has been discovered on the||
estate of Mr. John Shepherd, High Brow, Millom,|
Ulverstone. Mining operations have been com-|
menced with every prospect of success.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

nalish Ornamental Lron Work,

THE fabrication of iron and steei for useful and
ornamental purposes constitutes, without doubt,
one of the most important productions of British
industry. It is but very few years ago that any-
thing in the shape of Sheffield goods, or articles in
steel of other local manufacture, were to be seen
in France. The French cutlery was by no means
good ; and some of the French manufacturers ac-
counted for their inability to compete in that ar-
ticle by saying that the quality of water employed
in its process did not admit of its being so highly
wrought as in England ; added to other peculi-
arities, one of which, we think, must have been
the inattention paid to its cultivation until within
comparatively few years. If, however, we may.
credit the following story—which partakes some-
what of the character of the celebrated “line” of
Apelles and Praxiteles—it must be confessed that
the French are now scarcely inferior to us in the
manufacture of the article of steel.

A few years ago a French cutler sent over to a
friend in England, a file of exquisite workmanship,
and so highly finished and tempered (as he thought)
as to defy the impression of any similar manufac-
ture of ours upon it. This French file was sub-
mitted to one of our principal men in the art, who
||immediately took a file out of his own shop, and
filed the foreign steel in twain, requesting the
Frenchman’s friend to return the pieces, together
with the English file with which the other had
been sundered, This was accordingly done; and
for a few days nothing more was heard of the af-
fair—the English cutler, meanwhile, enjoying his
supposed triumph. He soon afterwards, however,
received from the French manufacturer another
{of his files, with a challenge to serve that in a si-
milar way with the first, sending at the same time
the English file in two parts, as had been done by
our countryman. The challenge was accepted;
and as speedily was this second effort of French in-
genuity doomed to the degradation of the first ;
after which it was despatched to Paris, accom-
panied by its hard victor in the form of the En-
glish steel. This was conclusive—the Frenchman
owned he was out-manufactured, and he eventually
retired from the field of competition; but not with-
out honour. Thus was our superiority tested and
established over a distinguished foreign competitor
in the art of making steel.

If the traveller perchance indulge in a tour of
the Palais Royal during a summer evening, when
the lamps are plentifully and brilliantly lit to daz-
zle forth the ample display of cutlery and fancy
articles in steel, in that former abode of royalty,
he is led to imagine that France must excel far be-
yond any other country in the perfection of those
articles. -The profusion, the apparent beauty, and
height of polish, acted upon by the glaring body
of gas,—and the taste observed in the distribution
of the articles, in order that nothing shall be lost
by method,—all these would certainly lead one to
conclude Paris was the greatest mart in Europe
for the manufacture of steel cutlery and orna-
ments. Not so, however. .Not many doors from
the Théatre du Palais Royal may be seen a fine
shop—lacking, perhaps, the taste in trifles which
the adjoining establishments display—stocked with

British cutlery and other manufactured articles.)
It is only by close comparison that the difference}|
in the articles can be observed. This shop is the||
centre of attraction to those who wish to make
any purchases in steel. Itis, or rather was a few
years ago, established by an Englishman, who con-
ducted it in person. Of course the articles are
dearer than those of the neighbouring rivals; but
then the genuine material is found. Now, how-
ever, the French have improved in steel and iron
manufacture—possibly from the example set by
British residents. Still they do not equal our own
goods; and even to this day it is the most common
request of a Frenchman, when he learns any friend
is about to visit England, that he do not return
without bringing an English penknife. Notwith-
standing the unquestionable improvement made by
Continental manufacturers in steel and iron, yet
they Jack the finish and substantiality visible in
articles of British production. Their table cutlery
is rough and clumsy, and generally most miserably
set in the handles; and as to the steel fork, such
an article of use is seldom or never seen or used at
a French table—the forks being for the most part
of silver, or of some imitative metal. The knife
portion of the dinner service, therefore, contrasts
very poorly with the neat and frequently elegant
display of china plate to be found at a French en-
tertainment.

We now come to the consideration of iron. In
every respect, both politically and commercially,
this may well be designated the “iron age.” Our
forefathers would never have dreamed or believed
that in 1§48 we should have converted more than
half the country into lines for travelling, by the
aid of metal, to all corners of the kingdom. The
steam power now employed in Great Britain, both
by land and sea, is capable of annihilating all the
rest of the world. We have iron now in all forms
and in all uses, from the leviathan steam-boat,
whose very hull even is composed of iron instead
of oak or other timber, down to the visiting or
pass-ticket. No mortal could have imagined only
twenty years ago that so many millions could have
been spent in iron, or that such a supply could
have been realised, as has been the case of late.
All the resources of this great country may be
said to have opened up through the conversion of
that metal to travelling purposes. It has concen-
trated our commercial energies; discovered new
markets for our various productions ; introduced
those formerly at too great a distance for personal
communication, consequent on the expense and
tediousness of travelling, to one another, who have
since, probably, changed and bettered their pros-
pects in life by mutual intercourse and an ex-
change of their commodities. It has annihilated
time and space, even, to a material extent, by
shortening distance, converting forty miles into
about seven, and twelve hours into about three—
speaking in the sense of our present mode of tran-
sit from distance to distance. Thus the most ma-
terial benefits are derjved from the present use of
iron, which is but in its infancy in all other na-
tions. All this is the result of British industry
and enterprise—those great principles which have
ever been, and, probably, will continue to be, the
cause of Britain’s power and Britain’s greatness.

But independent of the application of iron to
such purposes as those above-mentioned, we have
long been distinguished in the trade generally in

| et

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

253

ee SSS

the form of stoves, fire-irons, grates, and a variety

f articles too numerous to mention. These are
necessaries ; consequently they always command a
{\market; and more so, especially in these days,
when building improvements are carried on to
such an extent. The ironmonger is one of the
tradesmen in the greatest demand; the conse-
quence of which is, that the manufacturer must be
‘always moving. Colebrook-dale is one of the
most important ironworks in this country but the
variety of foundries is immense, and they are to
be found in almost every quarter of England, al-
though not of that magnitude which characterises
a few of the leading establishments. In France,
and on the Continent generally, the ironworks are
very inferior. Of late years, however, since the
vast trafic in steam, British engineers and manu-
facturers of iron have taught the French a lesson ;
and, at the present day, France has to thank our
enterprising countrymen for the establishment of
foundries and manufacturies for reducing the me-
tal to its required form. ‘With respect to iron for
machinery (for steam-boats more especially), a
vast quantity is sent over to England from Scot-
land. The various parts of the engine are made
in Scotland, and forwarded in pieces, after which
they are put together, and thus form the entire en-
gine. This is a very common practice.

The improvements made in the stove and chim-
ney-piece department are extraordinary. Such
things are even now comparatively rare in France,
as wood is, for the most part, burned instead of
coal, which is consumed on the hearth, of red tiles,
generally. This barbarism, however, is gradually
declining, and in the houses of the higher classes
English comfort is studied and cultivated. French
grates are very rude affairs, and the fire-irons are.
in keeping with them, being of very rough manu-
facture, and by no means strangers to a thick coat
of well-neglected rust. In Great Britain the
fashion for highly-polished steel ornaments to
grates and fenders has much increased, some of
which are most beautifully designed, and present
a very lively and dazzling appearance.

Iron has now been acted upon with such success
in various ways, that it can be made to assume any
form ; and in castings it presents not only proof of
its virtues, but of its agreeable appearance in its
varied shapes.

The durability of iron must necessarily render it
a cheap article in any form, and hence it might be
converted with economy to many purposes hitherto
unattempted. When we see that in these days it
is even made the choice material with which to
construct gentlemen’s yachts, as well as other
branches of shipping, we may safely predict a lone
reign of success in theiron trade. It is found to
be more buoyant than wood ; and one advantage
especially is, that, unlike wood, it will not become
so saturated as to increase its weight and deaden
its effects. An iron vessel will last out three built
of wood, probably more; and in speed of sailing,
as well as in railway travelling, it has an imfinite
advantage over the timber vessels.

Such is the perfection to which the working of
metal has reached in Great Britain, that it would
scarcely be surprising if we soon were furnished
with iron robes and articles of apparel. We have
already female attire manufactured of the most
beautiful texture out of glass, and we have seen
some dresses which could vie with the choicest silks

ever manufactured. However, we believe their
use as yet has been very limited. Why, then,
when we see the facility with which iron ean be
managed, and the ductility which, through human
ingenuity, it is made to assume, should we not be
prepared for its being converted to still more ge-
neral purposes? Mr. Brunel’s ideas many years
ago, respecting the future perfection of railroads
were considered extravagant, and people laughed
at them as approaching the Quixotic ; neverthe-
less, what were then supposed to be mere visions,
are now partially realised, and before long we may
doubtless prepare for still greater wonders in that
department of metallic application. In this, as in
all matters of more commercial utility and dura-
bility, Great Britain stands far above any compe-
tition of which the foreigner is capable. In little
refinements, beyond the fact of their being more
ornamental than useful, some of our continental
neighbours may possibly slightly excel us; but in
the graud pnrposes of combination, where durabi-
lity, skill, and real commercial value are concerned,
not only does British industry bear the palm, but
it proves likewise what it could accomplish if fa-
voured, like foreigners, with the substantial pa-
tronage of its own government and aristocracy.
The day may yet arrive, and that soon, when the
state will be impressed with the necessity of ex-
tending to the British industrial classes those
advantages which France has accorded to her com-
mercial branches. In this respect, at least, she is
well worthy of imitation. ,

THe Wrint Keom of the Writish
SHusgeum.

THE addition of engravings, says the Art Journal,
which has recently been made to our national col-
lection, through Messrs. Smith of Lisle Street, is
one of great value and importance to the curious
in these matters; the Print Room of the British
Museum may now boast of possessing a collection
of works far superior in number and quality to
any other throughout Europe, Messrs. Smith
have long been distinguished for their judgment
and experience in the acquisition of this class of
artistic productions, and they have spared no ex-
pense in bringing together the best and rarest en-
gravings of the old masters: these have now
become national property, having been purchased
for the purpose by the trustees of the Museum. <A
detailed account of this collection would far ex-
ceed the space we must allow ourselves ; we can
therefore do little more than enumerate some of
the principal engravings to be found init. ‘‘ The
Annunciation to the Shepherds,’’ one of Rem-
brandt’s finest etchings—two impressions of the
‘¢ Flicht into Egypt,” in the style of Elsheimer ;
— there are two other prints of this subject by
Rembrandt, one of which is in the style of Mez-
zotinto—the ‘‘ Raising of Lazarus,” a unique
print ; the figure seen running away in terror has
the head uncovered: a cap was afterwards placed
on it, as seen in subsequent impressions,—“ Christ
brought before Pilate,” this master’s largest and
finest work; the copy alluded to is taken on
thick Chinese paper, ina very early state; there

eee aS a SEBS HS RR eS RT Sg a

pp Sac SS in anges ARNIS

THE DECORATO

R’S ASSISTANT.

are only three others known, all of which are in
this. country— the Pancake Woman,” a small
etching, exceedingly rare—three different impres-
sions of Rembrandt’s portrait, etched by himself—
several of Abraham Francy, all of them remarka-'
bly fine—a splendid print of the large portrait of
Coppenol, the writing master—and one of the
advocate Tolling, the rarest of his works, which
realized more than £200 at Mr. Pole Carew’s sale,
in 1835.

In the Italian Schodl we have a small print of
a “Man drawing on his Clothes,” by that great
master in the Art, Mare Antonio Raimondi ;
it is from a figure in Michael Angelo’s celebrated
cartoon of Pisa, and is very rare in this state ;
also a large engraving by the same hand, the sub-
ject, “The’ Martyrdom of St. Lawrence,” after
Boccio Randinelli; the impression is magnificent,
and is known asthat with the two forks, Antonio
having effaced one of them afterwards. At the
sale of the Dubois collection at Paris, in 1845,
one of these prints, in a shattered condition, but
restored, realised more than 100 guineas.

The most interesting and important portlon of
this acquisition, however, is a collection of be-
tween five and six hundred English and Foreign
portraits, many of them invaluable as being ex-
ceedingly scarce ; among these may be noticed the
“Portrait of Oliver Cromwell,’ engraved by Wil-
liam Faithorn, a unique proof before the additions
were made to the plate—the “ Portrait of Margaret
Smith,”’ considered Faithorn’s chef-d’cuvre ; only
one other impression is known, which is framed
and hung up in one of the saloons of the Cabinet
a’ Estampes in the Bibliothéque Royale, at Paris
—a large number of portraits of our English sove-
reigns, including one of great rarity by Elstrache,
“‘ James Ist and his Queen,” walking together ;
this print sold at Sir Mark Sykes’s sale in 1824 for
||£64.—some curious prints of the “‘ Gunpowder-
plot conspirators,” with representaions of their ex-
ecutions—a fine specimen of Blooteling’s graver, |
from the Sykes collection, the “‘ Lord Chancellor
Shaftesbury,”—a rare print of ‘‘ Thomas Duke of.
Norfolk,’’—satirical prints of Titus Oates,” a cu-
{\rious print of the notorious “‘Jonathan Wild,”
jjand a variety of portraits of distinguished
| |foreioners.
By those who take an interest in this class of
works of Art, the additions now made to the print-|
tToom of the Museum, will be highly esteemed ; we,
{\confess not to be of the number, and think the
sum for which they were bought, (£4200, as we
understand) might, though little, perhaps, by com-,
parison, have been more profitably expended on)
|\some other productions less secluded from, and)
morejappreciated by, the public. We scarcely
‘see what useful object is to be gained by the col-
| \lecting togethera mass of old prints whose chief
value perhaps lies in their being scarce, and which
‘can only be examined by privileged few, attracted
(by ‘curiosity to search the store-house of anti-
quarian engraving.

» THE PoRTLAND Prison is so far completed
las to be capable of accommodating about 350 con-
victs for work on the Breakwater, whose immediate
arrival is now anticipated. The building already
forms very prominent object in the island.

|facturer. As an example of the kind of practical
| information he should supply in this course, Mr.

| paper-hangings by printing with blocks, and

Ax. Wornuw's Lectures on Ornaz|
mental Art.

——aee

On Friday evening, the 9th inst., Mr. Ralph N.
Wornum gave the first of a course of lectures on
the History, Principles and Practice of Ornamen-
tal Art, and sketched the manner in which he pro-|
poses to divide his subject. |

Omitting mention of the historical course, we’
may say that in the Analytic course he proposes to
treat of the prinicples and objects of decoration,
giving an analysis of the various styles, and the’
motive or sentiment by which each is characterised,
so as to present an zesthetical view of the subject.’
After explaining the term esthetic as expressing
sensuous perception of the beautiful, Mr. Wornum
gave an exposition of the importance of observing,

fitness and utlity in ornamental designs; and il-)

lustrated the motive causes of the three primary |
forms of ornament by examples of use, symbolism,
and embellishment, from Egyptian chairs, the’
winged globe of the Egyptian temples, and the so-
called egg-and-tongue moulding of ancient)
Greek architecture, which he proved to be derived
from the horse-chesnut. Other motives were ad-
verted to, and that of ostentation was shown to be:
a constant indication of barbarism and decay of,
taste, as instanced in the passion of the savage for
mere glitter and finery, and that of the civilised |
man for mere display of wealth. Every gaudy
elaboration of form and colour is not ornament.|
Forms of beauty are as strictly dependent on ua-
tural laws as the forms of use, and above all it is’
necessary to bear in mind the fitness of a design
to its destined use. The essential principles and
elementary laws of ornament are contrast, unity |
produced by symmetry, balance, and proportion of,
parts, repetition in series—horizontal, diagonal,
vertical, curvilinear, kc. Every beautiful form or,
shape is composed of symmetrical parts: these
principles are illustrated in the kaleidoscope, in de-,
coration of surfaces, diaper work, paper-hangiugs,
architectural mouldings. Ornamental forms are!
rather suggested by, than imitated from, natural,
objects, This constitutes the distinction between)
an ornament and a picture. The painter imitates,
natura] forms, the ornamentist only applies them.
It is against reason to suppose there can be any
beauty in impossibilities and absurdities. The or-
namentist should be rational when he can. The
remarkable passage from Vitruvius was cited in’
condemnation. of the vicious taste of the style of;
decoration known as the Pompeian or grotesque
style, falsely denominated the Arabesque.

The Practical Course will furnish a general
knowledge of cvery mechanical process and con-|
dition of reproduction which it is necesary the
students should observe, in. order to render their
designs capable of being executed by the manu-

Wornum explained the process of manufacturing

pointed out the conditions to be observed by the
designer. In conclusion, the lecturer observed
that all ornamental manufactures have been most
popular and most successful in those periods when
the sreatest efforts have been made to render them

_ ‘THE

objects of taste; so that, taking a mere utilitarian
view, it is the interest of the manufacturer to cul-
|tivate beauty of design to the utmost of his power ;
but we must also regard the moral and social ad-
jvantages of a universal diffusion of artistic taste.
The object of this school is not to aggrandize, but
to disseminate art. Neither is it for the manufac-
turer only, but also for the consumer; for gratify-
ling and properly elevating the minds of the
‘family of the:daily labourer. It is not, therefore,
the architectural decorator alone who fulfil its
great mission, but. the designer of those articles of
fuse and comfort which our manufacturers send to
the remotest regions of the globe. ‘‘It rests with
you, then,” said the lecturer to the students, . “ to
make this schoola source from which all the sug-
gestions of the beautiful, and every benefit that
‘ean result from its contemplation, may flow in an
ever-increasing stream, even to the utmost limits
of society.” Dia

: Rebtel.

CHOLERA INVESTIGATED.
17, Holywell-street, Strand.

This is a very cleverly written treatise. The
‘Author's system of reasoning is both ingenious and
convincing, and we may safely augur for the result
of his labours an extensive circulation. At the
present time every one should havea copy in their
possession.

London: Gibbs,

London: Printed and Published by W. Gisgs, 17, Holywell Street, Strand.

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

.as still very bad in London.

| Institutions, the fine arts, science, Sc.

255

Co Correspondents, Ke.

—__—

“ EB. W.”—Yes we can, forward your address
to our Office, enclosing a Postage Stamp, and
we will communicate with you.

“* FN. G's,” request shall be attended to.

“ Brutus.’—Much will depend upon the na-
ture of the erection—whether it is of public
interest or not. If approved of by us, of course,
we would readily give it insertion. \"

“William Curphey.”—WNot at present, business
You had better
apply to some Society House.

—_——

Communcation, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”—We shail at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial}
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’)

Cases for Vols. I. II. and LIT. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt, or
marbled, 6d. extra.

Part 18 is now ready, Price 7d.

a a

BARRKRPRR SESAEAEERELELIROS

33 POSTSCRIPT. *

RASS SSSSSS SECS OST
—09-——

O OUR READERS—

Once more do we lay aside
our editorial restraint, and in-
dulging in such levity as be-
comes our calling, introduce,
with a merry face, our third
bantling to the world—albeit
its rearing has not improved our finances, or tended in
the least to preserye the equanimity of our temper.
<p Nevertheless, now, as ever, we are willing to regard with

paternal pride those efforts of our pen which have caused

us many a hard struggle between our love of the objects

which they profess to cultivate, improve, and advance;

m 1S and that feeling—it cannot, must not, be called of selfish-

ness—which a man naturally experiences when he per-

ceives his little stock of worldly wealth gradually dimi-

nishing before his eyes, and without a single hope of its
return. .

The position of the proprietor of a periodical work is
one of peculiar delicacy, so far as regards his connection
with the reading public. Entirely unknown to the

patrons of his undertaking, who never once, perhaps, call to mind the existence of such
a being, he either sinks or rises in obscurity. If his work is successful, he has certainly
a consolation in its profit; but, on the contrary, when his utmost efforts have failed to
attain for it any thing like a circulation, and he is absolutely compelled to disappoint, in
some measure, the wishes or expectations of his readers, then is he immediately over-
whelmed with a thousand remonstrances (sometimes not couched in the most elegant or
refined language) from anonymous correspondents, who mayhap contribute individually
some tenth part of the fraction of a farthing towards the expenses of the publication,
respecting the arrangement of which they suggest alterations in some cases entirely infea-
sible were all the jewels of Golconda at hand to purchase the means, and in others requiring
the outlay of several pounds—the latter often being as great an impossibility as the other.
These words we beg of our readers to bear in mind, and the more especially as with
the commencement of the fourth volume, an alteration in the price of this miscellany,
namely, from 1$d. to 2d. is to take place. For further information on this point, as

also upon the return which we intend making for the additional halfpenny, we must
refer to the leading article, in No. 75, p. 241.

Hoping that at the conclusion of our next volume our greeting may be “merry in
earnest,” and that our success may impart to us a light heart and a well-plenished
pocket, again, in all friendliness, do we bid our readers farewell.

17, Holywell Street, Strand, London. October 18th, 1848.

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Absorption of Moisture in Buildings, On, 183

Ammonia Destructive to Leather, 177

Anastatic Printing, 47

Ancient Font, 88

Relics, 76

Anglo-Saxon Antiquities, 23

Antiquarian Discovery, 48

Antiquaries, Society of, 79—113

Antique Jars, 167

Archeological Institute, 182

Architecture, Professor Cockerell’s Lectures on,
148—152—206—223—249

Art Education, 231

——, Lectures on, 177

—— Manufactures, 51

— and Religion, On, 36

Banvard’s Panorama of the Mississippi, 119

Beauty, On the Nature of, 41

Berlin Iron, 66

Birmingham Brass-work, 197

Book of Early English Alphabets, on the, 213

British Art, Observations on the Condition of, 101
111—121

British Institution, On the, "189199

British Museum, The, 26

Camera, Willett’s Improved, 70

Cathedral of Namur, 2

Chinese Paints, 133

Art and Industry, 177

Chronotypist, The, 1O—17—29—40—-50—59—67
80 —90 —100 —109 — 120 — 129 — 139 —
149— 159—169 —179—183—200—209—218
230—239—250

Churches, New, 59

Coal in Magellan, 123

Coin, New, 187

Composition, On, 191

Conservatory at Chatsworth, the, 19

Correspondents, Notice to, 6-—18—30—40—50—|
60— 70— 80— 90— 100— 110— 120—130—
140—150— 160—170 —180—190—200—210
220—230 —240—250—252

Curious Invention, 152

Decoration of Places of Public Amusement, On|}

the, 109

Theatre Royal Adelphi, 52
— — ——_—____—__——__ Haymarket, 2
Design, Importance of the Study of, 212—221
On the Study of, 72—96

ica 107

Domestic Decoration, On, 61

Drawing and Painting, Drapery, 4
Drawing Book, The Self-Instructing, 221
Durham College Library, 172

Earthenware Piping, On, 176
Elastic Moulds, 176

Electrie Light, The, 283—59—69—77
Electro-Telegraphic Progress, 229

Elliptical Volute, Rules for Drawing the, 198
Enamelling, On, 187

Enamels, Method of Making, 247

Essay on the Fine Arts, 86—92

Etruria, the Walls of, 176

Exposition of Manufactures at Birmingham, 49

Fangfoss Church, Discovery in, 43 »

‘Fine Arts in Australia, 91

Floating Railway, 167
Floors, To Remove Stains from, 147
Flower Painting, 19

‘Freaks of Architects, 20—23

——, from Vegetal Growth, 136 |

Free Exhibition of Modern Art, 178
Frescoes in the New Houses of Parliament, 31 °
Fresco Painting, To Preserve, 137

Gasometer for the New Houses of Parliament, 97

Galvanized Wire and Hemp Ropes, 79

Gilded Silk, 33

Glass Signboards, 83 ;

Glossary of Technieal Terms, Illustrated, 8—14—
25— 35— 44— 58—68 —75—-84—98 —110—
118—128 —138—150—158—168—178—188
198—208—218—228 —238— 248

Gold in Britain, 123

Canada, 93

Gutta Percha, 62

Habitations for the Working Classes, On, 53
Heraldic Errors on the New Houses of Parliament,

Heraldry, Lectures on, 132
Hints on Picture Cleaning, 173
Holland Monument, 49 mr
Houses for the Poor, 57

How is Art to be Studied, 201

Imitation, On, 131

INDEX.

Observations -on Architecture and Building, 39—
46—57—64—89—99
Ornamental Art, Wornum’s Lecture on, 13—36—
0

Painting on New Wood, The Process of, 227
Professor Leslie’s Lecture on, 196—216

236—246—251

Paragraphs, 3—6—13 —17— 19— 22—26—28—
32—37—40 —47—_67—88—96— 103—119 —
163-— 167—187— 191—193—203—207—213
229—249—254

Patents for Inventions, 183

| Payne’s Non-Combustible Wood, 79

Pencil Diamond, The, 20

Perspective, On, 5—28—38—48—60—68—77—
89—98—108—118—130

Photogenic Drawing, 207—217—239

Picturesque Anatomy, On the Study of, 156

Polychromatic Decoration, Observations on, 83—
97—107—126—146—153—466

Portrait Painting in Portugal, 119

Preservation of Timbers, 170 ,

Prince’s Theatre, Glasgow, The New, 180

Print Room of the British Museum, The, 81

Improvement in the Dwellings of the Indnstrious Progress of English Art, On the, 1

Classes, On the, 11—21—34
Institute of British Architects, 210
Interior Decoration, On, 136
lonie Volute, Rule for Drawing the, 148

Japan Work, Method of Painting, 117
—$$_$__ —______—Varnishing, 123

Kremlin at Moscow, The New, 183
Lacquering, On, 226—237

Leicester, School of Design for, 142
Library of Queen’s College, London, 47

Putty, To Soften, 177

Receipts, Useful, 147—157

Reviews of New Works, 27—63—77
Rewards for Art Manufactures, 209
Roman Pavements, 117

Urns, 33

ay Academy, The, 40

Institution of Architects, 82

Light, Shade, and Chiaroscuro, On, 161—171— | Saw Filing and Setting Machine, New, 248
181

Lithographic Crayons, To Make, 147
Pe een 9 147

Liverpoo! Architectural Society, 88
London Architecture, 66

Louvre, The, 160

Mahogany v. Oak, 33

Manufactures and Decorations at the Society of| staffordshire School of Design, 32

Arts, 203
Mechanical Inventions, Exhibition of, 69
Medals, To take Impressions of, 157
Medieval Remains, 153
Meglyp, Method of Making, 157
Metropolitan Improvements, 62
Mineral Discoveries in South Australia, 97
Modern Art, Free Exhibition of, 233

Scientific Meetings, 228
Sculpture, History of, 4—29—106—140—186—
193

, in Relation to Modern Means, 162

Society of Arts, 167

Meetings, 140—150—160—170—180—192
210

Stanfield Hall, Norfolk, Description of, 79

Steam Carriage, New, 79
Stone Drill, 243
Street Architecture, 143
Submarine Telegraph, 123

Taste in Architecture, 72
Theory of Curves, 37

Modern Town Houses, 117—127—137—232—242 | Thorwaldsen, Anecdote of, 13

Monumental Brasses, Ancient, 103

-_ Modern, 57

Monuments in Churches, 172

Mosaic Pavements, 63

Museums of Art, 141 y

Museum for English Antiquities, On the Necessity
of Establishing a, 151

Napoleon, The Tomb of, 192

National Gallery, The, 26

Niches, Of, 3

Norman lower, The, Bury St. Edmunds, 88

Tubular Bridges, The, 43
Urn Burial, 133

Value and Power of Art, The, 36
Varnishing Furniture, On, 3
Japan Work, 123

Verandahs, on the Abuse of, 202

Water--Colours for Illuminating Prints, On, 163—
218

New Contrivance for Preventing the Burning of] Wooden Church, Greensted, Essex, The, 129

Steam Vessels, 103
Natural Foliage, 241

Worcester Cathedral, 77
Works of Art in Paris, 203

deanna nn ee eS Ses eae sass Seste iia ean anmninan a!

INDEX. Vv

ILLUSTRATIONS.
Alphabets of Different Dates, 7—18—51—134—
155—185—215

Candelabra in the Museum of Naples, 105

Capitals from the Temple Church (Ornamental),
184—234

Circular Compartment for a Centre-piece, 244

Cornice from Parlour of Crewe Hall, Cheshire, 69

Crockets, Examples of, 190

Cupid, from an Etching after Cambiaso, 9

Cupids, from the same, 65

Decorated Gothic Finial, 91

Design for a Panel, Renaissance Style, 240

Elevations of Niche and Piscina, 74

Etruscan Ornament, 231

Figures of the Twelfth Century, 115

Finials on Stall End, Christ Church, Oxford, ‘1.

Finial, Gothic, 154

Frieze from Crewe Hall, 195.

Gothic Pinnacle, 91

Grotesque Heads from the Temple Church, 175—
214

Groups in Carton Pierre (Lyceum Theatre), 15

Hollyhock, The, 171

Initial Letters, 1—11—21—31—41—51— 61—71.

_ —81—91—101—111—121.—-131—141— 151

—161—171—181—191—201— 211 — 221 —
231—241

Tnitial to Address

Tron-Work from Dome of Chester Cathedral, 225

Method of Striking Volutes, 94—144—174—194

Ornament on Pilaster, Ducal Palace, Mantua, 85

Roman Helmets, 145—205

Roman Helmets, Imperial, 145

| Sketches from Nature, 45—134

Society of Arts Exhibition, 225
Stanfield Hall, Norfolk, 71
St. John the Evangelist, after Thorwalsden, 124

ORIGINAL DESIGNS,

Altar Crucifix, For an, 210
Baptismal Font, 10
Bell Lever, 164
Border (Italian Style), 151
Boss (Gothic), 200
Bouquet of Flowers, 121
Brackets (Flemish Style), 20—114—245
Centre-Piece for Border, 55
————— (French), 161

or Panel (Italian), 221
Console (Grecian), 30
Joloured Glass Windows, 204
Corner and End-Piece (Gothic), 104
Door-Rest (French), 40 ‘
Fountain and Garden-Seat, 54

‘| Frieze (Grecian), 81

Half drawn (Arabesque), 165
(Italian), 141

Gable Cross (Gothic), 100
Headstones, Two (Gothic), 235
Inscription Tablet, 110

Panel (Elizabethan), 180

(Freneh), 131

Pendant (Gothic), 115

—— Lamp (Gothic), 125
Ribbons (Gothic), 95

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NPAT:

| —~ =

GORD OF POPULAR SCIENCE.

scribers; the heavy expenses to which we sub-

jected ourselves compelling us to increase our
price. The appeal, we are happy to say, was not
made in vain. The high encomiums we daily
receive assure us that we are pursuing the right

path in our endeavours to contribute toward the

appreciation of the social benefits which are

especially in its appreciation when applied to

Manufactures. Our exertions in the good cause,

advancement of owr Art, the more certain and

secure will be our reward.

better understanding, and, consequently, the true}|

obtainable by the cultivation of the refinements of |
the mind. We are certain our plan will be found,
the means of accelerating the advancement to a |

superior feeling for both Art and Artists, more),

we need scarcely assert, shall not flag; feeling),

assured that the more we contribute towards the|)

We keep constantly before us the fact that our
own humble efforts in addressing our Work to

those connected with the lower branches of Art

are inseparably associated with the success of the

higher branches. They cannot be cultivated apart ;

HE completion of our

As, GS Fourth Volume affords us
WS > another opportunity of
S

included. For instance, a noble architectural
mansion requires the rich embellishments of
historic painting, decoration, and gilding; sculp-
addressing our Patrons, to|ture in its halls; elegant furniture and costly

return them hearty thanks | plate, more or less in good taste, as the owner is

for the support they have

RR + \ me Jately vouchsafed us in
is \ y A the labour we have im-

influenced by liberality and fine feeling towards
Art; dress and ornaments partake of the splen-
dour, and thus we have an universal benefit

posed upon ourselves. On| creating and extending itself to a variety of

|\the conclusion of the Third Volume we were com- | minor employments.

| (pelea to. appeal to the liberality of our Sub-| If we could once enable the public mind to

and when speaking of one, the other must be||

viil

understand the real beneficial purposes of Art, it
would ‘soon be fostered : fewer discreditable public
edifices erected, and a desire for the universal
embellishment of interiors arise, with the capa-
bility of appreciating the ennobling and hu-
lmanising qualities associated with a love of the
jFine Arts. Architecture, Painting, and Sculpture
are al]l equally incomplete without each other, and
Design for the Manufacturer becomes _ indis-
pensable.

The increase of our population causes a greater
competition for employment, rendering it every
man’s business to consider by what means addi-
tional trade can be obtained, and any increase of

importance will much depend on the originality

and constant improvement of Designs either for
Arts or Manufactures. We possess mechanical
workmen‘ of the highest order, but, without the
aid of an artist, where can we discover a workman
who has sufficient knowledge to produce more
than the hacknied forms of bygone days? Why
could not we, instead of importing goods of
foreign design and manufacture, make our own of
equal pretensions? Theirs tend to elevate the
whole people in mental enjoyment, ours simply
aim at an increase of wealth. They invent and
spread a redundancy of elegant feeling over the
most simple object, ours are generally of a cold
hard nature. :

However, we consider that brighter prospects
are dawning; the successful cultivation of Design,
in connection with Manufactures, by our Conti-
nental neighbours, will tend to place us in our
proper position. We, for our own sakes, ought

not to be ‘considered inferior to them, although

NN Be a See

ADDRESS,

‘a nation of shopkeepers.” We hope to see a
taste spring up among our merchant princes that
shall demand a renewal of the sumptuons decora-
tions of the old Italian trader.. What a cheering
hope to think of the day when our companies,
sparing a little wealth from gross feasting for
the purpose of decorating their halls, encourage

Judicious
culture, aided by experience, will produce a
purity of taste, a power of adjusting and adapting

Art, and do honour to themselves.

as to create the highest excellencies.

the separate principles with sound judgment, so

At the
present time we are bolstering up a sort of appear-
ance by employing foreign artists as our designers ;
this is unnatural, and not likely to be permanent.
A German cannot think English, nor a Prussian,
or a Frenchman, it is true; the unchangeable
principles of Art are alike to all countries, yet each
has its distinguishing character in the great social
cirele of the world, and so it has in Art. It is to
our native Designers and Draftsmen we must look
for establishing an Art hitherto but partially used,
and it is to those we are desirous of communicating
the knowledge we possess and the opinions we
collect. Should the workman derive the benefit

we are ambitious to bestow, our aim will be

gained, and encouraged to renewed exertions,

which, in the end, we hope will be profitable to
both.

In conclusion, we beg permission to say that
private recommendation serves largely to increase
our list of subscribers, and, consequently, our
ability to collect choice and valuable Drawings and

Designs for the service of our supporters.

FINIALS ON STALL END, CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORDe
No. 77.—Vol. IV. Two-pence.

ran A

SaturpDAy, |

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[OcToBER 28, 1848.

The Progress of Bnglish Art.

ener

| :

N attentively considering the Progress of
the Arts in England, we cannot fail to notice
the many adverse circumstances of their past
career. From the Conquest to the Reformation,
‘Art was andvanced by the Roman Catholic
church, which sought here, as in all countries
inheriting her ritual, to confirm the doctrines
of religion by the influence of the imagination.
At the Reformation this ceased. Court patron-
age was limited—national encouragement there
was none. Former sovereigns had protected
the court painter; Elizabeth did no more; she
peeved Art as it flattered her vanity, and the
teed as they ministered to her power. Had

her Government even been disposed to encou-
rage what fanaticism was so anxious to des-
troy, the time was not favourable, for the
nation was brutalised by civil wars, distracted
by religious faction, or devoted solely to mari-
time enterprise. There was a contest for
public rights, a reformed church, and national
independence ; andin such days the Arts could
hardly flourish. They had done so in other
lands under circumstances more depressing, or}!
not greatly dissimilar: but public opinion had
there united the church, the government, and
the people for their advance, and it is only by
these means that High Art can be promoted.
In Italy and France, Art was the eharmed|
ground which swayed the most adverse pas-
sions by its spell. 1t might be supposed at}
later periods, in days of comparative tranquility, |
that Painting and Seulpture would have been
evoked to record the actions of the past, and
that dynasties would not have decayed, have
been trodden down by the crushing foot of
Time, or generation after generation be swept
silently away without a monument, a sign of
their respect for noble actions or great men.
But it was so. The truth is, the invariable
policy of the Government was to encourage
our individuality, which we love intensely, and
never to interfere in matters extra-parochial or
purely intellectual, in relation to National
Education or National Art. The church, too,
never swerved from her first resolution, and al-
ways held a whitewashed wall as far more or-|
thodox than any ever decorated by Masancio,
Raphael, or Correggio. Thus, pictures in
churches being proscribed lest they should se-
duce the mind to idolatry, Government having
no desire to do what a Joint Stock Company or
individuals could effect as well; and our na-
tional irritability being apt to betake itself to
«Public Meetings,’’ and the great examples
of ‘‘Hampden and of Sydney,” for support,
at the mere mention of the words ‘‘ the active
interference’ of Government, the Fine Arts in
England, from the days of Elizabeth to those
fof Victoria, have been forced to beg their bread
at the hands of private patronage. Charles the
First and George the Third sought, indeed,
their more active promotion; the first from
taste, the latter from principle; and it is from
the days of Sir Joshua Reynolds we must date
the advancement we now witness.

The church has now ceased to deliver over

=
2. THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

pictures to the civil power as hereticss, he was
bound to proscribe and to commit them, as
Savonarola did, with pious madness, to the
flames. Government, at length, having recog-
nised its duty, will fully justify us in our con-
fidence in the future.

Decoration o€ the Theatre Ropal,
Wayvmarket.

Taz Haymarket Theatre, which opened for
the season on Saturday night, has long re-
quired re-decoration ; and with Mr. Webster’ s
usual enterprise, he appears to have determined
to do it effectually, for which purpose he availed
himself of the skill of Mr. Sang, while the
general alterations were placed under the su-
perintendance of Mr. C. Manby.

The columns which formerly encumbered the
proscenium, and circumscribed the space on
the stage, have been removed, and are replaced
by pilasters, decorated with a running pattern
of the Indian cane, with its leaves entwined
with bright flowers.

The lobbies are all of a coo! green colour,
with crimson lines round the doors. Backs
have been added to all the seats in the circle.
The unsightly square columns which formerly
impeded the view from the corner boxes, are
replaced by the former palm-tree stems of
white and gold. Increased ventilation has been
provided, ‘The general tone of the house is
cream-colour and gold. In the ceiling and

proscenium, alone, some artistic decoration is
attempted. The pervading tint of the ceiling
is an aerial blue, intermingled with gold, and
ornamental and figurative painting. In the
spandrels of the four corners are depicted the
“Seasons,” and there is a group of ‘ Tragedy”
and “‘Comedy,” in the centre of the prosce-
nium,

A new drop has been painted by Mr. P,
|Phillips. The centre represents the church at
|Stratford, forming the centre of the screen, of

the period of the Renaissance architecture,
surmounted by a bust of Shakspere, and
\flanked on either hand by two groups of Tra-
gedy and Comedy.

A BRASS coin of the reign of Domitian was re-
cently dug up on the north side Primrose-hill.

Cathedral of Wamur. |

Amonce the best modern works of continental
Art, the new pulpit just erected by M. Geerts
of Louvain, in the cathedral of Namur, de-
serves honourable mention. It was this same
eminent professor who designed the new stalls
in the cathedral at Antwerp, so skilfully carved
by M. Durlet. That in these designs an al-
lowable purpose of conforming to the antique
traditions has led to a certain meagreness of,
contour and conventional stiffness of outline,
some connoisseurs object. But no such com-
plaint can be laid against the Chaire in the
rich Palladian church of St, Aubyn, at Namur.|}
There, M. Geerts has felt himself free : and the
general design of his pulpit.is rich, ornate, and
florid, without poverty, or petty and frittered
affectation. The new work is on a grand
scale: the figures are of life size, cut in oak.
Beneath the pulpit is a group of three persons.

| These are the Virgin arresting the Demon of,

Pestilence when about to strike the City of
Namur, the last being allegorically presented.
Not even in the ateliers of Munich, Paris, or
London could be found a triad more graceful,
more expressive, and freer from grimace or
academical commonplace than these. The
two staircases are rich in happily-fancied ara-
besqne: the parapet is adorned with a combi-
nation of figures, arabesques, and medallions,
and the sounding-board is upborne by two
flying angels eminent for their aerial lightness.
Indeed, it might by hypercritics be objected
that they are too delicate to support the gor-
geous canopy above, but they are beautiful in
the ease of their attitude, and the lightness of
their robings. Asa whole, we have seen no
masterpiece, even by Verbruggen, the famous
elder Belgian carver, more masterly in work-
manship than this pulpit by a modern one,
or so truly pure in style. The finish, too, is
good, without a distracting minuteness. or
finical smoothness.

EFFECTS OF CHARTISM .—During the agita-
tion caused by the Chartist meetings, hundreds
of cabinet-makers were out of employment; but
since quiet has been restored, all are in’ full work,
or at least those connected with’ the trade society.
It could scarcely be expected that any one should
order new furniture to be at the mercy of a mob.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

OF HPiches.

. NicHes are recesses formed in walls, in order
to contain some ornament, as a statue, or an ele-
gant vase. They are also adapted to receive figures
bearing lights in halls, galleries, and staircases.
‘Sometimes niches are made in thick walls to save
materials.

Niches for the interior parts of buildings are ge-
nerally constructed of ribs of timber, and lathed
and coated over with plaster, which forms the ap -
parent surface.

» The plan or base of a niche is always some sym-
metrical figure; as a rectangle, a segment of a
circle, or of an ellipsis.

All the sections of a niche, parallel to the base,
are similar figures; and all the sections parallel to
the base, toa certain height are equal. Niches
sometimes terminate upwards in a plain surface,
and sometimes in a spheroidal surface ; but most
frequently in the portion of a spherical surface ; so
that, as the faces of walls are generally perpendi-
cular to the horizon, the aperture in the face is
either a rectangle, ora rectangle terminating in the

jsegmeut of a circle, or in the segment of an ellipsis.
Two of the sides of the rectangular part being
|perpendicular to the horizon.

Niches are always constructed in a symmetric al
form ; vix., if a vertical plane be supposed to pass
through the middle of the point of the breadth,
perpendicular to the surface of the wall, it will
divide the niche into two equal and similar parts;
or, if any two points be taken in the breadth, equi-
distant from the sides of the niche, and if two
vertical planes be supposed to pass through these

points, perpendicular to the surface of the wall, |.

the sections of the niche will be equal and similar.
_ Niches are placed either equi-distantly, in a
straight wall, or round a cylindrical wall, dividing
the circumference into equal parts: sometimes
\they are placed in an elliptic wall. In the latter
case, however, they ought not to divide the cireum-
ference into equal parts, but to be at an equal dis-
tance from each extremity of the principal axis of
the ellipsis. Niches are frequently constructed in

polygonal rooms, a niche being placed in the mid-- |.
The op-}.
posite sides of such rooms are always equal and }.

dle of each side of the prismatic cavity.

similar rectangles, The plans are either hexagonal
or octagonal; but most frequently of the latter
form.

The principles of forming the ribs, for the heads
of spherical niches, are drawn from the following
considerations :

All the sections of a sphere, made by a plane,
are circles ; therefore the edges of the ribs to be
lathed ought to be portions of circles.

The ribs of niches may be placed either in ver-
tical planes, or in horizontal planes ; and, indeed,
in any manner, so as to form the spherical surface
as required: it will be most convenient, however,
to dispose the ribs either in vertical planes, or in

planes parallel to the horizon, as the case may re-

quire. :

One of the most easy considerations for the ribs
of a niche, when they are placed in vertical planes,
is to suppose them to pass through a common line
of intersection; and, if this line passes through
. | {the axis of the sphere, the ribs will be all equal

portions of the circumference of a great circle of
the sphere, and will, in consequence, be very easily
executed. In this case, the square edges of the
ribs will range, or form the surface of the niche

This position of the ribs is therefore very conve-|

nient for forming them, as not only less time, but
much less wood will be required to execute them.

There is another position of vertical ribs which
is frequently convenient; that is by placing the
ribs in equi-distant planes, perpendicular to the
wall; and consequently when the surface of the
wall is a plane, the planes of the ribs will be all
parallel.

Darnishing furniture.

THERE are several species of fnrniture which are
varnished ; such as works in white wood, boxes,
and other small articles much used, and carved
work, which is difficult to polish. Latcly, varnish
has also been nsed for tables, side-boards, and
chairs. The best method of proceeding is to pur-
chase the varnish ready made for use, as the pro-
cess of making is tedious and expensive. :

Copal varnish is of an extremely durable kind;

it is transparent, and forms one of the most beauti-
ful and perfect varnishes for coloured wood, where
a slight tinge of brown is not objectionable. It is
difficult to make, but may be procured of japan-
manufacturers or coach-makers. It may be used
for various articles, and is the only species which
succeeds for dining-tables. The coats should be
laid on as thinly as possible, and allowed to become
well dry between each.
For light colonred woods, hard white varnish is
used. Various receipts are given for this purpose,
in all of which particular attention must be given
to choosing colourless gums.

A fine colourless varnish may be made by dis-
solving four parts of gum-Sandrach, and one part
of Venice turpentine, in sixteen parts of spirit of,
wine by a gentle heat. A more compound varnish
is used by the French artists: it consists of

Spirit of wine, 32 parts;
Gum-Sandarach, 5 parts;
Mastich, 2 parts;
Gum-elemi, 1 part;

Oil of lavender, 1 part.

The whole being dissolved in a vessel placed in a

water-bath, kept at such a temperature that the||

spirit does not boil. - After the solution is cold, it
is to be filtered for use.

From four to six coats of either of these var-
nishes are laid on the work, taking care to let eaeh
coat become perfectly dry before another be added ;
and when the last coat is dry, the work must be
polished with tripoli and water, by means of a
compact rubber of drugget or list, and the surface
being next washed with water, it is finally rubbed
off with a clean fine linen rag and bran,

\ .

Tue Art Journal states that Mr. T. 8. Cooper,
A.R.A., has sold his large picture of the ‘‘ Battle
of Waterloo,’ which was exhibited at Westminster
Hall, to a gentleman in Lancashire, for £1000.

{|look as if they were broken.

THE . DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Drawing and¥ Painting.—Mrapery.

In the art of clothing your figures, or casting
the drapery upon them with elegance and propri-
ety, many things are to be observed ; however, this
art consists chiefly in three points, viz.—The order
of the folds, or plaits, the different quality of the
stuffs, and the variety of their colours. As to the
folds, they ought to be so managed as that you may
easily perceive what it is they cover, and distin-
guish iz from anything else; as for instance, that
you see it isan arm that is under the drapery, and
not a leg, or a leg, and not an arm, &c. Again,
the folds ought to be large, and a contrast should
be observed between them; otherwise, in the first
place, they break and divide the sight too much,
and in the next place, the drapery will be too stiff,
The quality of the stuf%s should be well con-
\Sidered ; some folds being abrupt and harsh, while
others flow more soft and easy. Again, the surface
of some have a lustre, while others are flat and
dead; and some are fine and transparent, while
others are firm and solid. The variety of colours,
‘when well managed, makes the greatest beauty in
painting: some are not equally agreeable with
respect to each other; and some are never to be
placed near certain others.

The drapery must never be made to adhere or
|stick too close to the parts of the body, but it must
seem to flow round, and, as it were, embrace them;
yet in such a manner as that the figure may be
easy, and have a free motion. A great lightness
and motion of the drapery are only proper in fi-
gures in much agitation, or exposed to the wind.
The nudities of the figure should always be design-
ed before you proceed to draw the draperies. Draw
the outlines of the garments lightly; then draw
the great folds first, and stroke these into lesser ;
taking care that they do not cross each other. The
draperies which cover those parts which are ex-
posed to great light must not be so deeply shaded
as to seem to pierce them; nor should those mem-
bers be crossed by folds that are too strong, lest by
the too great darkness of their shades the members
Folds in general
should be large, and as few as possible: however,
they must be greater or less according to the quan-
tity and quality of the stuffs of which the drapery
is supposed to be made. Suit the garments to the
body, and make them bend with the body accord-
ing as it stands in or out, straight or crooked, or as
it bends one way or other ; and the closer the gar-
ment sits to the body, the narrower and smaller
must be the folds.

The quality of the person is also to be considered
in the drapery; for instance, if they are magis-
trates their draperies ought to be large, fine, and
flowing; if country clowns they ought to be coarse
and short, and if ladies and nymphs, light and
soft, &c. Folds well imagined give much spirit to
any kind of action, because their motion implies
the like in the acting member, which seems to
draw them forcibly, and make them more or less
violent. An artful complication of folds in a cir-
cular manner greatly helps the effect of fore-
shortenings. All folds consist of two shades and
no more, which you may turn with the garment at
pleasure, shadowing the inner side more deeply.

The shades in silks and fine linen are very thick}
and small, requiring little folds and a light shadow.|
Observe the motion of the air or wind in order to
draw the loose apparel all flying one way, and/}
draw that part of the garment which adheres
closest to the body before you draw the looser part
that flies off from it, lest by drawing the part first
you should mistake the position of your figure and
place it awry.

Rich ornaments, when judiciously and sparingly
used, may sometimes contribute to the beauty of
draperies. But such ornaments are far below the
dignity of angels or heavenly figures, the grandeur
of whose draperies ought rather to consist in the
boldness and nobleness of the folds, than in the
quality of the stuff, orthe glitter of ornaments.
Light and flying draperies are proper only to
figures in great motion, or in the wind; but when
in a calm place and free from violent action, their
draperies should be large and flowing, that by their
contrast and the fall of the folds, they may appear
with ease, grace and dignity.

Wistory of Sculpture.

THE origin of this art may be sought in vain
even in the most remote times to which we have
any means of throwing a retrospective glance.
There can be no doubt that the system of hiero-
glvphies or picture writing, as it has been termed,
first employed the chisel of the sculptor, who
traced rudely on stone, on wood, or the bark of
trees, those shapes by which he meant to express
his wishes or designs. It is probable, also, that
idolatrous feeling was a great deal mixed up with
the matter, as it was doubtless found necessary to
place before uneducated people images of their
gods, in order to keep steadily burning within
their souls the flames of devotion.

The pursuit arising from this necessity, indeed,
contributed to carry the art to that degree of per-
fection which it afterwards attained among some
of the nations of antiquity. Itis worthy of ob-
servation that even in the dark or “ middle ages,”
the ritual of the church of Rome, particularly that
portion which instilled veneration for her martyrs
and saints, sufficed to preserve among the Italians
some vestiges of the art of sculpture; and it is
fair to conclude hence (since human nature is al-
ways much the same), that a similar veneration for
heroes and demigods would, among the ancient
nations, have a corresponding effect. In this view
of the case the Chaldeans may be supposed to have
been among the very earliest practisers of the art
of sculpture, they having unquestionably been the
first idolators, and accordingly we find their skill
in this way borne witness to by sundry ancient
writers, including Apollodorus and Pliny.

In turning to the Old Testament (possibly the
most ancient record in existence), the first intima-
tion that we find of the art of sculpture is the in-
formation that when Jacob, by divine command,
was returning to Canaan, Rachel, his wife, carried
with her the teraphim, or idols of her father. These
must have been small, since she contrived to con-
ceal them effectually, notwithstanding her father’s
search. We know not of what substance these
images were wrought, or in what manner. The
first person particularized as an artist (if we except

THE

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

{|the eastern tradition of Abraham’s father having
been a statuary), is Bezaleel, who formed the che-
rubim covering the mercy seat.

The Egyptian, without doubt, cultivated the art
of sculpture—but there were certain circum-
stances operating among them to obstruct its de-
velopment. In the first place, the persons of the
Egyptians were deficient in grace and symmetry,
and they had consequently no perfect standard
whereby to model their taste. In the next place,
being restricted by law to the principles and prac-
tices of their forefathers, any vicious manner which
had once got introduced into their system of art
was sure to be perpetuated. ‘Thus their statues
were always constructed in the same stiff attitude,
with the arms hanging like those of a wooden doll,
perpendicularly at their sides. All the large figures
in Egyptian sculpture were executed in calcareous
stone, in basalt, granite, or alabaster. Noinstances
appear of their having resorted to the use of
bronze. Many of these are colossal. The smaller
statues, however, are not so limited in point of ma-
terial—bronze, gold, wood, marble, terra cotta, &c.
enter by turns into the eomposition of them. The
eve was frequently of different material from the
rest of the statue, and in many instances composed
of a precious stone or metal. The valuable dia-
mond of the late Empress of Russia (the largest
and most splendid hitherto known), is confidently
affirmed to have formed one of the eyes of the
famous statue of Scheringham, in the temple of
Brama. Several of these statues which still re-
main, are made of wood or baked earth—those of
the latter substance being covered with a green
enamel.

(To be Continued.)

Perspective.
(Continued from page 207, Vol. 3.)

THE SCALES.

WE consider it necessary previous to illustrating
the principles of perspective, to explain the nature
of the scales we shall have occasion to use. There
are various scales, divided to suit the convenience
of the artist, workman, &c. On the common two
feet rule an inch is divided into eight parts, and
here if one inch represent a foot, two eighths will
represent one fourth of a foot, or three inches;
four eighths half a foot, or six inches; six eighths
three fourths of a foot, or nine inches.

Again, if one inch be divided into twelve equal
parts, every small division will represent one inch.
In the like manner, if one quarter, one half, or
three quarters of an inch be divided {into twelve
parts, every large division will respectively repre-
sent one foot, and every small division will be:an
inch.

But the scales we shall have occasion to use are
those in which the inch, half inch, and quarter
inch are respectively divided into ten equal parts.
1n this case every large division is called a foot,
and the small divisions tenths of a foot. Besides
the convenience of these divisions for decimal ope-
rations, we may also easily ascertain certain divi-
sions corresponding nearly to any number of inches,

thus, for five feet we take five large divisions,
whether one inch, half ineh, or quarter inch.

Again, for five feet three inches we take five large
aiirions and two tenths, and one half the next
tenth.

For five feet six inches, we take five inches five
tenths.

For five feet nine inches, we take five feet seven
tenths, and one half another tenth.

From these remarks, with a little attention, we
may determine the divisions for 4, 5, 7, 8,10 and
ll inches. (See scale, page 125, Vol. 2.)

The above scales, by employing the diagonal di-
visions, may be employed for three numbers, or for
hundreds—but the above will suffice for our pur-
pose. The most proper form for ascale of equal
parts, is that where the divisions are marked on
the very edge, and are generally made thin for the
purpose of pricking off divisions on the paper,
without the help of the compasses.

The line of chords is also laid down on the plane
seale. It begins on the left, with the word
chords, ch., ore. The word chord comes from the
Greek chorde, and means the intestine of an ani-
mal of which musical strings used to be made,
aud as the chord of any are or angle is always
a straight line, it represents a musical string in the
act of tension, or being stretched out.

The line of chords consists of nine primary di-
visions, numbered 10, 20, &c. up to 90. Thespaces
between the primary divisions are again divided
into ten parts, making in all, from the beginning
to 90, 90 divisions—and on large scales the degrees
are again subdivided.

The radius of any circle is always equal to the
chord of 60 deg. of that circle; and whenever we
have an angle to measure, or an angle to make,
and to contain a certain proposed number of de-
grees, we must always take the chord of 60 deg.
in the compasses.

Required to measure the Angle Ao x.

Here the radius o A is too short for the line of
chords on the plane scale, wherefore we produce o
A toward hk, and ox toward mn; then open the

compasses so that one foot may fall on the begin-
ning of the line of chords, and the other foot on
60 deg.; then with this radius and centre 0, des-
cribe the arc kn: we then take the are hn in the

compasses, and apply it from the beginning on the

the angle to be 28 de. 30min.
Again, required to lay off the angle of 28d. 30m.

Draw any-line as 0 , then with the chord. of 60,
iltaken from the line of chords in the compasses,
with one foot in 0, describe'the are hx; take from
the line of chords the chord of 28 deg. 90 min.,
and lay off that extent from hn, draw en, and
ho nis the angle required, containing 28 d. 30 m.

If thé required angle contain more than 90 deg.
take any two chords successively, the sum of which
will be equal to the. required number, and the
angle may be laid off.

Suppose the required angie to contain 140 deg.
first from the angular point determined, describe
an are with the chord of 60, and then take the
‘chord of 70 deg., and lay it on the are twice.
‘Through this last point draw a line, as in the fore+
lsoing “operations, and the angle is laid off ‘as
required.

SANITORY REFoRM.—At this period of stern
opposition on the part of the City Authorities to
the Sanitory measures proposed by those who
wish good to their fellow beings, we cannot do less
than notice-commendingly the conduct.of the trus-
tees of a Baptist chapel in Romney-street, West-
minster, who have abolished their burial- ground
as a mere act of philanthrophy, in order to add
their mite; to the Sanitory measures now being
carried out in the metropolis.. Lesser benefactions
have often gained immortality.

We learn that no less than ninety tons weight
of superb furniture lately arrived at Dunrobin
Castle from London,and among other things, two
carpets, each of which cost £500. These prepa~-
rations are convincing proofs that her Majesty and
Prince Albert purpose visiting Dunrobin next
season. ~ ’

RAILWAY-STATION ARCHITECTURE.—A cor-
{|respondentof the Athaneum, writing from Hil-
desheim, in Germany, says,— I do not know
who is to be credited with the good taste of the
railway-station at which we alight from Hanover.
Here has been carried out an emulation of the old
brick-and-wood architecture of Hildesheim. The
building is rich, extensive, and fanciful—perhaps
a little overdone ‘(but this is hardly to be quarreled
with)—attractive in in its play of lines and va-
riety of forms; so different from either the grand
||station at Hanover (a sumptuous edifice in the
\\Munich style), or, again, from Herr Eisenlohr’s
beautiful creation at Heidelberg, as to illustrate
janew a pet crotchet of mine and of yours, that the
|ivery element which: has been used reproachfully to

tical, bids fair, in revenge, to revive with a new
life one of the most picturesque of the Fine Arts.
Assuredly the examples that I have accidentally
named, in novelty, spirit and fancy, beat any of
the new churches which I have seen—whether it
be Canova’s mistake at Possagno, or the Basilica
and the Ludwig’s Kirche at Munich, or Herr
Zwirner’s attempt on the Appollinarisberg, close to
Remagen. ?

Ir is said that the new churches in the metropo-
lis alone will, when finished, afford accommodation
to nearly 100, 000 persons,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

line of chords, and it determines the measure of} - '

‘| will be re-printed, To the second part of your

jsymbolize all that is most anti-poetical and prac- }-

To Corresponvents, &e.

Write Tesibly - and sensibly, so that both thy
words and their meaning may be readily decy-
pered by. the ups of thy communication, :

&W.IG” Reading.—We are compelled t in this
instance. to increase the price to Two-pence, (see
the leading article. in No. 75, page 241, and also
the Postscript to Vol. LL.) but the Numbers mn
Vols. 1, 2, and3; as also the Parts, will re-
main at the same Price they were Published at.
Parts. of this Vol. in future, will be changed
Ten-pence each.

G.J. Rhodes is thanked. All the back nos.

letter, it has been done, but, as yet failed; we
will, however, try wz again.

Q ee Y.

Can any of our eee Paawe: the mode of .

Anastic Printing, as applied to Lithography,|.
and the peculiar acid. used in the process,

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “the Editor},
of the DEcoRATOR’s ASSISTANT, 17 Holyweill-
street, Strand, London.” —We shall at all times\'
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial

readers as will favor us with local information| |)
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’|'

Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c.

Cases for Vols. I. II. and IIL. are now ready, |
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-|'
take to get them bound for 23. each, if gilt, or}.
marbled, 6d. extra,

—=—-

* Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending ROmpES of them. :

ca 19 is now ready, Price 7d.
eae
In Paris, three Exhibitions have been opened at
the. School of the Fine Arts. ‘The: first, in the)
church of the convent of the Petits Augustins, is
of designs for the statue representing the French
Republic, of which there are nineteen. The setond,
at the Palais des Beaux Arts, is composed of the],
works sent by the pensioners at the French Aca-
demy at Rome. The third, in the upper galleries,
comprises all the works that have gained the grand
prizes in historical painting, sculptural design, en-
graving, and cuttings for medals or gems.

THE DECORATOR’S ‘ASSISTANT.

HBgD gy

meh ys
MUWXpZ

ALPHABET COPIED FROM AN INSCRIPTION SUNK ON STONE, DATE, 1941, IN THE

CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS, GREAT BOOKHAM, SURREY.

THE DECOEATOR’S ASSISTANT.

An Elustiates Glossary of echnical |
Terms used in Architectural anv
Entevior Decoration, Ke.

(Continued from page 251, Vol. 3.)

For. An ornament used in gothic architecture.

FoLiaGEe. (In. Adichitecture and Sculptnre.)|
An assemblage of leaves of plants and flowers, ar-

striking them. Fig. 1, Trefoil,—2, Quartrefoil,—

ranged systematically, so as to form architectural
and sculptural ornaments; as in the capital of the

8, Cinquefoil,—4, Sixfoil,—5, Huitfoil. - 4 Corinthian order, friezes, panels, &c.

: THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. ‘9
x——————ee sees
_Fust,- (Im Architecture.) The shaft of a co-| dignity of. the magistrate was expressed ‘by: th
lumn, so named: from being originally one single | number of lictors bearing fasces before him. A dic=|'
trunk or limb of a tree, like a post or large cudgel. | tator had twenty-four; a ¢onsul twelve, and a pree-|
'||The word fust generally applies where the shaft is} tor wbanus, or mayor of a city, two. The word is
|lof a single stone or solides, and distinguished from | also applied to the office or dignity itself. Accord-
- |{the structiles, or such columns whose shafts were | ing to most Roman historians, Tarquinius Priscus|
| beonstructed of many pieces. | | brought the custom of bearing the fasces as an

; ersign of office, with those of wearing rings; the
Fascrs. (In Ancient Costume.) Bundles of} © Saami ing rings,
rods carried A eae the magistrates of Rome by the| CUTule chairs of ivory, purple habits and other

Ge : : : regal symbols from the Etruscans. Upon the areh|
lictors, with ee TAS hound up in the middle of of Titus, and other monuments of Roman art, the

fasces are represented ‘as decorated with a crown of|
laurel.

(To be continued.) —

Aw ANTIQUITY.—Mr. Joseph Edge has disco-
vered on his lands the remains of an ancient wooden
house. The building, which is a piece of true
primeval architecture, is eight feet square, and in
its structure neither saw nor augur were used; the
adze and chisel were alone employed.

From Manchester we learn that the principle of
popular admission to the Exhibition of Paintings
qT}: at the Royal Institution in that town, by the re-
4\them. The rods and axe were to intimate that} duction of price (which was tried with success last
some offendeas for lesser crimes were to be chastised | year, has-been again adopted. The working-classes
|| with rods, and others, when there was no remedy, | have been admitted during a limited time at the] |
were to becut off from the people by the axe. The| charge of two-pence.

os
3 Nyy

is
wt

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Atti,

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CUPID,—FROM AN ETCHING AFTER LUCAS CAMBIASO.

J Se =

The | Chironotppist,

——=

Mr. LEADBEATER of Aldersgate-street, has
been the successful competitor for the eight large
wrought iron fireproof safes for Her Maj esty’s Ord-
nance department.——The great oak in Hoxne
wood (at which King Edmund the Martyr, accord-
ing to tradition, was shot with arrows, lately fell
to the ground, at the depth of a foot within
the bark,) Mr. Smythe, Agent to Sir Edward
Kerrison, Bart. the proprietor, is said to have
‘tlfound an iron point, having the appearance of .an
‘arrow head.——At a@ quarterly meeting of the
Iron Trade, they have openly declared for a still
‘| |further reduction of the previous nominal prices.
——Another Suspension Bridge over the Niagra,
{lis about being built ‘‘says the Halifax Sun,” op-
||posite Queenston, the span being about 600 feet ;
between the towers which are be stone, the dis-
‘|ltance is about 800 fect, the estimated cost is 40,000
‘| dollars.——The London and North-Western Rail-
‘\|way Company have, it is said, resolved on erecting
{la marble statue, from the chisel of Mr. Gibson, to
‘| |the memory of Mr. George Stephenson, the late
| ertfinent civil engineer, as the author of the impro-
‘|| ved locomotive, and promoter of the great railway
'||system twenty years ago. The long expected
marbles from Nimroud, embarked on board the
Jumna, and which were reported to have been lost
at sea, have, we are happy to say, at length arri-
ved, and are safely deposited in the British Mu-
seum. The packages, fifty in number, were per-
mitted by the authorities at Sheerness, to be at

the Custom-house examination in presence of the
authorities of the Museum, with the view to avoid-
ing ‘the necessary risks attendant on the distur-
bance of articles of their valuable character and
fragile nature. ——The West Norfolk Archeological
Society met on Wednesday week, when the Rey. C.
Bousell, of Downham, read a paper on Norfolk
brasses, and a window of stained glass, the work
of the Rev. Arthur Moore of Walpole, was exhi-
bited.——The Scarborough Society, lately pro-
ceeded to open a tumulous at Peasholm, supposed
to contain many valuable relics. At Aldborough
||the Roman Isu Brigantium, a tessellated pavement
12 feet square, and in perfect condition, has been
found in a garden, near another uncovered in 1832.
||——The remains of Stukeley’s celebrated “Temple
Umbra,” at the Borough-field, Chesterford, have
turned out, it is said, to be “‘ decidedly those of a
dwelling-house rather than a temple:” they ‘are

the other windows are to be filled with stained

|'onee sent up to London under seals, to undergo,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

still, however. held to be of Roman origin.——At

Gonalston Church, near Nottingham, three ancient}

brasses of historical interest heve been found thrust
carelessly into a hole covered with rubish.——On

Thursday week the second tube was floated on pon-|
toons to the piers:

Its entire length is 424, the
actual span over the Conway being 400 feet: its

greatest inside width is 14 feet throughout : its
height twenty-two and half feet at each end, but
rising to 25 feet in the middle, the additional 3
feet being to lessen the deflection of the bases.
The total weight of each tube is 1,300 tons, so that
the superimposed weight now that the two tubes
are at rest over the Conway, is 2,600 tons burthen
from bank to bank. The fabric may be said to
form a series of iron plates riveted together, like
armour-work.

It has taken twelve months to

complete. Each tube has cost about £60,000.——

At Jesus College Chapel, Cambridge, the restora-
tions are at length nearly completed.

fIn the)
course of repairs a number of arches have been).

found concealed behind clumsy masses of brick-
work and plaster.

The original fabric is now
again developed. The window at the east end is
new in material though not in design. This and

glass, and the square panels of the lofty roof deco-
rated with rose and crown. Unfortunately a por-
tion of the nave, adjoining the master’s lodge, was
converted into students rooms—a fact recently as-
certained. Towards the east, however, the chapel
has been enlarged; and a new aisle erected on the
original foundation of that part of the building.—
A painted window the gift of Mr.Serjeant Talfourd,|
M. P., and his wife, has been erected in St. Law-||
rence’s Church, Reading. St. Osmund’s Roman
Catholic Church, at Salisbury, opened on the 6th,
instant, is in the early decorated style, with nave,
chancel, south aisle, chapel at east, and tower at}
westend. The organ gallery is over the sacristy,||.
at south side of the chancel. The altars, pulpit,||
and font are of stone, carved, the two former re- .
lieved by painting and gilding. The windows in
chancel and Lady Chapel are filled with stained
glass, by Hardman of Birmingham. Chancel and
chapel are seperated from nave and aisle by oak
screens. The chancel roof is panelled, painted and ||
gilt. The body of the church is filled with low
open benches. The exterior is of flint, with stone]
quoins. Mr. Pugin was the Architect. The accom-}
modation is for 300: estimated cost between}
£2,000 and £3,000.——The contractors of the|}
Newport, Monmouth, and Hereford Railway, have}}
received orders to cease from their labours for two|}
years. The Monmouth contract has been closed for}|

some time, and the works at Newport and Caerlon |
only have been proceeded oe

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THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[NoveMBER 4, 1848,

‘Tmprobements tn the Divellings of
the Invustrious Classes,

_—

BY FRANCIS CROSS, SURVEYOR.

“The poor want Dwelling-places; whilst we are
exhausting our ingenuity to supply our Villas with
every possible convenience, we are leaving our
Working Classes to the enjoyment of every pos-
sible inconvenience, in wretched stalls to which men
of substance would not consign their beasts of bur-
den.”—Morning Herald.

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aif

UCH as the
public attention, of. late years, has been occu-
pied in talking of the “ Improvements in the
Dwellings of the Industrious Classes,” and in
increasing their enjoyments, whether this is
all to end in talk, still remains a question,
inasmuch as all that has hitherto been done
can only be considered as littZe. Certain it is,
however, that during the last few months a
progressive movement in advance has been

cheerful,

made. What with the Society for the Erection
of Model Lodging Houses, Societies for the||.
promotion of Health in Towns, Baths and
Wash-houses, Public Gardens, and, finally, a
Sanatory Act, all these tend to show strongly
that the cause has public sympathy.

The importance of a well-arranged, substan-
tial, and comfortable dwelling can never be
over-estimated; for watch the progress of a
young couple of sober and industrious habits,
renting a house (at least, what is so called),
perhaps with damp on the surface of the walls,
badly ventilated, and defective drainage. -At
first, every exertion is patiently used to check
these evils by constant cleansings, but repeated
efforts, without apparent good in return, tire
out the most patient and industrious; so the
house begins to be neglected, and decay allowed
to proceed its own way. ‘The housewife, that
before was tidy and cleanly, becomes a dirty
and miserable object. Neither she nor her
husband find enjoyment in that which ought
to be their pride—“‘ their home.”

At the present moment, houses for the in-
dustrious classes are wanted in every direction.
Now, therefore, is the time to raise an agi-
tation that will show the imperative necessity
of a grasping landlord’s improving the small
dwellings of his tenants, and to convert his
present miserable houses into well ventilated,
substantial and healthy cottages.
Let a landlord adopt such a course, and he will
receive the blessings of his tenants. Let every
man who by trade or other means has saved a
small sum of money, no longer join the stags
in Capel-court ;—rather let him build; for it
always surprises me to see a plodding, indus-'
trious man, who, year after year, immersed in.
his business until the bag begins to feel heavy,|
is yet so very easily induced to risk that
which it has taken years to accumulate, in|
some wild and visionary scheme.

In the late railway mania, the wholesale!
dealer and retail trader were applying for hun-
dreds of shares in, perhaps, a direct line to the
North Pole, instead of making an investment
that would stand a Joinville attack, a Smith
O’Brien revolution, or a Chartist row. It must
be a matter of sad regret to those persons who
in the height of excitement, converted their all
into cash to turn gamblers—to get, in return,
endless anviety. A man with thousands em-
barked in such undertakings, cannot well be

‘onsidered a rich man, for we know not the
day that‘on taking up the paper may not show
‘100 per cent. discount; while the same, or a
imuch lesser amount, invested ’in house and

land property, produces often, not onlya larger |

return for the capital invested, but at the same
time a name that inspires respect. In the lat-
ter case he will also have the gratification
of knowing that without injuring himself, he
has it in his power to contribute largely to the
welfare and comfort of a large class of his
fellow creatures; while, in the former, to gra-
tify a selfish, greedy desire of suddenly ac-
quiring wealth, he seldom gets a greater return,
and is more often overreached.

How much better would it have been to have
invested the surplus earnings in bricks and
mortar, and to become thereby the absolute
owners and masters of property (however small),
which, after a fair allowance for repairs and
losses, will, year after year, yield a safe return
for capital sunk; while in. railways, mines,
&c., he is at the mercy of a large body, who
can adopt any policy, as in leasing lines, and
forming unprofitable branches, without any
one shareholder being able to prevent a course
which he feels persuaded is injurious. An in-
stance of this came undermy noticea short time
ago. An iron mine that had for years yielded
alarge per centage, and was regarded as a
most safe investment, suddenly become insolvent
through the operations being extended too far.
It would be folly in the extreme to deny that
in the purchase or erection of house property,
itis treading on dangerous ground; or that
at times, an unfortunate investment is made;
but it seldom, if ever, entails entire loss. If
property depreciates, it is still, and always will
be, worth mo ney

In the mind of man, rightly constituted,
there exists an eternal progress—an inward
desire of increasing wealth and comfort, lead-
ing toa constant struggle to excel each other.
This prevents nearly all from. being content
with funded property, whet, apparently, there
are several means equally safe, tor realizing a
larger return; nor would we, ourselves; yet
this forms no argument why persons should
join schemes requiring an cxorbitant capital, to
raise which, dependance does not rest on indi-
vidual promises and engagements being kept,
but on a large body. The strength, success,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

pand safe working of the scheme, rest on all]
-acting in unison with each other; and if but)
a few fail, the bad effect is felt immediately by|
[the whole. - ‘ !

There isa large class, however, who do buy,
if not build, most:of whom are patrons of spe-

‘culative builders,—the purchasers of crack||
houses,—men who revere quantity, without due}|
It is no uncommon||
thing to hear of these men employing survey-|]|
ors to value, these ready-built tenements, and||
consider that they ought thereby to be answer-||
)able for all defects that may afterwards appear,
though, perhaps, the surveyor reported that||

consideration of quality.

the house was built as most houses of its
class generally are. A man may, if he choose,
consider this a favourable opinion, but we
would rather hear—better than they are gene-
rally built.

A fine feast for an enquiring mind that may
be fond of prowling into different localities, is,
to watch the different skeletons that have been
put upon their jegs of late years, as in Cam-
den Town, Chelsea, Dalston, Islington, Pen-
tonville, &c. A whole nest, well worthy of
notice, exists in Pentonville, which have stood
some years in statw quo, waiting for stucco
and whitewash to conceal the rotten bricks.
1 do not doubt that, one of these days, I shall
yet see these very houses will have their case
put on,—then let,—and finally be sold. How
easy is it to present a fair appearanceto the eye,
for a short time, even to the most frail fabric ;
stucco the brickwork, and draw the joints in
imitation of very curious blocks of stone, and co-
lour any tint but nature ; grain the woodwork

mahogany or oak, and the eye must be critical,|}

indeed, to detect disease behind so fair an exte-
rior. This system ought to receive a most de-
cided check, or else it will be no easy task to
prevail on enterprising men to embark in a le-
gitimate encouragement of Trade, profitable to
allparties concerned; whereas, if the capitalist;

were used with fairness, and the builder con-
tent with a fair profit, that desirable end would
be accomplished.

(Fo be continued.)

Curious Watcu.—A few years since, 2 person||

at Cork had a watch which had belonged to Louis,
XVI. It was the usual size of a French watch, but.
full of mechanism, and comprised besides the orni-

nary works of a time-pieco, an almamack, a diary||

of the weather, and various other singular things.

‘THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

13}

Ax. WCAormum’s Lectures on Or=
namental Art.

‘Ow Friday evening, the 20th ult., Mr. Wornum
delivered a Lecture on the Art, of Ancient Egypt :
—being the first of his course on the History,
Principles, and Practice of Ornamental Art, to
which his lecture on the 5th inst., noticed in No.
76, was introductory. Mr. Wornum first showed
the early social developement of Egypt and the
great antiquity of Egyptian Art; inferring from
various data the eighteenth century before our era
to be the earliest period to which any Egyptian
monument can be safely attributed, though many
may be much older. At the same time, he as-
sumed that their art had attained its maturity at
that period: observing that from Joseph until the
establishment of Christianity in Egypt, 2,000 years
afterwards, the Egyptian artist plodded on in his
beaten path, uninterrupted by a single innovation
even in practice ;—astate of affairs to be attribu-
ted to the absolute domination of the priesthood
and the system of hereditary proffessions. On this
account, said Mr. Wornum, the Egyptian artist
was solely an ornamentist ; Art, as Fine Art—that
is for its own sake alone—being never developed in
Egypt, [though its application to ornamental de-
sign was thoroughly appreciated.

Having established the antiquity of Egyptian
Art, the lecturer next gave a rapid topographical
review of all the vast monumental remains still ex-
isting on the banks of the Nile, from Chendy, the
ancient Meroc, to Alexandria, on the shores of the
Mediterranean, a space of I,2000 miles; showing
as he proceeded, the characteristic peculiarities of
each. This was followed by a comprehensive view
of the details. of Fgyptian decoration and orna-
mental design, with reference not merely to archi-
tecture, but to every species of manufacture, and
the most ordinary articles of domestic utility.
Among other details, the zigzag was pointed out
as peculiarly an Egyptian ornament, owing to its
typical signification of water, and thence of the
Nile; its ancient signification is still preserved in
the sign of Aquarius. This ornament was esta-
blished by the Saracens in Sicily, and was hence
introduced by the Normans into the north of Eu-
rope. The so-often-occuring winged globe and
other symbolic forms of the Egyptians were ex-
plained ;—the very great diversity of the designs
of the capitals of their columns were numerous
examples.

The Lotus, or Water-lily of the Nile, was par-
ticularly noticed as the natural type in Egyptian
ornament, from its reference tothe inundation of
the river to which Egypt almost exclusively owes
its fertility.

The Egyptians carried the art of glass-making
to great perfection, even to the imitation of the
most brilliant precious stones ;—and Memphis and
Alexandria were very celebrated in thetime of the

{Emperors for the manufacture of bottles and vases,
in glass, porcelain, and alabaster, in which they
carried on an important trade with the Romans.
|They were celebrated also for their embroidered
jlinens ; and even for their printed cloths,—which

from aremarkable passage in Pliny, appear to have
been printed much after the modern chemical pro-
cess of dyeing. They were evidently acquainted
with the use of chemical mardonts.

After noticing the ornamentation of their ship,
Mr. Wornum concluded with the remark that
those who may be wavering as to whether they
should admire or deprecate the artistic productions
of this extraordinary people, may be assured that
the omission of any reference or allusion to Egyp-
tian Art by the arbiters of taste during the last
two or three centuries has arisen purely from igno~
rance of its existence. Before the publication of
the researches of Norden the Dane, Europe pos-
sessed scarcely any idea of Egyptian Art; and it
is only within the last fifty years, since the French
Expedition to Egypt, that we may be said to have
possessed any adequate knowledge of its vast re-
sources and unparalleled grandeur.

The lecture was abundantly illustrated by colour-
ed drawings. }

ANECDOTE oF THORWALDSEN.—An illustrious
friend of mine calling on Thorwaldsen some years
ago, found him, as he said to me, in a glow, almost
in a trance—of creative power. On his inquiring
what had happened, ** My friend, my dear friend,”
said the sculptor, “‘ I havean idea; I have a work
in my head which will be worthy to live.’ I was
walking out yesterday, when I saw a boy sitting on
a stone in an attitude that struck me very much.
‘What a beautiful statue that would make!’ I said
to myself. ‘ But what would it do for? It would
do—it would do—it wonld do exactly for Meveury,
drawing his sword just after he had played Argus
asleep.’ I came homeimmediately. I began mo-
delling—I worked all the evening, till, at my usual
hour, Iwent to bed. But my idea would not let
me rest: I was foreed to get up again. I struck a
light and worked at my model for three or four
hours, after which I again went to bed. But
again I could not rest; again I was forced to get
up, and have been working ever since. Oh, my
friend, if I can but execute my idea, it will bea
glorious statue!” And a noble statue it is, although
Thorwaldsen himself did not think that the exe-
cution came up to the idea. I have heard of a
remarkable speech of his, made some years after
to another friend, who found him one day some-
what out of spirits. Being asked whether any-
thing had occurred to distress him, he answered,
‘My geniusis decaying.” ‘* What do you mean?”
said the visiter. ‘‘ Why, here is my statue of
Christ; it is the first of my works that I have ever
felt, satisfied with. Till now, my idea has always
been so far beyond what I could execute, but it is
no longer so;—I shall never have a great idea
again.” —Hare.

A GEORGIAN PRINCE.—Nothing could be more
primative than the architecture of his house: the
principal room was scarcely 12 feet square, and fur-
nished only with a bench and table. The walls
were made of trunks of trees, cemented with mor-
tar, and were not proof against the rain, which fell
in torrents. Though in name a prince, the occupier
was scarcely above the labouring class in station or
intelligence. He was the owner of a vineyard, by
the produce of which he lived, and in which he
himself worked, together with his servants.

1d THE

lan Lllustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used in Architectural and
Entervioy Mecoration, “&e.

(Continued from page 251, Vol. 3.)
FoLp. (In Painting and Sculpture.) A double,

complication, one part lapped over another in dra-
pery.

Fr@ure. (Rules for Drawing the) To ascertain
the proportions of the several parts of the human
body, a perpendicular line should be first drawn

figure, which should be divided into several equal
parts, and from such mensuration a scale may be
‘formed to regulate the proportions of every part
‘of the body. Some divide the length of the hu-
man body into eight heads or parts, and others di-
vide it jnto ten.

When the human body is divided into eight
heads, the length of the head, which is the first
division of the figure, will extend from the crown
or top of the head to the bottom of the chin. The
second division will terminate in a line drawn
through the paps of the breasts. The third division
will fall a little below the navel. The fourth,
across the privities, which is exactly the middle of
the figure. The fifth crosses the middle of the thigh.
The sixth is just below the bend of the knee. The
seventh falls a little below the calf of the leg, and
the eighth extends to the bottom of the heel. Ob-
‘serve that the full extent from the end of the mid-
dle finger of the right hand to that of the left,
when the arms are extended at full length ina di-
rect line, is just the length of the whole figure, and
from the middle of the collar-bone to the end of
the middle finger is just four heads, or half the

to, the bend of the shoulder; the second from
thence to the elbow; the third to the wrist, and
the fourth to the end of the middle finger. Thus,
from shoulder to shoulder, in a man of common
size, measures exactly two heads. There is no pre-
cise standard for the breadth of the limbs, for they
vary according to the bulk of the person.

When the human body is divided into ten heads,
(see engraving, p. 245, vol. 3.) the first division
extends from the crown of the head to the under

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

through that part intended for the middle of the |.

length of the figure, viz:—The first head extends ],

lip; the second, alittle below the collar bone, which}
is just even with the middle of the shoulder; the||
third will fall just below the paps of the breast ;
the fourth will reach just beiow the navel; the fifth
being the middle of the figure, will pass across the
privities; the sixth will pass over the middle of
the thighs; the seventh crosses the bend of the
knee ; the eighth passes directly through the calves
of the legs; the ninth extends half way from the
calf to the bottom of the heel, where the last divi-
sion terminates.

Great attention should be paid to retaining these
proportions in the memory. It is also better to
have some knowledge of anatomy, as it will enable
the student to judge of the proportion and dispro-
portion of the human figure.

FINESTELLA. <A bason used in Catholic church-
es for holding the holy water,

FRITHSTONE. A sort of chair, formed of stone
and used in porches.

GABLE. (In Architecture.) The pedimental end
of a building, formed by walling up the end of the
roof. In ancient domestic architecture the gable
was a very ornamental part of the house, being

finished in steps, embrasures, mouldings, some=-
times with a niche, and at others with an elegant
window or aperture to give air to the roof.’

(To be Continued.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

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GROUPS IN CARTON PIERRE IN THE LYCEUM THEATRE.

| (16

Becorations of the Lyceum CHeatre.

—

Turs theatre exhibits a refined class of artistic
||results very superior to those of any other theatre
in this country; and that they will most probably
|/exercise an imporoant influence in fostering a de-
mand for that highest range in Ornamental Art
which consists in representing animated nature in
relievo. The embellishments are chiefly from the
atelier of the artist, modeller, or sculptor, and with
the exception of the fronts to the uppermost tier of.
boxes, Pictorial Art is only sparingly applied.—
Nevertheless, this exposed a remarkable contrast
between the energy of the respective efforts of chi-
sel and pencil, when directed to the purpose of
embellishing spacious places. The group of well
modelled boy figures, being placedl amidst cluster-
ing foliage and branches which stretch forth to
support the two rows of chandeliers now ranged
around the theatre, have a purpose and business-
like air. The upper engraving shows the figures
which are seated on the entablature: and the lower
represents one of the groups encrusting the main
columns, on a level with the front of the first tier
of boxes, above the dress-circle. The foliated scroll-
work, supporting birds of paradise, &c., are exqui-
sitely modelled in alto-relievo, and the arrangement |
on the front of the dress-circle was pronounced’
highly artistic in design. This front is formed by
a bold ogee-shaped groundwork, on which a con-
tinuous foliated scroll in bass-relievo is placed,
suitably ornamented with wild cats and serpents
in alto-relievo. The whole of these embellishments
were manufactured by Messrs. Jackson and Sons,
in a durable material (carton pierre), coloured and

varnished to appear like china, etch gilt. We are

indebted to the exquisite skill of Gibbons in repre-
senting birds, &c., in alto-relievo, for applied de-
corations ; he contributed greatly to rendering this
superior class of Art popular in this country down
to the end of the 18th century, evidences of which
may be practically gleaned from the cherubs, &c.,

on the tombstones of nearly every village church-.

yard in England.

Perspective.
(Continued from page 6.)

OF PLANES.

A plane is a level extended surface, as a floor, or
a flat ceiling, and having no depth or thickness.

Every plane has a surface, but every surface is
not a plane, for a hill or a globe has a surface, but
that surface is not a plane, because it is not level,
and consequently cannot correspond to the defi-
nition of a plane. Strictly speaking, there is but
one-plane, which may assume three different posi-
tions; viz., horizontal, vertical, and inclined.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

An horizontal plane is the level ground, or floor>||
and all planes parallel to the same are called hori-|'
zontal planes.

A vertical or upright plane is perpendicular to} |
the ground, as the surfaces of the walls of houses.||

An inclined plane inclines to the horizon, or to||
the level ground, in an angle always less than 90
deg. ‘The roofs of most houses are inclined planes,
the upper parts of writing desks, &e.

WNote.—A plane may incline or be perpendicular
to planes, in many positions, as well as to vertical
or horizontal planes.

Construction of Planes.

Required the construction of an horozontal plane
6 feet long by 4 feet wide, a quarter of an inch to
a foot.

Draw A B, jig. 1, indefinitely, make a D perpen-
dicular to AB, lay off 6 feet from A to B, and 3
feet from A to D ; with the radius A B, and centre

Le S00 Meikees ys OFT

A
D, describe an arcat c; with the radius A D, and
centre B, cross the former arc inc; join c D and
|C B, the figure A B C D is the plane required.
In this plane all the angles are right angles ; but
we cannot represent planes intersecting each other,|

nor exemplify the construction of solids by planes
in this or in similar positions. Now, imagine
hinges, or swivels, fixed at the four corners of jig.

\ i

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

nee En neTn Inn I ann nnNnIINTITnTINT ORDER a I

1, then if this figure be pressed at the corner D, it | whom it was purchased.—Arrangements are com~-

'|purpose., ; .
| Here weiiay consider all the angles right angles,
although wot apparently so..

Draw A B,fig. 2, make A'y perpendicular to 4 B,
|draw A D soas nearly to bisect the angle y A B:
jmake A B equal 6 feet, and 4 D equal 3 feet, as in
fig. 1.

| Draw »D c parallel and equal to a B, draw BC
|paralel and equalto aD, and fig. Lis put in an
|oblique position.

(To be continued.)

The Chronotppist.

THROUGH the liberality of Mr. Coningham, the
National Collection is enriched by two pictures,
the production of Taddeo Gaddi, a Florentine ar-
tist, whose works have hitherto been but little
known in this country. Experience has shewn
how restricted are the means at the disposal of the
Trustees of the Gallery for the acquisition of pic-
tures—and their indisposition, when opportunities
occur, to purchase such as would illustrate to the
English student the growth of Italian Art. The
two composing the acquisition mark a time when
gramatical systems of Art had not yet obtained,—
when the imitative powers of the painter were
uncontrolled and undirected by the aids of struc-
tural knowledge and scientific enquiry,—when pic-
torial enthusiasm was stimulated by pure devo-
tional feeling ; and it is this strong and impassioned
sentiment, undisturbed by mere conventions of
beauty and unalloyed by the dogmas of pictoriay
treatment, which by rivetting the attention and
arousing the sympathies compensates for a hard
and dry method of rendering. These pictures are
in all probability the doors and wings of some
altar-piece, the centre of which is not known to
exist. The subjects are groups of saints kneeling
in the act of adoration; the various personages
being characterized by emblems'known in the ca-
lender of beatified. Their style is severe and
grand. Of the school of Giotto, these two pictures

may be considered most-important examples. Lit-|
tle more is known of the recent history of these |

pictures, than that one was purchased at Cardinal
Fesch’s sale,—and: the other, which was for some
time known at Florence, was sent by its owner, as
a speculation, to the English banker at Rome from

pleted for the erection within the boroughs » of
Lambeth and Southwark, of several new churches,
to some of which ecclesiastical districts, have been
conventually assigned under Sir Robert Peel’s Act

—Preparations have commenced within tae inclo-
sure, in Leicester-square, to convert, that hitherto
useless spot of ground into an Exchange Bazaar, to
to be called the Royal Victoria Exchange Bazaar.
There will be four distinct entrances—one at each
angle of the square—the arcade being in the form
‘of a cross, the statute of King George the First
forming its centre, round which will be constructed
a circular promenade, open to ithe air. Within
each angle an ornamental fountain will be con-
‘structed, to be supplied with water from the Ar-
tesian wells that furnish those in Trafalgar-square.
This ground was originally leased to Miss Linwood
by the Crown, together with the opposite building,
known as Saville Palace, with an express covenant
that it was not to be built over. In consideration) |
of the highly-ornamental character of the propo-
sed construction, and the vast improvement made
to the neighbourhood, the Commissioners of Woods
and Forestsare undertsood to have consented to the |
erection.—The resignation of Mr. Reinagle as aj}
member of the Royal Academy ereates a vacancy|}
‘for an Academician; which we understand will be/}
filled up in the month of February next. Two va-||
‘eancies in the list of Associates will, we are in-|}
formed, be filled up early in next month.—At the} }
| Blackburn agricultnral meeting last week, a silver
| medal was awarded to Sir Robert Peel, for his es-
tates in Oswaldthistle, as the owner, not being the
occupier, who has laid down the greatest number
of rods of stone or tile drains, in the best manner.
—The Statue to the late Sir William Follett, which
is to be placein Westminster Abbey, and was sub-
scribed for by the admirers of the learned gentle-
man, is now completed and may be seen in the
studio of the artist, Mr. Behnes, in Osnaburgh
street. Itis of heroic size, and represents the ori-
ginal in an academic gown, and in the usual cos-
tume of modern times. The portraiture and cha=
racter of the original are admirably preserved.
The countenance is full of intelligence, and the
whole figure is animated, and as near to life as
sculpture can arrive at. It will be placed, it is
understood, somewhere near the statue of Horner,
in the northern transcept of the Abbey.

CoNnSECRATION OF A NEw CHURCH.—A beau
'tiful church, recently erected at Skirbeck, near
Boston, Lincolnshire, at the expense of Dr. Roy,
‘the Rector of the parish, was consecrated by the
Bishop of Lincoln, on Tuesday, September 24th.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

abc

def
e

ALPHABET OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

)
UVWrPs

Co Corresvonvents, Ke.

Write legibly and sensibly, so that both thy
words and their meaning may be readily decy-
pered by the recipient of thy communication.

“J. Bates.” Northampton.—Yes, all the nos.
will be re-printed, as early as we possibly can.

“ Toots’s Query.”—We will oblige you with
ithe Foliage you require.

“* H. Snell.”— No. We do not require the other
Fountains. Thanks for the design sent.

** James Brooks.”—The whole of the Article
must be sent, before it can be inserted.

QUERY.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens,
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT, 17 Holyweil-
street, Strand, London.” —We shall at all times!
be extremely obliged to such. of our provincial.
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, &c.

—et

Cases for Vols. I. If. and III. are now readye
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-|
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt, or,
marbled, Gd. extra.

*.*Any of our Readers having completc
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us

Can any of our Readers describe the-mode of | by lending, or sending copies of them.

Anastatic Printing, as applied to Lithography,
and the peculiar acid used in the process.

Part 19 is now ready, Price-7d.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 19
Many physicians of antiquity, particularly Mnesi-|
theus and Callimachus, wrote treatises on the me-!
dical virtues of chaplets of flowers worn about =
head,
Flowers have been used in all times as orna-|
ments and perfumes in houses, preserved im vases’
or goblets with water. Upon many ancient medals,|
particular the Byzantine, flowers are displayed
a ae knowledge botany im all its| 25 used in the present ineleganily formed vases.
ae = ae Among the carly Christians, flowers were re-
garded symbolically as representing gifts of the
Holy Spirit. On this account it was that at the’
; -qnisites pain feast of Pentecost or Whitsuntide, the priests east!
ee =a Bae ee ei flowers from the upper atines of their
[ ; ? this art Sets ds nt potanieal eopyist, churches upon the congregation of the faithful as-
lsat of its titioners obtaimed the flattering sembled in the nave below ; 2 custom which is still,
: os the aa Angiolo da fori. continued in Catholie countries, with the deco-'
Seas tit nein dine to Pliny, flowers|*4tion of the churches with flowers according to
ore as symbolical of Spring, and upon many | the season, both at Christmas and at Whitsuntide
iniedale wikis represent the seasons of the year which is observed also in many English Protestant
‘by four children or genii, that of Spring always| Churches. Flowers were also held by Catholics as|
lesivics a Reet “Giled “with flowers. Hope is also | Sy™bolical of the delights of Paradise, and were’
figured by the ancient artists and poets holding a | 2¢cordingly figured upon the glasses of the early
‘fiower mone hand. Wenus is sometimes so repre- | Christians, many representations of which are en~
graved in the works of Buonarotti.

sented crown i garland of fi — f
7) —aneennateoaitch ee Seg To represent these beautiful and delichtfal works:

* Flower Painting.

Persons g sues es = :
also with flowers to indicate the happy tidings of Sheet oh err a alee rare
ieee a ae ae ae to females, and many of that sex have consequently’
ere - oa ie aad important mar- succeeded in their execution. Our present school!

riages. Lovers ornamented with festoons and gar- | is tich in female talent in this beautiful art.
lands the houses of their mistresses. They were
also carried in the Floralia, as is our custom still

on May day. They also crowned with fiowers the
victims which were led to sacrifice, virgins when
going to be married; and they also decorated the
‘tombs of their beloved and honoured kindred with
|flowers, which they renewed on the anniversary of
their departure from this world, as is still the cus-
|tom in Roman Catholic, and in some of our coun-
(try village burial grounds. width 150. It covers nearly an acre of ground,
The selection of the flowers, and the manner of through the centre of which iS ieans aad
“pees ip lima Sel sere: eee DE ee a water, which regulate
foto the ce which had its rules eon the required temperature measure six miles. A
‘lations, in which the females particularly excel light and beautiful gallery erected at the base of
pm comeumnieating their sentiments by 2 garland, | +1. dome, and which traverses the entire building,
as the oriental nations of the present day have in) oe. the spectator to review the whole of the
[cosmennnestanes 3 love: efter 1a 2 Bemquct,as Berd) ior from. several points. Access to the gal-|
See SP we ee Pe ee ee taste in the
ayoung Greek: midst of rock work, in the fissures of which are
“ By all those tokens, flowers, that tell are plants, apparently natural productions. A tun-

What words can never speak so well, nel surrounds the whole edifice, by which access is

By love’s alternate joy and woe,” &c. eee to the stoves and pipes, and rails are laid

: : own to convey the coals per train, and supply the’

ee ee ee ee ee
nr aha ing these crowns and garlands, ber of trees and plants, many of them of gigantic!
‘and the cea of many of them. It was| Proportions, and the rarest of tropical growth.

‘not only the colours, but also the odour of each | Birds of varied and exquisite beanty, whose deli~
‘flower, that governed this symbolieal language. In | ¢4t€ structure could not endure the rigours of our,
‘the Book of Dreams of Artemidorus are many ex-

THE CONSERVATORY aT CHATSWORTH.—
This immense structure is composed of glass panes
manufactured expressly for it, placed in iron frame-|
work of the lightest apparent kind, but as subse-|
quent trialshave proved, of the most firm and
substantial description. The length of the erec-
tion is nearly 300 feet, its height above 70, and its

Se ee ee ere

climate, are seen flying about; and pools of water,
f < . : = in which plants suited to the required purpose’
|planations of the symbolical meaning of a list of E :
mation have been encouraged to grow, contain gold, silver, |
aso oe 62 eae and other fish. In this structure may be seen the
Pen also among the ancients contributed to | largest crystal yet found in the world, aud also one
the festivities and joyousness of the banquet. The | Of much smaller dimensions, which has been pro-|
revellers wore chaplets or crowns of flowers upon | 20unced the most beautiful.

their heads and round their necks, the perfumes of| Ir appears to be resolved on by the authorities
which were not only agreeable, but reckoned an- | to convert a certain number of the iron steam fri-
tidotes against intoxication. They also crowned | gates into sailing ships. The cost of the machinery
their goblets with wreaths of aromatic flowers. | thus dispensed with was £70,000.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

The Pencil Biamond.

_—

. THE pencil diamond used by glaziers to:cut glass

zoidal shape, weighing about.
the sixtieth part ofa carat, and
is set in a wooden handle, which
consists of a rounded: piece of .
rose-wood, flattened at the:two
sides to fit between the sides of
the fore and middle fingers.

- Two pencil diamonds are now
used, the old, and the new or
patent pencil. The old dia-
mond is. merely set fast ina
conical shoulder. A difficulty
is always experienced in cut-
ting glass with this sort.of pen=-
cil, owing to the uncertainty of
placing it at once at the proper
angle. with the glass, so as to
make it cut and not scratch.
The patent diamond of recent
invention, overcomes this diff-
culty. The form is repre-
sented in the annexed figure.
The peculiarity consists in the
diamond. being set in a paral-
lelopiped shoulder, 6 6, the
right angle of the lower end of
which is cut off, and forms the
correct angle at which the dia-
mond when set will cut the
glass. The upper end of the
shoulder swivels at h, but it is
stopped from going too far by
the screw a. The object of
this is to prevent the necessity of shifting the
handle in the hand when placed against the ruler
laid on the glass. The lower end of the shoul-
der, showing the diamond, isrepresented at c. A
large diamond is not so fit for the purpose of cut-
ting glass as a small one. The diamond is usually
about the size of an ordinary pin’s head, and is
set in a nipple of brass or copper. It is an error
to suppose that diamonds will not wear out. In
the shops of wholesale giaziers, where the diamond
is in constant requisition, one of these instruments
is worn down in a month or six weeks, so as to re-
quire resetting, after which, with the same wear it
lasts another month, and then becomes useless. It
may be presumed that they travel over some miles
of glass before they are worn out. In cutting the
elass, care is taken not to press too heavily on the
diamond, which is apt to scratch instead of cutting
the glass; such heavy pressure also spoils the dia-
mond.

2. ot teds 6 AE
oD

PRECIOUS StonES.—The recent disturbances in
the French capital in particular, and several other
portions of Europe, by driving away many of the
more opulent and dignified classes, haye had the
effect of causing, amongst other valuable jewels, so
large an influx of diamonds into this country that
they have now become, comparatively speaking,
a drug in the market, end but very little demand
is found for them.

Freaks of Architects.

ARCHITECTS, says the:-Daily News, may be

with, is a small fractured piece of diamond. The surprised to find themselves classed with the fe-
part of the diamond used for cutting is of a tape-| rocious tribes, but undeniably their greatest enjoy-

ment is in preying one: upon another. Mr. Cock-
erell delights in adding a second story to Sir John)
Soane’s Bank of England, Mr. Barry in new facing
Sir John Soane’s Treasury Buildings, Mr. Blore.in
new fronting and concealing Mr. Nash’s Bucking-
ham Palace, Mr. Syduey Smirke in throwing into
the shade his. brother’s. club house in Pall-mall,
and now the whole body of British architects are
competing for the merit of rebuilding the National
Gallery of their ingenious and, while living, very
able; friend, Mr. Wilkins. What one, architect
erects, another is anxious to efface, and it is now}

thought to have been a pieee of romantic folly in},

an architect like Lord Burlington, to have rebuilt|
Inigo Jones’s Covent -garden church exaetly. on
Inigo’s plan. We can fancy a young student at
the. Institute: of Architects; beholding Messrs.
Barry, Blore, Smirke, Cockerell, and Co., witha
look of tranquil delight, and fancying the time
when he might add an attic story to the Bank of
England of the one—a, new facade to the Bucking-
ham Palace of the other—a new set of tea urns
and: windows to the Treasury-buildings of the
third—and a different elevation to the fourth’s
porphyry club house in Pall-mall. What was said
of Soane’s Treasury-buildings, that they .were
making a curtsey to Inigo Jones’s' Whitehall, is
the reverse of true of Mr. Barry’s new front—his
tall bully of a building will lead the uneducated to
believe that Inigo’s Banquetting House is curtsey-
ing to Mr. Barry’s ‘Treasury.

It-is easy to see (as matters now go) that where};
an architeet is called in to superintend an alteration,|,
he will only look to himself. We donot wish, it is};
true, to see any part of Buckingham Palace pre-
served—or any part of the National Gallery—and
our only motive in alluding to the recent course
pursued by architects is with reference to certain||
alterations: (so they are called, modestly enough),
which Mr. Blore has recently made in one of the}!
noblest of English edifices—Westminster Abbey.
Ignorance -has. destroyed almost as much as acci-
dent or time, and Mr. Blore is, to our thinking, a
remarkable illustration of what a mere architect
may irrecoverably destroy. ;

There is no place in the three kingdoms which
a pilgrim hurries sooner to see than Westminster
Abbey: It is, has long been, and should continue
to be, the most popular of our permanent’ London
exhibitions. And why? Not for its ragged wax-
work figures—they are no longer shown. * Not for}!
the idle stories which the vergers told there, and
country visitors delighted to hear about the lady
who died‘ from the prick ofa needle—stories of
this kind have ceased to be told. Why then is it
visited ? - Is it for its architecture?’ Certainly not,
for beautiful as it is, Lincoln, York, Canterbury,
and Salisbury, are finer examples of the same kind,
and-the choir of St. Saviour’s, Southwark, which
very few care to see or have seen, is’ equally fine.
Westminster ‘Abbey is visited for -its monuments
and ‘its associations dear to every Briton, every|)
American. *

or -(To be continued.)

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Emprovements in the Divellings of
ihe Industrious Classes,

BY FRANCIS CROSS, SURVEYOR.

(Continued from page 12.)

IRST in offering any
‘suggestion, I feel that there are two things
that must be considered; namely, the profit
‘to be realized; and the welfare and comfort
of the tenants. The question whether to build
large houses, subdivided for the accommodation
of several distinct families be advisable or not,
I do not mean to broach, beyond, perhaps, to
admit it may prove very good economy, but
‘would rather commence with an improvement
in the present small street houses, which, singu-
lar to relate, are, year after year, formed with-

out any modern improvement being effected,

expense. In these erections, no competent
person is employed, or advice sought, but
“that which was before, shail be now,” proving
‘that persons may become so used to anything
as to become careless of a change.

These houses are generally built by a class
who are interested in employing the smallest

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

though much might be done at a very trifling|

[NovEMBER II, 1848.,

amount of materials and labour in their con-||
struction; and yet these houses generally, in}|
their sale, realize a sum as large as if a person
had, under competent assistance, seen the house:
built. This question should become quite a
study to every one, inasmuch as our pockets
and health demand it; and so that the pur-
chaser may not find out that it is necessary to) |
reside in a house to find out its defects.

The plan of the houses (Fig. 1,) shows that} |
each dwelling will comprise a living room,||
with closet for general purposes, under the
stairs,—scullery and covered way to coal-cel-|j,
lar, water-closet, and dust-bin. |

The upper plan (Fig. 2,) comprises two bed||
rooms. In the front one there is a portion for
an additional bed.

The external aspect is shown in Figs. 3 and
4, They should be simple, and yet in style so
ornate as to relieve them of any appearance of
being erected from charity. Most landlords, in
letting building ground, make a stipulation
preventing houses of a small class being
erected, or with any less than six rooms.
This difficulty has been met by making one
opening serve for two houses; therefore each
two houses present the appearance of but one
structure.

I shall reserve a description of the work,
and ail fittings, for a future number, in order
to show that a plan somewhat similar may be
adopted by any large or small capitalist with
advantage.

These houses might be erected at the rate of
1507. per house, in a sound and substantial
manner, with all proper landlord’s fixtures.
Take the rental at 5s. 6d. per week, or 14/. 6s.
per annum, which must be admitted to be very
moderate, and the ground rental at 1l. 16s.

each house. Thus:
By Rent xs oie £14 6. O}.
Deduct for Ground-rent, £1 10 0
For repairs, insurance,&c.2 6 0O
316 0
Income per house,—net soup 210 10570

or nearly seven and a half per cent upon the
capital invested ,—surely sufficient for every
Or, take the case of
a large capitalist taking a plot of ground, as
shown in Fig. 5, being 204 feet by 206 feet,
: r whieh he is to pay 50/. a year. Without

moderate minded person.

any difficulty he is enabled to distribute that
rent over fifty-one houses, leaving the
|ground-rent only 1/. per house. Suppose him
further capable of erecting the whole of the
fifty-one houses shown in Fig. 5, a deduction
of at least seven per cent. might safely be

made in the cost of erection, Thus:
4 ale ea hie che
Capital requisite to erect 51 houses, atQ
: “ 714 0 0
_ » £14, per annum per house,
By losses, repair, insu-
rance, &c. } ae 02
By ground-rent ats 0 0
| a 153 0 0

se ee DOl 700
or about eight per cent. for the capital thus
invested. ;

Let us suppose this capitalist to be a man
who, while benefitting himself, has no objec-
tion to serve others, if it cost him nothing.
We will therefore show that we can benefit
him by making the rents paid by the tenants a
means of. purchasing their houses.

_ Each tenant shall have an agreement at the

commencement of his tenancy that if he pays
in the manner shown below for a certain pe-
\|riod, at its expiration the house shall become
his own at-a ground rent, with a clause giving
him power to assign or sell his interest at any
time. Thus:—Supposing the tenant agrees to
pay arent of 14/. 6s. per annum, with an ad-
|\ditional 42. per annum, or about ls. 6d. per
week, on an agreement that at the expiration
of fifteen years, the landlord shall grant a
lease of the house for the residue of the term,
(say seventy years), at a ground rent of 2/. per
house per annum. The result would be that
the capitalist in the first year would have re-
turned to him one fifteenth of the principal,
with 43. for interest on 1502. In the second
year he gets another fifteenth back, and still
41. interest on 125/.—so if in the first year the
capitalist receive but bare 3 per cent interest,
yet, as each year progresses, so does his capi-
tal flow back ready to be applied elsewhere.
With the same income, therefore, in the fif-
teenth year, when fourteen fiifteenths of the
capital have been returned, still would he re-
ceive the 4¢. interest.

In addition to this, we have assumed him to
have taken a plot of ground (Ig 5.) at 501. a
ryear (no difficult. case), on which he builds

Net income on 51 houses

Henan LL ON SY A AS RMI 2 ee

Bees THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

fifty - one hones therefore, leaving him. still
charged at the rate of *1/; pet house: And we
have further supposed that at the expiration of
the fifteen years, when he has received not
only his capital back, but a very fair interest
during the whole time, he promises to grant a
lease at 2/. per annum ground rent per house.
He, therefore, in addition, likewise secures to
himself for 70 years~or-more (the unexpired
term of the lease), a net income or improved
ground rent of 52/7. per annum, clear of all
deductions.

The benefit to both iditice is surely suffi-
ciently apparent to leave no doubt that thou-
sands of our poorer. brethren would hail it as
a boon. Neither can the interest be considered
as large when we consider the mode of pay-
ment, and the advantages offered to parties,
who on payment. of nearly the same amount
in rent under ordinary circumstances, at the
end of the same term of fifteen years, would
be as far off being the owners of the houses in
which they reside, as they were at the first
hour of their tenancy.

A home is as necessary to man’s existence as
clothing to, protect him from the changes of
the seasons. He can be supplied with clothing
by the tally-man, who will take weekly pay-
ments to cease at a given time. Apply the scale
of clothing not to one, but to a whole family.
See the pride, the care that would be taken of
dwellings that would, by their industry and
foresight, eventually become their own. Con-
sider the inducement for prompt payments—in
fact, holding out the hand of Hops.

There are but few, however small their earn-
ings may be, to whom this scheme is closed.
Hold out reward to industry, and there are
none who will not avail themselves of the
means of securing in their old age comfort and
happiness :—

“‘FZealth in the breeze, and shelter in the storm.”

[For illustrations, see pages 24 and 30.]

Examples of Ancient Pulpits.—Mr. Dollman’s
work on this subject is announced for publication
in December. The completion of the series has
baen delayed till the best subjects that could be se-
lected were obtained. The illustrations will in-
clude examples from Chester, Shrewsbury, Wolver-
hampton, and several interesting specimens from
the counties of Gloucester, Somerset, and Devon.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Freaks of Architects.

| —

(Continued from page 20.)

|| ‘To our own people from our far and many colo-

nies, for the tombs and monuments of the illus-
trious Englishmen who are buried within its walls.
It is visited for the chapels of Edward the Confes-
sor and Henry VII.—for its Poets’ Corner, and
those associations, written and traditional, which
abbeys and cathedrals of the same period of archi-
tecture and still finer, architecturally considered,
aie but partially, or are almost entirely with-
out.

It is with pain then, for our own sakes and for
others, that we have seen, and must condemn many
of the recent alterations made in Westminster
Abbey under the superintendance of Mr. Blore.
For the sake of an uniformity of paving worthy of
a district surveyor, he has taken up the identical
square stone with ‘‘O rare Ben Jonson’”’ upon it,

|which marked the grave of the great author of

“The Alehcmist”? and “The Fox.” He has given
us another, it is true, but itis only a copy in place
of an original—a Wardour-street canvas instead of
an Orleans picture—a Birmingham counterfeit tor
a real Toledo. He has sent away for the same pa-
vior’s reason the blue flagstone which covered the
grave, and protected the body of Abraham Cowley.
He has reduced Dryden’s monument by at least
one half, and injured by so doing the effect of one
of the best busts in the Abbey. He has packed
Sir Godfrey Kneller’s monument near to the cle-
restory, where the bust cannot be seen, and Pope’s
famous epitaph cannot be read, and placed where
it stood Sir Richard Westmacott’s quarry of a mo-
nument to Mr. Fox, which is without an epitaph.
Nor would it be difficult to add to the catalogue of
Mr. Blore’s enormities in this way, or hard to con-
ceive to what a ruinous extent such alterations may
run if not checked in time by public exposure and
public condemnation.

Weare, perhaps, to attribute these serious of-
fences as much to the foolish spread of the Ecclesi-
ological and Cambridge Camden mania as to igno-
rance and want of interest on the part of Mr.
Blore. It is the fashion with a large body of well-
meaning young men to view every addition made
since the Reformation to a Norman, early English,
decorated, or perpendicular church, unless in
keeping with the architecture and spirit of the
period as an exerescence to be removed. They
would turn out Shakspeare’s monument from the
chancel of the ehurch at Stratford (the glory of
the place), because it was out of harmony with the
surrounding architecture, and would destroy Lord
Bacon’s statue with its “sic sedebat,’’ in the little
church of St. Michael’s, to discover a choked-up
piscina, or the remains of a sedilia. That Mr.
Blore participates in this feeling is quite clear from
his Abbey alterations; and his recommendation to
the Dean and Chapter of Westminster nof to re-
store Chaucer’s tomb in the Abbey, because it was
not a monument of Chaucer’s age, and was subse-
quent to the Reformation. Strip the south tran-
sept of Westminster Abbey of its Poet’s Corner,

and its poets’ monuments, and what has it left but
its bare pier arches? Strip Stratford Church of}}
Shakspeare’s monument, and only an ecclesiologist
will visit it; and strip St. Michael’s church of Lord
Bacon’s statue and what is then left to see there
but an ugly little poking church, with walls ante-
rior to theReformation? Surely Mr. Blore should
be made to desist—surely the Dean and Chapter
of Westminster require a great deal of looking
after. Not but what we admire a certain unifor-
mity of style, and look upon many of the monu-
ments in the Abbey as eye-sores at the best, and,
perhaps to be removed ; but it is clear that a more
incompetent person than Mr. Blore for such a work
could hardly be found. The man who destroyed
Dryden’s monument and Ben Jonson’s grave-stone
is destitute of an association. Poets’ Corner—the
whole Abbey, indeed, beyond the stone and mortar
of its walls—is not for him. Everything in the
pbuilding subsequent. to the Reformation, he wants
only the opportunity to destroy. Let us retain
Westminster Abbey such as itis, nor add to its dis-
figurements by fresh monuments. When the Jews
looked upon the second temple “they thought of
the first, and wept.”

Re A

Tue Enectric Ligut.—On Monday, October
30th, some very interesting and important experi-
ments were exhibited in the great room of the Ha-
nover-square Rooms, to prove the power and the
efficacy of the patented electric light, of which
Mr. W. E. Staite is the inventor. The results were
as favourable as could be wished by the inventor,
and certainly surpassed the expectations of most
of those who were assembled to witness them. The
light resembles a spark of the most brilliant and
vivid fire, about the size, or rather less than the
burner of a common argand lamp. It is not a
flame, but is an incandescent light. There is no
combustion, nor will it produce combustion by
coming in contact with combustible substances.
The power is immense, resembling day, or sun
light, and obscuring the light of candles in the
manner that rays of the daylight obscure them.
The light is generated or produced by a battery of
44 plates, of the dimensions of, one and a quarter
square yards. It isunderstood to be self-regulating,
add to be so cheap that arly person can afford to
pay forit. It is the intention of the inventor to
give a series of lectures at the Hanover-square
rooms on the subject of his discovery.

ANGLO-SAXON ANTIQUITIES. — Mr. Thomas
Bateman of Youlgrave, recently opened a tumulus
at Bentley Grange, in Derbyshire. In the centre
had been deposited a human body, of which but
little remained, save the hair of the head, but in
the situation where the head rested were portions
of silver binding and ornaments from a leather cup
which had been decorated by four wheel-shaped
pieces, and two small crosses in silver. There were
also two enamels upon copper in silver frames ; and
towards the foot of the grave, the remains of a
helmet, formed of ribs of iron radiating from the
crown, and coyered with narrow plates of horn.
Upon the top was a brass plate, and surmounted
upon this, the figure of a wild boar or hog, in iron
with bronze eyes ; there were also portions of whas
appeared to be iron mail armour. The remains
were considered to be of the sixth century.

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Tat Raw
REFERENCE TO GROUND FLAN.

THE
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G. Water Closet, breadth 2 ft, 9 in.

F.
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L
Porch.

g Room, 10 ft. G6 in. by 12 ft.

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Closet under Stairs.

Fig. 2.

SSS

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Cistern.
Enclosed.

Cc.
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THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

An LMlustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used in Architectural anv
-Entevior Decoration, Ke.

(Continued from page 14.)

GARGOYLE. A kind of water-spout used in
gothic architecture.

‘

GRECIAN ORNAMENT. An ornament used by
the Greeks. It is the most pure of all the styles

used in decoration. The beauty of Grecian orna-
ment consists in its equality of foliage, stalks,

starting points, and ground-work. The accom-

panying illustrations are used as starting points,

GALLERY. (In Architecture.) An apartment!
of considerable length in comparison with its
width ; sometimes used for a connecting passage)
with which various rooms communicate, and in),
others for a spacious room, also of great compara-
tive length, set apart for the reception of pictures |
and statues. In modern palaces and extensive’
mansions and residences, the gallery has taken the
place of the ancient portico, for the reception of
pictures and sculptures. The gallery is an essential,
part of a magnificent residence, and is appropri-
ate to amuseum of natural or artificial curiositics- |
A gallery is sometimes decorated with the pencil of,
a single painter on its walls and ceilings, with sub-|
jects of an historical or allegorical nature, like
that of the Luxemberg at Paris, and others of a|
similar description.

GATE. (lInarchitecture.) The door of a city,
castle, palace, or large building. The gate or por-
tal of a building should be considered by the ar-
chitect as a necessary appendage to his design, and
at the same time should accord with it in every
thing, should appear to belong to it, and be at the
same time an embellishment. Gates should be
proportionate to their purpose, and bear suitable
ornaments.

Gem. (In sculpture.) A jewel, a precious
stone of any kind. ‘The word Gemma is found in
Pliny and other ancient writers to mean pearls and
precious stones. The classification of gems be-
longs to a work on mineralogy or crystallography,
and is therefore omitted. The harder kinds of
gems, as the diamond, emerald, &c. were seldom
engraved upon by the ancients from their difficulty,
but the substances most frequently sculptured by
engravers, both ancient and modern, are rock erys-
tal of different colours, jasper, calcedony, corne-
lian, onyx, and blood stone. Rock crystal is not
of sufficient hardness; cornelian and calcedony are
of the same family, though of varied tints.

(To be Continued.)

THE DECQRATOR’S ASSISTANT,

Che National Gallery. -

THE National Gallery, which has been closed
since the 7th of September, was re-opened to the
public on Monday last. The Vernon Collection

j/has for the present found a resting-place within its’

walls. The basement story is the depository of one
hundred and fifty-two pictures—two more than
the present descriptive catalogue contains—and
six pieces of sculpture. That the arrangement can
be regarded as other than temporary is not to be
for a moment supposed; but with the limited space
at command, and in the imperfectly lighted con-
dition of the apartments, it is matter of surprise
that the authorities have been able to make a dis-
position so satisfactory as even the present. It
would be idle to cavil at the proximity of the pic-
tures to each other when the difficulties of the situ-
ation are considered—or to point out that the par-
ticular places are not reconciled to the perspective
requirements of indvidual pictures. The result,
however, is often lamentable. Of pictures by Hil-
ton, Turner, Ege, Maclise, Danby, and Pickersgill
only small portions are illumined—and that im-
perfectly ; while the admirable water-colour draw-
ing by Louis Haghe is completely hidden—and the
two pictures by Sidney Cooper and Goodall not
described in the catalogue are but partially seen.
These artists for the most part being respectively
represented by other and more important works
in the collection, they will no doubt reconcile them-
selves to the present arrangement considered in re-
ference to all its embarrassing circumstances; and
ithe day, we trust, is not far distant when more ex-
tensive and better lighted apartments will be pro-
vided. The two-pictures, ‘ Peace’ and ‘‘ War,”
by Edwin Landseer, are absent—it is said owing to
some previous engagement for their being en-
oraved.

A new feature in: the Gallery is the appointment
of a small room to Gibson’s group of “‘ Hylas sur-
prised by the Naiads,”’ Baily’s busts of Canning
after Nollekens, Sir Isaac Newton after Roubiliac,
and the Duke of Wellington from his own design,
Chantrey’s of Sir Walter Scott, and Bacon’s of the

1|Marquis of Wellesley.

Rough work is no reason for rude manners.—
Neyer did there traverse the globe a presence:so
pure, and a fascination so divine, as moved about
in the person of ‘‘ the carpenter’s son.” So gentle
in his dignity—so awful in his meekness—so win-
some in his lovingness—so dexterous in diffusing
happiness—so delicate in healing inward hurts—so
gracious in forestalling wishes! No rules of eti-
quette, no polish of society can ever yield anew the
same majestic suavity. Amid the daily drudgery,
his soul was often swelling with its wondrous pur-
pose ; and whilst shaping for the boors of Galilee
their implements of husbandry, his spirit was com-
muning with the sky. They are not little occu-
pations, but little thoughts and little notions which
make the little man; and the grandeur of mien,
and the engaging manners, which emerged from
that Nazarene workshop, are a lesson to those who
handle the hammer, the spade, or the shuttle.—
The Happy Home. WSO

The Writish Museum.

THE public are still expecting some’account of|| |

their proceedings from the Royal Commissieners of|} — ii

Inquiry into the state of the British Museum; and
it seems they may continue to wait. There has
been much investigation, aid much evidence. taken
—surely enough to depict the actual state of things,||'
if not enough to suggest the necessary remedies.
After all that was expected from this commission,
this delay is most vexatious to the literary public,
and very unjust to the parties. whom the public
press has brought under discussion. Mr. Panizzi,
for example, has naturally enough been the subject
of much severe remark; and prevented as he is by
his official character from originating any pro-
ceedings in his own case, it would be only fair to
him, and very desirable, that his accusers and his
ultimate judges should have the opportunity of
hearing what he has to say, before every part of
the details of accusation is forgotten. It ought to
be remembered by the.Commissioners that the
royal seal is in their case really affixed by the con-
tinued demand for inquiry—not by the “ mere
motion” of the Crown. Their original determi-
nation—a very unwise one, we think—not to pub-
lish their proceedings at very short intervals, ought
to have been accompanied by the resolution to do
it at least session by session. The end of it will
probably be that, with the exception of the officers] |
of the Museum, no one will think it worth his
while to offer them information; and that their
report, if they ever get the length of drawing up
one, will receive little or no attention. For our-
selves, we should decidedly object to give evidence
in a literary matter—evidence here being statement
of opinion—while all the other evidence was cpn-
cealed from ns. We should consider that the rest
of the evidence might have the effect of making
us say what we did not mean. Who does not know
that during a discussion words and phrases take
meaning pro vice? Weshould feel that we ought
to know the sense and intention which the previous} |
investigation had made the examiners give to their
questions—and that without such knowledge we
should not be sure of answering with a full com-
prehension of the querist’s meaning. In questions
of pure fact, and asa guard against collusion on
the spot, it is well to order all the witnesses out of
court ; but when the matter is one of opinion, and
collusion is unsuspected, no man but the witness
himself can set his opinion against that of others
in his own way. The conflict of opinions is debate,
though it be called evidence; and if the Commis-
sioners should summon men of letters or science
before their secret tribunal, and the summons
should be attended to, the proceeding will be much
as if each member of the Commons were to whis-}
per into the Speaker’s ear, and leave him to sum-
mon up an opponent by his own statement of the
argument.— Atheneum.

Ir has been computed that at:the present time
there are not less than eighty thousand artisans and
mechanics entirely out of work, and nearly half
as many in but partial employment in the metro-
polis alone. In addition to these, upwards of six-
teen thousand labourers are in the same position.

Review.

Tur GroMETRICAL Mosaic oF THE M1D-
DLE AGxEs, by Mathew Digby Wyatt, Architect,
London,—Mr. M. D. Wyatt has already shown by
papers read at the Institute of Architects and else-
where, and the exhibition of his drawings, that he
had paid particular-attention during his travels, to
mosaic decorations. He has taken for his specialty
geometrical mosaic decorations, made drawings of
all he could find, and has produced a book of
gveat beauty, and which will be found very useful,
not merely in aiding to revive this art, and im-
prove our pavements, but to ornamentalists gene-
rally, and to all to whom nice combinations either
of lines or colours are valuable. The work pub-
lished for him by Day and Son, Lincoln’s-inn-
fields, consists of twenty-one plates, of large folio
size, each containing a number of examples, co-
ioured and gilt as the originals, preceded by a brief
jhistorical notice of the art. The latter shews a
yery considerable extent of attainments on the
part of the author, and is clearly and nicely writ-
ten throughout.

Mr. Wyatt justly remarks that,—*‘In examining
the nature of the subjects selected for represen-
tation in pictorial or imitative mosaic, the student
cannot but be struck by the wide range embraced,
and the evidence of intellect or of popular edu-
eation—sometimes both—manifested in the selec-
tion or appropriation of the various themes. Gods,
centaurs, men, animals, landscapes, flowers, orna-
ments, foliage, are depicted with almost equal
ability; and we must remember that it is to the
durability of the materials of which these almost
imperishable relics are composed, we are indebted
for the preservation of many of the lovely fancies
of the great artists of antiquity, whose creations
might otherwise have altogether passed away.
Bearing in mind, too, the constant practice of re-
production and repetition prevalent among artists
and artisans of old, we must not refuse to ascribe
the invention, composition, and artistic treatment
of any popular legend to a master mind, merely
because we meet with its representation in frag-
‘ments of coarse and perhaps ill-drawn mosaic, or
in a mural painting indifferently executed.”

Great skill was shewn as well in the choice of
subjects to suit the character of the apartment
wherein the mosaic was placed, as in the adaptation
of the lines to produce the best effect under varying
circumstances. ‘‘The minute and frequently recur-
ring patterns met with at Pompeii, in the cubicula,
and in the smaller chambers, were adapted to give
scale to the rooms; and, from their strictly regular
and geometrical character to cause the eye to dwell
with increased pleasure on the flowing and playful
forms of the paintings executed upon the walls ;—

pavement of the Pantheon enhance the beauty of
the graceful curves and its laeunarie.”

Mr. Wyatt remarks that the most ancient mosaic
that has been discovered displaying Christian
workmanship, is probably the one found in this
country at Horkstow, in Lincolnshire, where, in
conjunction with the usual Roman frets and orna-
ments, are to be seen one of the monograms in use
among the early Christians, and a repetition of the

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

/cenic palace, ‘‘ La Ziza,” at Palermo, shews how a

pe much the same way the rectilinear lines of the

Ichthus, or fish, one of their earliest and most
sacred symbols. This mosaic is supposed to be
earlier than the time of Constantine the Great,
and possesses the greatest interest.

‘The two earliest glass mosaics of the Christian
era, which either exist, or of whose existence we
have certain evidence,” says our author, “ possess
an extraordinary interest in connection with the
study of iconography. The most ancient—which
was traditionally related to have been given to
Prudentius, a Roman patrician by St. Peter, and
which is referred to by Church writers of the fourth
century, was stated by M.. Frelet, at the séance
held in 1841, at Lyons, by the French Society ‘‘ for
the preservation of monuments,” to be worthy of
regard, as probably the primary type for the ap-
pearance of our Saviour; and he further observed,
that the pious duty of imitating this mosaic in after
examples was one of the great causes of the general
resemblance of physiognomy in many of the por-
traits executed from that period until the ninth
century.”

One of the illustrations exhibits a fragment of
the pavement which adorned the church of San
Marco at Rome, composed solely of porphyry, ser-
pentine, and white marble, the two former being
embedded in grooves cut in slabs of the latter.

A compartment of the well-known pavement in
Santa Maria Maggiore, is given, and that of the
nave of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura. The latter
is probably of the eighth century. Also examples
of glass tesselation from San Lorenzo, San Gio-
vanni Laterano, &c. A specimen from the Sara-

white line was employed by the orientals to de-
velope the geometrical base of the pattern, and at
the same time weave the other colours round and
about, as a beautiful accompaniment, harmonizing
with, but not overpowering the predominant idea,
He illustrates two of the columns from the clois-
ters of San Giovanni Laterano, to give an idea of
the effect produced by glass tessalation in con-
junction with architectural forms; one of the
marble pulpits remaining in the church of Santa
Maria in Araceli, at Rome, and some exquisite
specimens of glass mosaie, from the cathedral at
Monreale, Palermo and St. Mark’s, Venice, with
illuminations of the Byzantine copy of the Acts of
the Apostles, preserved in the library of the Va-
tican. These “serve to develope, by contrast with
the preceding specimens of glass mosaic, the gene-
ral coherence of design existing between the orna-
ments on vellum and those incrusted on. the walls
of the stateliest churches, and demonstrate tu the
fullest extent, the Greek affection for gold grounds
and dazzling yet harmonious colouring.”

For the manner in which this work has been
produced (with colours and gilding), Messrs. Day
and Son are entitled to unqualified praise.

The late Mr. George Stephenson.—At the quar-
terly meeting of the Society of Mechanical Engi-
neers, held in Birmingham on Wednesday last, the
following resolution was unanimously adopted.—
“Phat the members of this institution desire to
express their deep regret at the decease of their
late President, George Stephenson, esq., whose
early support of this institution has greatly contri-
buted to bring it to its present state of success.”

Yersypectibe.
(Continued from page 17.)

OF PLANES.

To make one Plane perpendicular to another
Plane.

DRAw AB, fig. 8, equal to 6 feet, draw AD

DC parallel and equal to a B; draw 8 C parallel
and equal to AD; find & the middle of a B, draw
E F parallel to A D or Bc; make E W perpendicu-
lar to A B, and equal 8 feet and a half, that is, froma
quarter scale, divided into ten equal parts, it will
be 3 feet and five tentbs, or three feet 6 inches;
draw FG parallel and equal to HH, join u G@, and
EF GH is a vertical plane, perpendicular to the
horizontal plane A BC D.

To construct three Planes, one Horizontal, one
Vertical, and one Plane inclined to both.

Draw A B, jig. 4, equal G feet, as before, a D
equal 3 feet, D c parallel and equal to AB; and

BC parallel and equal to A D. From e the middle
Fig. 4, 5
g

Ye
Y

fos ,
B

of A B, draw e hk perpendicular to A B, and equal 3
feet 6 inches; draw fg parallel and equal to eh;
join hg, and ef g h is the vertical plane.

The section or bottom edge Bc of the inclined
plane B Cg kh might have various positions in the
plane A BCD, as wellasin BC; joinBh andcg,
and B Cg h is the inclined plane, making an angle
with the horizontal plane a Be D, equal 48 deg.,
and with the vertical plane ef gh, equal 42 deg.,
the complement of 48 deg.—the angle h e B being
90 deg. or a right angle: hence the sum of the
three angles is 180 deg.

Note :—It is of little consequence in the con-
struction, whether the top of the inclined plane be
above or below the top of the vertical plane.

[oa a
A x

To construct three Planes, namely, one Horizon-
tal, and two Vertical Planes, at right Angles
to each other.

Construct the horizontal plane a Bc D, fig. 5,
as before; from z, the half of a B, raise 7 & per-
pendicular and equal 3 feet 6 inches; draw ¢ i pa-
rallel to A D or B Cc, make h m parallel and equal
tozik; join Am; find the half of Bc and AD;

THE DECORATOR’S

jobliquely, as in the figure, and equal 3 feet; draw.

ASSISTANT. .

draw é g, cutting 7 hin f, draw f 1, g 0, and e n, all
Fig. 5.

To ee

‘ A B
parallel and equal to <#; join nJo, and the three
planes are constructed as required.

To construct two Horizontal Planes, two Vertical
Planes, and two Inclined Planes ; these last
two parallel to each other, and one of them
above, the other below the Horizontal Plane,
or level Ground.

Construct the horizontal plane ABCD, fig. 6
as before; from e, the middle of A B, raise e h per-
pendicular and equal 3 feet 6 inches; draw e f'
parallel to A D or to BC, draw f g,B & and Ci,
all parallel and equal to e h, join 7 gand &h;

Fig. 6.

draw A h, making an angle of 50 deg. with A B,
draw Dg parallel to ah, draw e m parallel and
equal to A hk, draw also f Z parallel and equal to e
m, join 2 m. Here the six planes ma bevery
clearly understood by attentively viewing the
figure. (To be continued.)

THE new church recently erected at Hursley,
on the site of the old one, was consecrated on
Tuesday week. It is in the Decorated style, with
a nave, chancel, aisles, and the original tower;
erected 560 years since by Bishop Edgerton. The
chancel is paved with encaustic tiles. ‘

Pistory of Sculpture.

_ (Continued from page 5.)

THE Pheenicians, the Persians, the Etruscans,
‘Jor ancient Tuscans, all most probably preceded the
{Greeks in a successful cultivation of the art of
sculpture, though by no ‘means to an equal extent.
The statuaries of Etruria, indeed, seem to have
presented high claims to favourable notice. Among
their chief productions two several styles have been
traced out: the first straight lines, stiff attitudes,
an absence of ideal beauty about the head, and, in
lshort, other defects incidental to an art in its state
ofinfancy. But, in the second style, appearances
become wholly changed, aud ancient Etruscan
sculpture may be said to bear some resemblance to
the grand and somewhat overcharged manner of
||the great modern Etruscan artist, Michel Angiolo :
the joints being strongly marked, the muscles
raised, the bones distinguishable, and great know-
'||\ledge displayed of the science of anatomy. Millin
‘adds a third period to the history of Etruscan art,
which is said to have commenced at the conquest
jof Greece by the Romans, an epoch at which the
Greek artists flocking to Rome and other parts of
Italy, the Etruscans became their imitators, and,
at length, their rivals. It is probably of this period
that Horace speaks, when he praises (in the Ist
satire of the 10th book) the Italian artists, most
| likely with particular reference to those of Etruria,
|,as superior to the boasted artists of Greece.

According to ancient history, the Greeks did not
‘emerge from a savage state until a long time after
the Egyptians, the Chaldeans, and Indians had
obtained a considerable degree of civilisation. The
originally rude inhabitants of Greece were civilised
|by colonies which arrived among them, at different
times, from Egypt aud Phoenicia. These intro-
duced, by degrees, the religion, the arts and letters
of their parent states. The original statues of the
gods, however, were extremely rude. The earliest
objects of idolatrous worship have in all instances
‘been the heavenly bodies; and it was not until
jhero-worship was engrafted on the planetary that
\the sculptor thought of giving to the sacred statue
any part of the human form. About the era of
‘this revolution in idolatry, the art of sculpture
appears to have been introduced among the
Greeks. The first representations of their gods
were round stones placed upon cubes or pillars;
‘and. these stones were afterwards so shaped as to
give them somewhat the appearance of a head.
Pausanias describes a Jupiter of this kind, at
Tegeum, iu Arcadia. These representations were
denominated hermes ; not, according to some,
because they represented Mercury, but from the
word herma, which signified a rough stone.

The art, having passed the periods of its infaucy
and childhood, proceeded with rapid steps ; par-
ticularly at Athens and Sicyon, its two most cele-
brated seats. Climate, no doubt, did much for the
ancient Greeks, and would, of course, be equally
advantageous for the modern ones, did not ages of
subservience and luxury appear to have thoroughly
|vitiated their national character. Probably no
country under the face of the sun is blessed with a
Serener air, or possesses in a greater proportion
that equable and genial warmth so well calculated

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

than its "old inhabitants.

they might produce beautiful children.

to develope, in the human body, the principles of
muscular strength and activity, as well as the
winning delicacies of female loveliness; and never
was there any people more gifted with a profound
Sense of beauty, or more desirous to improve it,
Of the: four wishes of}
Simonides, the second was to have a handsome
figure; and among the Lacedzemonian women so
great was the abstract love of beauty, that they are
said to have kept statues of Narcissus, of Hyacinth,
&e. in their chambers, in the hope (no doubt often!
realised) that by constant coptemplation thereon,

(To be continued.)

Che Chronotyyist.

AT a meeting of the Society of Mechanical En-
gineers, held at Birmingham on Wednesday last,
Mr. Robert Stephenson, M.P. was elected Presi-
dent in the room of his deceased father.——Sir R.
Peel has, we learn, just purchased from Mr. Far-'
rer, the portrait of Alexander Pope, to be placed as,
a pendant to that of Dr. Johnson, which is so con-
spicuous a feature in his collection in Privy-gar-
dens. The picture was painted by the elder Ri-
chardson. The portrait of William Pitt, Earl of,
Chatham, painted by Prince Hoare, has also been!
purchased of Mr. Farrer by the same distinguished
collector, to occupy a position in his gallery of,
celebrated characters at Tamworth. Both these)
pictures were recently in the possession of the Duke
of Buckingham at Stowe.——It is the intention of |
the Commissioners of Woods and Forests to erect
immediately a new Colonial Office, more extensive
and better adapted to the wants of that depart-
nrent of the Government than the buildings now
used for the purpose in Downing-street. The new
offices will be ereeted in Whitehall, on the site
now occupied by Lady Dover’s mansion, and will
adjoin the Board of Trade, and extend as far as the
Cauteen at the Horse-guards. The style of archi-
tecture will be Italian, and the design will be in-
trusted to Mr. Barry, the architect of the New
Palace at Westminster.——We are glad to know
that the Sheffield School of Design has been so
successful that the committee has been enabled to
remove it into much larger and more commodious
premises. The new building was opened in the
middle of October, and the school is now in full
work. The average attendance is one hundred
pupils, and this number is on the increase.——
An apparatus has lately been patented, invented
by Mr. Salter, of Birkenhead, the object of which
is to flash sewers, to carry off filth of every des-
cription and also purify the house and other drains.

{

\' sent...

40 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Go Corvesvonvents, Ke.
Write legibly and sensibly, so that both’ thy
words and their meaning may be readily decy-

‘pered by the recipient ae thy communication.

——

Notice.—In future we will not answer any
Correspondent who does not prefix either an ini~

VY,

‘tial or name to his letter. We have six letters
from correspondents this week, with the words,
\© A Subscriber,” or “A Constant Subscriber,”
'&e.,in which they complain of not being able to
discover the answer to their questions. To them
we say,—write once more, and affix some dis-

tinctive mark, —for instance, V. Z. or M. U., or

adopt a word —the answer will be readily found.

‘¢ A Subscriber,” (WMewwcastle.)\—o,—_Nyou can-

inot use it to paint with.

COW, M: ne You cannot have received the last

“number of this? Papers (No. 78), or nee bus
ihave seen it at p- 1B. :

“ Brutus,” We are -meuch kaees for the sketch

« Perseverance,” Business, at the oy time,

as not very brisk in the. Metr opolis.. Hundreds of

\journeymen are out of employment. If you. will

|\forward us the remainder of the. alphabet we will

\\use of.

‘“ Alfred.”— Certainly not.

ELEVATION.—FIG. 2,

[The External Aspect and Ground Plot will be given in our next. |

G.S.B.—Try once more, and omit the acid
as at first.

“ Charles.” —Jn Italy.

QUERY:

Can any of our Readers favour us with the
receipt to make the putty composition, used in
the decoration of picture-frames and also in en-
tablatures.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to “the Editor;
of the DECORATOR’s ‘ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts,. Sepa, §¢..

—— ae

Cases for Vols. I. II. and II. are now lege
price.1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-||
take to get them: bound for 2s. a af gilts Ais
marbled, ee ewtra.

+ ee

* Any of our ‘Renders: having complet
ALPHABETS of an ornamental. description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will: gneath ahaa us

| by lending, or sending copies of them.’

Pil
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TRS PTI R MTA TEN

socal bY

SATURDAY, |

HFrescoes tn the Wen Wouses of
Parliament.

EK have
on many occasions recorded our conviction that
for the purpose of securing the harmonious re-
sult required in a number of spaces prescribed
by architectonic considerations in a single
room, the presidency of one mind is essential.
Further experience but confirms it. We have
lately visited the Houses of Parliament to ob-
serve what has been done in the Upper Wait-
ing Room, in which eight compartments are to
be filled with subjects from our leading British
|Poets. It convinces us that if such a series of
subjects as this, at any rate, be not under the
government of a single artist, they should at
least have common conditions prescribed of
incident, character, scale, and perspective.—
| Without this, a room of the kind when com-
pleted, will be but an assemblage of casual and
varied treatment, like that which meets the
jeye inan exhibition room,

|. In the selection of the subjects for these
|compartments, care should be taken that they
are such as are likely to secure on the part of

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT. [NovEMBER 18, 1848,

the various artists consent of feeling and con-
geniality of treatment. Whether they deal
with religion, history, or morals, the pictures
should harmonize with each other, and with
the locality which they are intended to adorn.
Such embellishments are intended to make the
finish—to carry out the architect’s design; and
it would be as much a divergence from the
original intention to produce discrepancies in
the pictorial decorations, as it would be were
the architect himself to adopt a variety of;
styles of distinct dates and characters in the)
several details with which he purposed to give
lightness or enrichment to its various parts.

SS
————-

Correspondence in scale is another element;
especially to be complied with. No disparity
in this can be admitted without destruction to
the symmetry and harmony of the whole. If,
it be objected that such considerations control
talent too absolutely, we answer that the really
great and independently-minded artist will find)
no restraint in having the shape of his picture
or the seale of its principal parts prescribed.
The greatest minds have submitted to such
dictation, The Vatican attests that a Raffaelle
and a Michael Angelo were only incited by
such conditions to the production of the finest)
and most sublime results. Even in the lower
schools, where facility betrayed artists into
inconsiderateness, attention was always given
to such correspondence of quantities, character, |
and scale as should insure architectural sym-
metry. To carry out this system effectually,
it will be further obvious that a general con-
dition of perspective in regard to the altitude
of horizon and point of sight must be imposed
and directed more immediately in regard to,
that presumed position of the spectator which
gives the greatest amount of truth and illusion
in the most natural or agreeable way. These
are considerations which can no more be ne-
glected in a scheme for a number of pictures
than they can in the disposition of the several
parts of an individual one.

ae a

Of the eight spaces in this Waiting Room,
two have been filled; one by Mr, Cope, with
an illustration of ‘‘ The patience of Griselda,”
from Chauser’s ‘‘Clerke’s Tale.” He has
shown his knowledge of the range of hues of
the peculiar palette prescribed by the limited
nature of its means in the production of chiar-
oscuro. His resources are as ingenious as

32°

they are legitimate. —

jof no one especial master.
Horsley, illustrates the following lines in the
fourth book of “ Paradise Lost.”—

“Ithuriel and Zephon, with wing’d speed
{|Search through this gerdeny leave Eee no
nook.”

||Its’ excellence consists more in the manipu-
lative quality than in the mental faculty. Mr.
Horsley has essayed a subject which brings
him into trying comparison with Fuseli’s com-
position of “Our First Parents,” in the same
jscené, engraved by Anker Smith for Du Ro-
veray’ s edition of Milton. If Mr. Horsley has

his subject tasked a talent which comprehended
grasp of mind, power of invention, knowledge
lof human form, and facility of expressing it.
‘These are powers peculiar to the very highest
|schools of Art—and which but few of our
Jown: time are equal to. We consider this sub-
|ject too lofty for the abilities of this painter,
ilalthough possessed of great acknowledged
talent. There is also a greater disparity of
Iscale; the parts being much larger in Mr.
Horsley’s fresco than in the others.

--For Mr. Herbert’s fresco —“Lear disinhe-
riting Cordelia,”—we wait. Of the cartoon
we will say nothing—but that of the three
jartists, Mr. Herbert appears to have best
adapted his design to the architectural require-
j/ments of the place which it is to occupy. His
{selection of horizon, general perspective ar-
rangement, adaptation of its own light and
shade to the natural light of the window near
lit—so as to produce illusion and reality of
\look—all mark the forethought of the artist,
jland serve as excellent hints to those who are
to fill in the remaining spaces.

Half the workmen tf were engaged on the new
Houses of Parliament were discharged a fortnight
since. Where: there were about 1,000 employed,
there will not now be more than 500. What makes

men, and will not easily be replaced hereafter.
Crry IMpRoyEMENTS.—The commissioners are
'|taking measures to widen the thoroughfare of Can-
|non-street, and form a new street from the end of
'|Walbrook into Queen-street.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

While there is sufficient |
evidence of reference to the practice of the
|best examples of Florentine art, there is a}
|manly independence of style that reminds us |
The other by Mr. |

‘schools of design are confided, took the chair, |}

ship said it was a singular fact, that in some||.

not fully succeeded, it may be remembered that |

‘possessed a northern energy available for all||
_purposes, and an innate confidence that what-/|

Jit worse is, that many of those dismissed are picked place in the mode of management, into which| |

Stattorvshire School of Wesiqn. |

Ar the Staffordshire School of Design (the|},
“ Petteries”) a class for modelling has been|}.
‘commenced, under the superintendence of M. 1
Emile Jeannest,sculptor, of Paris. At the}|
meeting for the distribution of prizes, held last
month, Lord Granville, who is a member of!
the Board of Trade, to which board the|}
and made some pertinent remarks. His lord-||
countries almost all their exports consisted of i
‘manufactures which owed their chief value to |
‘the taste displayed in ornamenting them. This }
‘was attributable in no small degree to the en-|}
‘couragement which schools of design received||
in the chief towns of those countries, In|}
Paris, for instance 1,800 pupils attended the||’
‘schools of design; and in Antwerp there were|{
600; thus shewing that efficient instruction
had only to be provided, and the artisans|}
would avail themselves of it; and showing||
also, that we must not flag in faeiee an simi-
ar means of improvement. .

It had been asserted, but he did not admit it,
that there was something in our northern clime||:
which incapacitated us for works of the high-||
order of art. A southern atmospheré’ might}|
give advantage in the study of colour, and ‘the||
‘constant enjoyment of the open ‘air might al-
most insensibly train the mitid’ to appreciatel |.
beauty of form and colour. It must be allowed} |
we had not’ these advantages; but then ‘we}|

ever had been done elsewhere, our’ artisans }
were capable of equalling. This feeling had|}
caused the establishment of Schools of Design|}
amongst us, that artists might be trained whosé| |
designs should equal those of our continental]
rivals, and workmen’ whose hands ‘and eyes
should be sufficiently practiced to carry theit|}
designs into execution.’ Since ‘the first ‘esta- I
blishment of the schools, alterations had:taken|}

‘he need not enter. Suffice it to say, the schools}
had done ‘great good. They had not only pro-|}
duced increaséd skill, but removed prejudices.|},
One prejudice was that it was inconsistent with||

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

||the dignity of high art to employ talents in|

that sphere; but the examples of Rafaelle,
{\Giulio Romano, Rubens, and Flaxman, not to
‘/mention modern artists of celebrity, must, he

thought, put argument on the subject quite out |

of the question, and the prejudice was fast
disappearing. Another difficulty the schools
‘\|had to encoynter, was the indifference of ma-
‘{\nufacturers themselves. Much might be said
‘lon this subject, but it could not be necessary
‘|lin a district like the Potteries, where it was so
‘\lapparent that the continued pre-eminence of
{|their manufactures depended upon producing
'||superior designs in form and decoration. The
‘|schools, he repeated, had done much, but he
||thought they might be made productive of
| greater practical results. He thought they
||might become the means of a more extensive
|,application of the principles of art to the pur-
'|/poses of manufactures. And he did not appre-
||hend that the standard of instruction would be
|\lowered by making it thus practical,—not al-
'\lowing the mechanical to, destroy the poetical, but
presenting a combination of both—a union which
these schools should try hard to achieve. In this
we quite agree wijh his lordship, and shall be glad
||to see evidence of a desire at Somerset House to
| \effect what is found to be necessary.

Manocgany v. OaK.— Mahogany has lately
{\been introduced with great success into churches,
the entire fittings having been constructed with it,
|the roof being the only part where fir timber has
|\been used. The effect which has thus been pro-

||sereen, and pulpit are made entirely of mahogany.
Where decoration has been used it’ harmonizes most
happily with the painting, and gives a richness. and
warmth to the interior of the building which no
other wood could impart. It is not going too far
'||to assert that, before long, our churches will be as
‘||universally fitted up with mahogany as our dwel-
| |ling-houses are, now furnished with that material ;
‘|/and had it been known to our ancestors, and been
i||as accessible to them as it is at the present time,
| |there can be little doubt that it, would have been
| |generally used for the carved works and fittings of
;||our old cathedrals and churches, because it would
'|\have been found to have harmonised with the rich
|/colours with which the churches were then deco-
||rated, and it would also have been preferrable to
\}}oak on account of its’ being nearly imperishable,
'|;and much more easily worked, and of larger sizes;
and now that it can be obtained at the same price
'|\as that wood, it cannot fail to be extensively used
:||in all sacred edifices,

Tue disciples of Young England, says the Dis-
|||patch, pull to pieces; but nowhere do they recon-
‘||struct, except, it may be, May-poles, medizeval ar-
.|{chitecture, cricket, and church festivals. © * .*

||Guced is most striking, as the benches, altar rails, |

‘no alteration in other respects. A very few imper-

tally heard of the proposition, applied himself to

Roman Crns.

—

In digging, last week, for gravel, and preparing
the ground for planting at West Lodge, opposite
St. Mary’s-terrace, Lexden-road, Essex, upwards
of twenty cinerary urns have been exhumed, nearly
all of which were filled with incinerated bones and
earth. With one exception they are of dark baked
earth, and of various sizes, from the capacity of a
quart to that of two gallons. Some of them were
broken so much as to render all attempts to restoré
them ineffectual ; others are only partially injured,
and six or seven are perfect. The solitary exception
in colour among the urns is one of peculiar shape,
also with handles, of a light red ware. Over one)
of the black urns was a flat cover of light red ware,
and the bones thus protected were perfectly dry
and clean. Another urn was covered with a shal-
low vessel of the same material. Close by oné
small urn were found two bottles of different size,
shape, and colour. The contents of several of the
urns have been examined, but eight or ten remain
as found. In addition to these, a small tomb, con-
sisting of four large tiles or bricks set on edge, was)
found; its contents were bone-ashes and some)
fragments of thick glass. Near this was a flue of,
one brick, the exterior ornamented with scroll-
work; also a small drinking cup,—and at another
part of the ground, the remains of a leaden lamp-|
stand. The whole are intended for the Colchester
Museum, and will form-an interesting addition to,
its local antiquities. .

GILDED SiLK.—The discovery of a chemical)
method of gilding silk,is a striking proof of the
good effect producible by the judicious distribution)
of the prizes of scientific societies. For many years
back, the Prussian Industrial Association has regu=
larly announced its intention to award a prize of
1000 thalers (£150), in addition to the large gold
medal of the society, for the discovery of such a
process, on condition that the silk should undergo

fect specimens were produced by this liberal offer,
and the society found it necessary to extend the
term appointed for receiving communication on the
subject, from time to time, when Dr. Kroning, of
Stolberg, in the Hartz mountains, having acciden~

the task, and after several failures succeeded in
gilding silk to the highest perfection. The process
is equally applicable to the woven and unwoyen
material. When soiled, a washing in soap and
water, and light pressure, restores its beauty. The
variety of applications of which the silk is capable
is immense, for by its combination with other co-
lours, magnificent. designs for ribbons, dresses, &c.
may be produced. Its adoption will effect a com-

‘plete change in the manufacture of gold lace, &e.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT

Se in the Dinellings of fhe Endustrious lasses.
; Lees gees see page 11, No. 78.]

: a

Fig. 5.
UE Ze: Se reas v7),
il ae a a a _

|
2

ELEVATION, C D.
‘ Width of Frontage next Street, 204 ft.
A, ELEVATION.—(See engraving, page 30, No. 79.)

ELEVATION, C D.

———

An Ellustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms: used tn Architectural and
Enterioy Mecorvation, Ke.

(Continued from page 25.)

GEOMETRICAL ELEVATION. (In architecture
and the artsin general.) The science of extension,
quantity, or magnitude, abstractedly considered ;
demanding the greatest attention from the scien-
tific artist. ‘Two geometers, Bryson and Antiphon,
appear to have lived about the time of Hippo-
crates, and alittle before Aristotle. These are only
known by some animadversions of this last philo-
sopher on their attempts to square the circle. It
appears that before this time geometers were aware
that the area of a circle was equal to a triangle,
whose base was equal to the radius.

Goruic. (Inarchitecture.) A style of build-
ing named after the Goths, its supposed inventors,
but called also the Pointed, the English, and some-
times the German style of architecture.’ It may
‘be divided into the Saxon, or early British, the
‘Norman or English, and the florid.

———

AW 34

4 3

- THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Graces. (The) The Graces are represented
by the ancieut artists. and. poets like three beau-
tiful sisters, naked, unconscious of shame, and
linked together.

GRADATION. (In painting.) That regular pro-
gress from one degree of colour or shade to another
that gives effect, rotundity, and verisimilitude to
painting. It can only be obtained by an attentive
study of nature, particularly in her effects of light
and shade.

GrRiFFIn. A fabulous animal, said to be gene-
rated between the lion and the eagle, and to have
the head and paws of the lion, the ears of a horse,
the wings of the eagle, and a crest formed like the
dorsal fins of a fish. According to lian, in the
fourth book of his History of Animals, this crea-
ture derived its origin from India; its back was
covered with black feathers, its breast with red,
and its wings white. Ctesias, Herodotus, and
other credulous writers also give similar descrip-
tions of the griffin. According to a tradition of
the Bactarians, the gold mines of the country were
guarded by griffins. The griffin is also one of the
attributes of Apollo; and, according to, Philostra-
tus, in his Life of Apollonius, the Indians figured
the sun in a quadriga drawn by griffins. Repre-
sentations of griffins are to be found on many an
tique bassi relievi, and in Buonarotti, Medagliont.
antichi.

GROIN. (In architecture.) A species of arch,
formed by one vault or continued arch intersecting
another.

GutT#. (In architecture.) Drops, ornaments
used in the Doric frieze and mutules.

EERE

GEOMETRICAL ELEVATION. (In architecture.)
A design for the front or side of a building, drawn
according to the rules of geometry ; as opposed to
the perspective or natural elevation. «

GILpING. The art of laying gold on any sur-
face or body by way of ornament. The art of gild-
ing is of great antiquity. In the earliest of the
Egyptian monuments of art which are in existence
many signs of silvering and gilding are to be found.
The ancient Persians also were adepts in this art,
and many vestiges of*it are to be found in the
ruins of Persepolis. The Greeks and Romans also
practised it to a very great extent, the farmer even
gilding the horns and hoofs of the beasts they of-
fered to the gods.

(To be Continued.)

lac

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘| Ax. Wtornums Lectures on Ore

namental Art.

On Friday evening last Mr. Wornum delivered
a lecture on Asiatic Art—the third of his course on
the History, Principles, and Practice of Orna-
mental Art. Confining himself to those countries
‘more especially connected with European history,
he commenced with the Israelite Exodus from
Egypt; and havine given an account of the
Tabernacle in the, wilderness and the Temple of
Solomon, he passed on to Babylon—where the
Birs Nimroud, the reputed remains of the Tower of
Babel, and of the more recent Temple of Bel, built
by Nebuchadnezzar, was made a principal object
'|/of notice. He then proceeded to describe the inte-
resting remains of Persepolis, and the remarkable
tombs of the Persian kings. He concluded with a
brief review of the arts of the Hindoos—referring
more particularly to the exeavated Temples of
|\Hlora and the characteristic decorations of their
pagodas. The lecture was illustrated by numerous
drawings prepared for the purpose.

On Art any Ieligiow.

In the course of a lecture on the Relation of
| Literature and Art to Religion, delivered by Mr.
‘1G. Dawson, last week, at the Whittington Club
(Strand), the lecturer said he would not give much
jfor any painting that did not express much more
jthan was exhibited on the canvas, nor for the artist
.|) who did not aim at the accomplishment of so valu-
‘ijable an achievement. Hewished that our artists
‘would, like the immortal Michael Angelo, aim to
‘| achieve what was comely and beautiful, rather than
'} what was simply useful. Nature, which in a wise
man was a method, was to him everything. He
was not a ‘ bread” artist—he did not paint, as
‘| some of our artists (from necessity) paint, for the
j/market ; he was an artist of the soul, and painted
:/ from and true to nature. The lecturer then pro-
iceeded to show that art, as exhibited in painting
‘| and music; had been torn, ina manner, from reli-~
gion, between which and it there, was a divine
‘association, and said they wished to know now
||whether it was possible so to re-unite them as to
‘make them auxiliary to each other. | To effect this,
| what were they todo? In these. Protestant days
'| they were rather out of tune with art. “True, they
had several new churches in course of building ;
but their great error was trying to invoke the
jantique spirit of church architecture. He wished
\they would, throw more soul into them. They were
‘unable to go on, or to appreciate art without a
“* euide,” and if modern art did not go a little more
forward, it would sink i a state of rheumatic
frigidity.. They should go forward then with spirit,
and not attempt to warm up old art. He needs
not dress in Cato’s toga in order to have Cato’s
soul. Let'them, he should say, be bold men of to-
| day, and if they agreed to have a saint, let it be a
| saint of to-day..

The Value any Bower of Art. |

WE admire true art, on account of its ennobling|

tendency. ‘It has its origin in principles which,|

founded in the, constitution of our nature, are the
foundation of excellence. It would not bea difi-
cult, though a very interesting task, from the
varied and honoured labours of the artist, to show

-that success demands, on his part, the exercise of

the highest mental faculties. Real art proclaims,
with eloquence, its intrinsic dignity. How often,
for instance, do the stately monuments which her
genius have reared force themselvés on our regard,
rivetting our attention, and commanding our
admiration, even when men are intently occupied
in the bustling transactions and exciting pursuits
of life! When the appeals of art are so powerful,

it would be idle to say anything in vindication of

its character, were it not that there are creatures

upon whose minds they seem to make no impres-

sion, and who rudely pass them by, or only cast
upon them a look of cold indifference. To write,

‘however, on snbjects of art, is to eulogise them,

and is, at the same time, to give a history of the

good they have effected; but this has been from}.

time immemorial felt and acknowledged by all
persons who have a claim upon us from their keen

|sensibility to beauty, and their lofty elevation of
‘Jintellect. To the poet. they have ever afforded a

congenial and favourite theme,—to the wealthy,

‘|an opportunity of gratifying their own taste in

encouraging talent; nor has. posterity ever for-
gotten those artists whose services and beautiful
emanations have thrown such a glory over their
vocation, but have recorded their names on the
roll of fame, as benefactors to their race.

There is no reader of that remarkable poem, the
“ Tliad,” but must remember the frequent allu-
sions’ which Homer makes to the ~vworks of the
skilled Sidonian artists and -cunning artificers ;
with what warm sympathy, but, at the same time,
with what propriety, he, introduces descriptions of
various instruments of war—royal and sacredotal
vestments, curiously woven—the shield of the hero
Achilles; with works of larger construction—
arehitectural fabrics, such as in after ages were
conceived by a Palladio or by a Sir Christopher
Wren. He considers all these as growing under
the superintending eye and ‘inspiration of per-
sonified divinity—be it Minerva or Pallas ;—their
beauty and>contrivance, and the transcendaney of
their invention being referred to a superior Power,
who strengthened the artists’ energies. Moreover,
he reminds us how the workmanship added im-
measurably to the value of the material, by the
superiority of mind over, matter. In objects of
fictile manufacture, where the finer and more deli-
cate skill of the-hands was visible, the splendid
vase is praised, not because its material is costly,
but because it is “ figur’d with art that dignified
the gold,” and refiected “‘ the image of a master-
mind.” We witness, in all this, a most consum-
mate taste and judgment. The bard of the
‘* Tliad” was a wise man, and he must have acted,
from precepts delivered to him by Minerva. Thus—

| Theory of, Curhes.

|, “A cURVE is aline that hasacurvature. Though
|the second. of.these terms be derived from the first,
lyet, it is the notion explained as preliminary to the
general term,.curve. Let a point move with a
perfectly gradual-change of direction, and it des-
jcribes a curve.

Curves are said to be of the same species in
lwhich the motion of the describing point fs regu- |
lated by the same mathematical law. Thus the |;
jgeneral law of the circle is, that all his points are
equidistant from a given point. This law is the
|characteristic of the species; one circle is distin-

|distance supposed in the law of formation.
And in like manner as 0, or nothing, is classed |,
junder the general name of number or quantity, so

term, curve. Or, in the last-mentioned science, |
the word meant any line which is described by a

hia

levery part of space which 3 As consistent with the

law.
The connexion of algebra. with the doctrine of

by means of which every algebraical function
whatsoever is connected with the properties of a
enrve. This is the point of greatest utility in the
theory, namely, the power which it gives of repre-

which an algebraical function. undergoes, while one
of its letters passes through) every state of nume-
rical magnitude. .

- The number of curves aie have received dis-
tinct names, out of the infinite number which may
be drawn, is very small. ° We subjoin the names of
those which are of most usual occurrence.

‘1, Circle.—2, Ellipse—8, Hyperbola.—4, Pa-
lrabola—5, Semi-cubical Parabola. —6, Cissoid of
Diocles.—7, Conchoid of Nicomedes.—-8, Trisec-
\trix.—9, Lemniseata.—1l0, Cycloid.—lI, Com-
panion to the Cycloid.—12, Harmonic curve.—
13,. Trochoid. aie Epicycloid and Cardioide.—
1, - Hypecycloid. —16, Epitrochoid. —17, Hypo-
trochoid. *—18. Curves of sines, cosines, tan-
gents, &c.

~* From 13 to 17 inclusive, are Trochoidal curves.

:
THE DECORATOR’S: ASSISTANT..

|guished from another by the length of the constant |.

the straight; line itself (or the line without curva- |

‘

ture) is, in. algebra, spoken of under the general t

|point moving under one and the same law through }
3

leurves depends upon the method of co-ordinates, |.

senting to the eye all the varieties of magnitude | |

t The general characteristics of curves are ex-|f

37
, Sines, Tangents,!&c., Curves of.—19, Expo-
nential or Logarithmic Curve.—20, Spiral of Ar-
chimedes.—21, Logarithmic Spiral, or Equian-
| gular Spiral. —99, Reciprocal Spiral.—23, Lituus.
}24, Quadratrix of Dinostratus.—25, @radratrix of] f
‘Tehirnhausen. —26, Catenary. ar Tractory.—
'28, Syntractory. — 29, Tractrix. —80, Ovals of
Cassini. —31, Watts’s Parallel motion curve.

itremely varied, and very few of them have received] |
mames. We subjoin a diagram, which will show) |
call the varieties of figure most commonly consi-|}
dered in works on the Differential Caléulus, pre-
‘mising, however, that we do not actually know any
‘curve which. contains them all. It would appear] },
as if our figure contained several curves, but it/f
‘must be remembered that in the algebraical sense, | |
many curves exist with branches completely un-| fs
connected, but all described under one law.

The several parts of the preceding are of conti-| f
‘nual occurrence ; the following are the names and. |
‘references :— ~

1. Points of inflection or contrary flexure.

2. Multiple points, double, triple, &c., accord-
ling to the number of timesy the curve passes)
‘through them.
~ Cusps ;

Be the terms are hardly sufficiently! }

well settled to enable us to say whether the 3* is to] }
be considered a double point, a triple point, or not
a multiple point at all.

4, Itis customary to call any part of the curve}
which encloses space an oval, though, according to|
the common meaning of the term, there is no oval
in our diagram, except 4+. Of ai we hardly know
whether it would be called an oval or not.
5. Conjugate points; when of a general law of|}
description which gives ovals, a particular case is
taken in which an oval disappears, it generally
leaves behind it, so to speak, a single point which)
is included under the equation to the curve, but
has no contiguous points. These are called evan-|
escent ovals.

THE collection of pictures formed by Dr. Campe,
of Nuremberg, under the advice of Herr Heideloff,
is about to be conv eyed to London for sale by auc-)
tion next spring. In it are some first-class pro-
ductions of the early German school, by L. Cra-
nach, Albert Durer, J. Mabuse, M. Wohlgemuth,
and Ysrael Von Mecheln, which haye been des-
cribed and authenticated in the writings of Passa-
vant and Kiigler. Two fine pictures have been
bought by Lord Robert Grosvenor.

Perspective.
(Continued from page 28.)

OF PLANES.

To construct two Horizontal Planes, three Ver-
tical Planes, and two Inclined Planes, parallel
to eachother, and making Angles of 26 deg.
30 min. with the Horizon.

Draw A BCD, jig. 7, as before, making e% per-
\pendicular to A B, and equal 6 feet, and eh equal
3 feet; draw ef parallel to aD or BC, draw fk
equal and parallel to ei, make fg equal eh, join
hg; draw Bmand Cl each equal and parallel to
eh. Joinmhandlg; make the angle mi equal
26 deg. 30 min.: draw mi and Jk: make the

Fig. 7.

angle 0eA equal m2, or, which is the same in
effect, draw oe parallel to 2m; also draw fn
parallel to oe, joinon: here eo is equal mz: join
m D and oa; and all the proposed planes are con-
structed.

The constructions and intersection of planes are
found essentially useful in the study of perspective.

GF SOLIDS.

Solid, from the Latin solidum, means a whole,
probably because in a solid are contained points,
lines, planes, or curved surfaces.

Solids may consist of planes, curved surfaces, or
of planes and curves. :

planes. i

The principal right-lined solids are the cube, the
prism, pyramid, &e.

The cube, from the Greek cubos, means a figure
bounded by squares ; for the cube has six faces, or
six equal squares. ,

Prism, from the Greek prisma, may mean a
cutting of, or giving a peculiar form to any sub-
stance : a prism may have many sides, according
to the form of its base, which may consist of a tri-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

At present we will speak of solids consisting of | make a D equal to A B, draw BC,ef, and dg, all

angle, a square, or any polygon, regular or||
irregular. :

Pyramid, from the Greek puramis, means a fire]
in a State of blazing, in which case, the flame}
seems to contract upwards’to a point, appearing)
to diminish as it ascends from the base, or the)
place of the fuel. ;

A pyramid may have a triangle, a square, or any
polygon, for its base ; its sides are all triangles, the
least angle of every side meeting at the top, which
is called the vertex of the pyramid.

To construct a Cube, as seen on the Left. _

Let the given side of the cube be 3 feet, froma
quarter-inch scale.

Draw a B, fig. 1, equal 3 feet, raise Ag perpen-
dicular to AB, and equal to AB; draw Bh parallel
and equal to Ag; join gh, draw BC in any oblique

Fig. 1.

direction toward the right; make Bc equal AaB,
draw he, AD, and gf, all parallel and equal to
BC; joinec,cn,fD, and fe; and the cube is
constructed.

To construct a Cube as placed on the Right
Hand.

Construct the square AB de, fig. 2, as in fig. 1;
draw A D in any oblique direction toward the left,

Fig. 2.

parallel and equal to aD, join pc, pf, fg, and
gc, and the cube is constructed as required.

(To be continued.)

Western Literary Institution —Among other
lectures given here to illustrate new manufactures,
in addition to those on stock subjects, have been
those on the magnetic telegraph, the process of pre-
serving timber, new method of silvering glass, &c.

| @bservations on Architecture and
Bpesiene Building.

|COMPILED FROM THE CELEBRATED WORK OF
iP LEON BAPTISTA ALBERT, a/

Our ancestors have left us many and various
larts tending to the pleasure and conveniency of
life acquired with the greatest industry and dili-
gence; which arts, though all pretend, with a kind
of emulation, to have in view the great end of
being serviceable to mankind, yet we know that
each of them in particular has something in it that
seems to promise a distinct and separate fruit;
some arts we follow for necessity, and some we es-
teem because they lead us to the knowledge of
things that are delightful.

What these arts are it is not necessary to enu-
merate, for they are obvious. But if you take a
view of the whole circle of arts, you will hardly
find one but what, despising all others, regards
and seeks only its particular ends; or if you do
;meet with any of such a nature that you can in
no wise do without, and which yet brings along
with it profit, at the same time conjoined with
pleasure and honor, you will, I believe, be convin-
ced that architecture is not to be excluded from
that number. For it is certain, if you examine
the matter carefully, it is inexpressibly delightful
and of the greatest convenience to mankind in all
respects, both public and private, and in dignity
not inferior to the most excellent. But before pro-
ceeding further it will not be improper to explain
what he is that may be considered an architect: for
it is not a carpenter or a joiner that I thus rank
with the greatest masters in other sciences, the
manual operator being no more than an instrument
to the archictect. Him I call an architect who by a
sure and wonderful art and method is able, both
with thought and invention, to devise, and with
execution to complete all those works which, by
means of the movement of great weights and the
conjunction and amassment of bodies, can, with
the greatest beauty, be adapted to the uses of
mankind, and to be able to do this he must have
a thorough insight into the noblest and most cu-
rious sciences—such must be the architect. But
to return. Some have been of opinion that water
or fire were the principal occasions of bringing
men together into societies, but to us, who consider
the usefulness and necessity of coverings and walls,
it seems evident that they were the chief causes of
assembling men together. . But the only obligation
we have to the architect is, mot for providing us
| with safe and pleasant places where we may shelter
ourselves from the heat of the sun, from cold and
tempest, but from having besides contrived many
other things both of a private and public nature of
the highest use and convenience to the life of man.

How many noble families, reduced by the cala-
\mities of the times, had been lost, had not their
paternal habitations preserved them and cherished
them as it were in the bosom of their forefathers.
Dedalus, in his time, was greatly esteemed for
having made a vault, which gathered so warm and
kindly a vapour as provoked a plentiful sweat

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

who have contrived many things of the like sort

‘plenty of water brought from remote and hidden

that though strong enough to have despised an

39 ||
and thereby cured distempers with great ease and
pleasure. Why need mention be made of others

conducive to health—as places of exercise, baths,
and the like. Why should we insist on great.

places, and employed to so many useful purposes—
upon trophies, tabernacles, sacred edifices, church-
es, and the like; or lastly, why should we mention
rocks cut, mountains bored, lakes confined, marsh-| |.
es discharged into the sea, ships built, rivers
turned, bridges laid over them, harbours formed—
not only serving men’s conveniences, but also open-
ing a way to all parts of the world,—whereby
men have been able mutually to furnish one ano-
ther with provisions, and to communicate their
knowledge, and whatever else is healthful and
pleasurable. Add to these engines of war, and the
like inventions, necessary inventions to defending
the liberty of our country, maintaining the honour
and increasing the greatness of a city, and to the
acquisition and establishment of an empire. If
we were to inquire of all the cities within the me-
mory of man which have fallen by siege into the
power of new masters,—who was it overcame
them? they would tell you the architect. And

armed enemy, that they could not withstand the
shocks of the engines with which the architect
distressed, demolished, and ruined them. Let this
suffice as to the utility of this art.

But how much the study and subject of build-
ing delights—how firmly it is rooted in the mind
of man, for you will find nobody who has the
means but what has an inclination to be building
something, and when we see other men’s houses,
we immediately set about a careful examination of
all the different proportions, and to the best of our
ability consider what might be added, retrenched,
or altered, to be more complete and beautiful. And
if a building be well laid out, who is he that does
not view it with extreme pleasure and delight.
‘Who that has erected any edifice does not think
himself honoured by it?” Men approve it, and
rejoice as you raise a fine wall or noble portico
columns, knowing thereby that you have served}:
not only yourself, but them too; having by this
generous use of wealth, gained an addition of great
honour to yourself, your family, your descendants,
and your city.

The conclusion is, that for the service, security,
honour, and ornament of the public, we are ex-
ceedingly obliged to the architect ; to whom in the
time of leisure for tranquility, pleasure and health
—in time of business for assistance and profit, and
in both for security and dignity.

(To be continued.)

The Dodo.—Mr. A. D. Bartlett, the celebrated
naturalist, has just completed a perfect model of
that curious bird the dodo, which has been seen by
Professor Owen, the Messrs. Gray, of the British|}
Museum, &c. The opinion expressed by all who
have seen it is that it exhibits with great accuracy
the size, form, and colour of that remarkable bird,
and that it is, in fact, a very perfect restoration of
the creature. The model was exhibited at the
evening meeting of the Zoological Society in
Hanover-square on Tuesday last.

| Associateships. ,

| and force of lightand shade; and Mr. Ege’s sub-
jects from ‘ Gil Blas’ and Moliére, together with his

‘by consulting her glass that she has grown old,’ | »

THE

yo > Ghe Mopal Acahemp, ..

At a general meeting of the members of the
Royal Academy on: Monday week last, Messrs. R
‘Thorburn and A. L. Egg were elected to the eit
As a miniature painter Mr. Thor-
burn has aca areputation for depth of. colour

last exhibited work, ‘Queen Elizabeth discovering

‘what is technically. termed the Eye of the Exhi-

Pt
|
a)
|

‘were deemed sufficient qualifications for this’ pro-
‘motion.
‘that either of these artists was deserving of the dig-
nity; but it cannot be unobserved:that older claims
are habitually overlooked in these contests, and
that certain important branches of Art appear just
now to be. ata discount in the Academy. Figure
‘Art has the absolute rule there, and we believe it is
‘the fact that the Academicians have elected ‘no
Jandscape painter for the last seven years.

gical Institute, held, Nov. 3rd, Lord N orthampton
recommended to’ the society to encourage amore’
jactive’ interest in ‘the preservation of ancient Te-

‘through -the influence, of members resident i in. va-;
| rious remote parts.’
quent discoveries of mural paintings during resto-
| vation of, churches, and to their interests as exam-
‘ples of Art.

exhibited by Mr.. “Giles on’ the occasion, from the

[the British king, Cunobelin.

There is no doubt, says the Atheneum,

Itisa
general effect of the agency predominating—that

bition, has undergone no change in that time ; and
a ‘particular effect that grievous dishethnBivitadeores
are inflicted in the name of a system, which must
be borne as an impeachment of individual merits.

Pos Mhe Chronotypiat.

AT the last monthly meeting, of the Archzeolo-.

mains, and suggested that mueh might. be effected,

'He called attention tothe fre-

The valuable decorations just, disco-'
vered at Wells, of which Mr. Ferrey had promised

drawings for the next meeting,—the curious design,’
lately found by Mr. Blore in restoring the Charch |

of Caistor, Northamiptonshire,—and the designs |.

Church of Wellington, Somersetshire, the finest
example of painted sculpture, perhaps yet, disco-
vered. Works of this nature could rarely be fully

ful drawings of them.——Mr. R. Fox at the same
meeting, produved a remarkable tore-bracelet of
gold, found in ploughing medr. Wendover, Bucks.
It is supposed to have ‘been ‘deposited ‘at the time
of the battle between the Romans and the sons of

for the pinnate, | than. American fatty

‘| alittle brown sugar or treacle, and as muchiwhiting

| before the: composition is, poured; into it.
| necessary that it: should :drygradually, . The use

preserved, and it became desirable to obtain’ care-| -

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Co Correspondents, Ke.
meee D
Write legibly and sensibly, so that both thy||
words and their;meaning may be» readily decy-
phered by the recipient. of thy communication.
“Patrick Keenan.”—With a piece of cotton
wadding dipped in spirits. of wine, wash off the
varnish, then with another piece dipped in Flo-
i! oil, rub over the part cleaned, with the. spi-
; the object. of useing the oil, ts:to: prevent the| |
oat from eating into the painting. If the pain-
ting is old and the varnish brittle, it can be rub-
bed off by the Singer, but the PnOCeee is very
tedious. e fie
“James Adnaior i. Pes They. are all in vise
and we can supply you. upon the usual ‘Trade
terms, for cash only.
“R.A.’—We do not jriow of anything better||

¥ PO PSRs eo —_,

ANSWER TO QUERY im Wo. 79,

The ‘composition usually used for decorating fur-| |
niture, looking-glasses, and picture frames, is:made
by dissolving glue in water, in the same manner ‘as
carpenters use it; but the solution is not required to} |
be so'strong. After itis thoroughly dissolved, add

as will make it into a thin paste; it is then ‘fit for i
use. The mould ,must be well oiled -or greased)
It is

of the sugar is to prevent, the composition from
eee awhile: ‘getting: hard. F. E

mors

ener Corr espondents neat week.
; » at ——

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, ‘&c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT, 17 ° “Holywell-
street, Strand, ‘London: — We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to. such of our provincial
readers-as. will favor. us with local information
connected with lectures delwered at: Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, Se.

Ho eoraao teido ald tae

“Cases for Vols. ‘ie TTvand TH. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each or the Publisher will under-
take. to get them bound for 2s. lk se gilt, or
eae 6d. extra.

a Any ‘of our. ‘Readers Gio complete
ALPHABETS Of ‘an or rnamental: description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will arene oblige us

by lending, or, sending copies of them. .
Part 19 as now ready, Price 7d,

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No. 81.—Vol. IV.] Tw0O-PENCE.

eee

SATURDAY, ]

On the Wature of Iseauty.

1. oo
Nias ——= na =
Seas ND S

EY Ste
Bue
UR first

notions of beauty are, that it is a fixed pro-
''perty of certain bodies, of which it is the
function of the taste to take cognizance,—just
as it is the function of the eye to take cogni-
|zance of colours, and of the ear to take cog-

nizance of sounds.
A moment’s reflection, however, must show

||that this theory is not tenable; for it at once
jerects the power of perceiving beauty into a
separate sense, and makes beauty a physical pro-
perty, which is quite as measureable as gravity
or temperature. If this were so, all men
would see the same amount of beauty in the
same objects, and could no more disagree as
to what was beautiful, and what not, than they
could now pretend that gold was not a heavy
body, or fire was not a hot one. There might,
indeed, be supposed to be some men without
the required sense for perceiving beauty, and
their opinions, it might be argued, would differ
from the common standard; but such persons
would only be unable to arrive at any conclu-
sion at all; just as a man blind from his birth
can have no conception of colours, or a be-
numbed limb may be destitute of sensation. It
is inconceivable, therefore, that if beauty were
a fixed property, which it was the function of
a distinct sense to perceive, men could differ
materially in their judgments respecting it,

_ THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[NOVEMBER 20, 1848.

much less that the same individual should fail
to discern any beauty in the object by which,
a few days previously, he was enchanted—the
spell having in the mean time been broken by
some new association. Every one feels, more-
over, that the colours, forms, and proportions
which are beautiful in one set of objects are
by no means beautiful in all. The azure of the
sky, the golden tints of the clouds at sunset,
and the variegated vesture of the rainbow—
these are all beautiful in their respective situ-
ations ; but would any such assortment of co-
lours be beautiful on the brow of a female ?—
Would the colour of the grass be beautiful on
the cheek of youth, or the proportions of a
tree or a mountain be beautiful ina statue or
acolumn? The fact is, objects agree in being
beautiful which possess no other quality in
common: and when we consider the multitude
of things to which this quality applies—to
things useless as well as physical—we skall at
once see how hopeless must be the task of re-
ducing all our emotions of beauty to such sim-
ple elements as variety, fitness, or fragility,
and how vain must be the supposition that

beauty can consist in the physical property at
all. The theory of beauty which we profess
ourselves to be adherents to, and of which we)
now intend to lay some account before our

readers, is, that there are no objects possessed
of any absolute and intrinsic quality by which
the sense of beauty is excited; but that the
emotions of beauty or sublimity, which cer-
tain objects call up, are due altogether to their
power of suggesting other objects to the ima-
ination which are indelibly pleasing, simply
because they are the natural representatives of
love, joy, fear, pity, or some other social or
selfish affection of our nature. This theory at
once resolves all those perplexities relative to
diversity of taste to which we have already ad-
verted. According to it, those characteristics
of objects which we distinguish by the term
beautiful, are the mere symbols or mementoes
of certain elementary feelings with which they
have become associated in the mind of the
spectator; and to say that the same object is
not beautiful in all eyes, is merely to say that
a certain assortment of symbols is not signifi-
cant to all minds of the same emotions. We
may thus see why the fair skin and blooming
complexion, which are beautiful in our eyes
because indicative of youth, and health, and

42;

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

vivacity, may excite very different emotions in
the mind of the African, to whom they will be
the signs only of suffering and disease ; or why
the scenes of our childhood, or the music of
our native land, may have a beauty to us,
which is invisible, because inexistent, to every
other observer. Thus, too, we may discover
the secret of the extraordinary taste which it is
the tendency of particular occupations to pro-
duce. The medical student, for example, will
think an anatomical preparation beautiful,
which will only be thought a most loathsome
object by every body else; and the reason ma-
nifestly is, that in his mind it calls up trains
of agreeable thought, whilst to other persons
it is simply a symbol of pain and mortality.—
We thus seem to be incapable of separating
‘the sensation due to the simple perception of
|an object from those more complex feelings
‘which are consequent on its combination with
‘the images pre-existing in his mind; and, by a
‘natural though fallacious deduction, we set
down the resultant of this complicated combi-
mation as due altogether to the object by which
the movement was begun.

The process of association, ideal is so ra-
‘pid, that we overlook all its intermediate stages
—just as, in grasping any object, we overlook
‘the operation of judgment involved in the esti-
imate of its distance: we see merely the be-
‘ginning and the end of the process, and, as a
‘necessary consequence, hang the resulting emo-
ition on the object that originally called it up.

One of the chief sources of ee
‘which has existed on this interesting subject,

‘is the notion that beauty is itself a definite and
immutable quality, and that objects which are
admitted to be beautiful must affect all minds
in precisely the same manner. This, however,
it is’ notorious, isnot the fact; and if the emo-
tion of beauty be merely the reflection of cer-
tain inward affections, it must, we think, be
obvious that there must’ be as many varieties of
beauty as there are of those affections, This
doctrine experience fully confirms. Thus there
are some sorts of beauty whichare simple and
unpretending,—some animating and magnifi-
cent, and others august, commanding, and ma-
jestic. Some kinds of beauty ‘appear to spring
out of emotions of pity or affection, and some
out of ideas of convenience, grandeur, or’en-
joyment, or out of awe, humility, or admi-.
|ration; and the kind of Co ee of which any

object will be significant will depend altogether
upon the nature of the elementary feeling with
which it may happen to be associated in the|
mind of the beholder.

Should these illustrations appear to have any
force, they will serve, perhaps, to aid our con-|
ceptions of one of the most difficult and em-
barrassing cases of beauty, namely, that of the
human countenance. We are apt to imagine
that the face of a beautiful female enchants us
merely by virtue of certain forms and colours,
the combinations of which gives us the emotion
of beauty. But a little closer consideration
will convince us that these forms and colours
are delightful merely because thcy are signifi-
cant to us of certain internal qualities, which
are primary objects of love and admiration.

Our emotions of beauty, it should ever be
remembered, arise not so much out of the real
existence of excellence, as out of the appear-
ance of it; and therefore, to say that beauty
may eXist without amiability, is merely to say
that excellence may appear to be where it really
is not. Of this excellence certain outward
forms become significant, because, in by far
the greater number of cases, they are its real
concomitants; and this relation having become
established in the mind, the sign will produce
its accustomed impression even when affixed
to an opposite perception.

The attributes of youth and health are uni-
versally pleasing, and the other characteristics,
are attractive simply because they are the ordz-
nary signs of innocence and amiability, and
retain their power of suggesting the emotions
to which they are for the most part united.
The absence of beauty where innocence and
amiability are present, may be explained on
the same principle. Where not due to the
absence of youth or health, there will usually
be found some blemish or deformity which
carries the idea of physical suffering or imper-
fection, and which may either weaken the
primary feeling, or obliterate it by another of
an opposite description. We think, indeed,
that there is a beauty of colours which is in-
dependent of association, and a harmony of
colours arising out of such a balance of the diffe-}
rent tints that none of them can be said to predo-|

minate. But the human countenance, we think,|
derives very little of its beauty from colour at‘all,|
except in so far as it is indicative of other’ qualities,
but owes its enchantment chiefly to the cireum-
stance, that it is a reflection of the soul.

The Discovery at Pangfoss Church,
Dorkshire.

On taking down the dilapidated Norman church
of Fangfoss (about four miles from Pocklington,
in Yorkshire), the plan of the ancient church has
been made clear, and many fragments have been
discovered, belonging not only to the lately-exist-
ing building, but. to the more ancient structure.—
The east and west end walls and small tower had
been rebuilt within the last half century; and
in those walls many of the arch stones, corbels,
and fragments of ancient crosses had been walled
in with other old stones, mixed with brick, and a
brick porch had been added. With the exception
of the porch and two modern square windows, the
south side retained its original form, and the north
wall of the chancel also, to a height of ten feet:
the north wall of the nave had been almost wholly
rebuilt; the chancel pillars had been covered over
with wood scantlings, concealed by lath and plas-
ter, and the arch over them also by a flat ceiling ;
and round the nave was a very elaborate dentilled
and modillioned cornice, which, by excluding the
air from the oak roof, had caused a premature de-
eay. Weare indebted to Mr. R. D. Chantrell, the
architect, for the following particulars.

During the last fortnight in September the old
building was removed, and trenches ordered to be
made for extending the walls, both eastward and
westward ; and on the 21st the return of the chan-
{cel plinth appeared,—also about 8 feet of plinth
to the west. On the 22nd and 28rd, Mr. Chan-
||trell traced the rubble foundation of an apse at the
jJeast end, also the plinths of three buttresses,
|nearly equidistant from each other on the north
|side.

All the stone found is the oolite, which is ob-
{tained a few miles north of the village, and con-
tains fossil shells, which are observable in that of
many churches on the Yorkshire wolds. The
aressing is cross drafting, and the stones are nearly
jsquare. The rubble foundation was composed of
jlarge and small stones, well mixed with sand and
|gravel, which runs immediately beneath the soil,
and is taken from the vicinity. This rubble, or con-
crete, was bedded regularly upon the stratum of
gravel wherever the excavation has been made con-
|tiguous to it.

Besides the three sets of arch stones of the en-
|trance to. the chancel, ten others have been found
| within the ashlar, firmly embedded in the bonding.
Under what has been the tower staircase, two frag-
ments of pillar shafts, one seven, the other eight
{inches long, were placed vertically. The bed of
|the tower plinth was one inch below that of the
|body, which may be attributed to the greater
weight of the tower, asin other respects the plinths
correspond. The arch stones under the east end of
the chancel had two courses of herring-bone work
beneath them. Thebed stones of the ancient por-
tal having been exposed, shew that the entrance
door has three pillars on each side, giving five sets
of arch stones. -

The interior shows that at. some period the build-
ing had been destroyed by fire, the face of the

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

43} |

whole inside, the pillars and arches entering the
chancel indicating intense heat, and the chancel
arch stones are so greatly injured thereby as to be}
unfit for rebuilding. At the west end, on the ge-
neral level of the floor, the ashlar stone internally
was burned, and also the flag-stone floor, and a
black line, varying from half an inch to an inch
and a half, with small fragments of charcoal, prove
the fact. This must have taken place since the
erection of the latter church, as the older arch
stones are not discoloured like those of the chancel
arch. The walls had been whitewashed, and no
indication of flre appeared before the building was
taken down. Some fragments of stone which
could not have been reached by the fire, were
burnt, and became the same colour, to prove that
nothing but intense heat could ‘have so discoloured
and shattered the surface-of the internal stone-
work. On some of the stones which had been
coloured, are two-inch letters, of. scriptural sen-
tences, not earlier than the end of*thesixteenth
century. Some peculiar ancient crosses were. used
as fillings-in in the walls; some were covers of
graves, and others erect, being carved on two
sides. The corbel table on the south side was of
coupled arches rudely carved, the corbels of the
general Norman character. On oneis the warrior
on horseback, with a spear and the nasal helmet
(used, according to Merrick, by the Danes, and till
the end of Stephen’s reign); on another, a large
horse’s head, and a soldier with nasal helmet on
each side holding bya bridle across the nose. The
corbel table on the north was in the form of a
rude M, and this corresponding with the Norman
ea , may have alluded to the saint’s name to whom
the church, was, probably dedicated; as, if orien-
tation is to be depended on, Saint Mariin’s day is
thereby indicated.

It is greatly to be regretted that there are no
hopes of raising more than £600 for the rebuilding
of this church, which, if restored, would cost
double that sum. Could adequate funds be ob-
tained, there are sufficient data for a restoration,
and a beautiful and interesting specimen of early
work might be rescaed from oblivion.— Builder.

THE GREAT TUBULAR BripGEs.—The final] |
operation of lowering the second tubular bridge at
Conway, for the return line to London on the Ches=
ter.and Holyhead railway, and the placing it on its
permanent bed, was accomplished on Wednesday
the 15th inst. The ponderous mass of 1,300 tons
was suspended on chains, hanging and swinging
two feet above its permanent bed, over an area o
estuary of 400 feet, and 20 feet above the straits
for a period of ten days, during which the engi-
neers and pilots were engaged in adjusting the bed
plates and rollers, and masonry for its support.—
The tube was likewise lengthened twelve feet by
the addition of six feet of similar tube to each end
of the mass so raised, this additional length aloue
weighing upwards of 60 tons. Under the direction)
of Messr. R. Stephenson, E. Clarke, and Captain
Claxton, the whole bridge with its permanent way
for the passage of the trains complete and ready
for use, was then gradually lowered by means of;
the hydraulic presses which raised it on toa bed of
red and white lead spread over the creosoted timber,
which equalized the weight on the bed platesiand)
rollers. Itis now in use for the transit of trains. |,

Sa
a

|provisions on pieces of the fossil alkali.

‘and produced glass.
obtained was improved upon.

An Elustrated Glossarpot Technical
Terms used tn Architectural and
Entevtor Mecoration, Se.

(Continued from page 35.)

GROTESQUE.

oraament, found in ancient buildings.

(See Ara-
‘besque, p. 65, vol. 1.)

Guass. A transparent substance, made by
fusing various salts and metallic oxides with sili-
cious earths. The manufacture of glass was well
‘known in Aristotle’s time, about 350 yeurs before
Christ, and Pliny gives the following account of
its discovery. A merchant vessel, laden with nitre
or fossil alkali, being driven on the coast of Pales-
tine, near the river Belus, the crew accidentally
supported the kettles on which they dried their
The sand
about it was vitrified by its union with the alkali,
The hint thus accidentally
The glass of Egyp-
tian manufacture was long preferred to all other.
It was often stained of various colours. In the time
of Augustus it was used by the Roman architects
lin mosaic work, several specimens of which have
been found in the villa of Tiberius, in the island of
Capri, consisting of red, green, and blue. It ap-
pears that about the end of the third century glass
was used for windows, but from the glass plates
found at Herculaneum, we have reason to suppose
that this practice was introduced much earlier. Ar-

tificers skilled in making glass, according to Bede,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT:

A singular and fantastic style of

“a

cas -

were brought into England in 674. Glass windows
were not generally used in England till 1180, and
for a considerable time they were esteemed marks
of great magnificence.

GONIOMETRICAL LINEs. Lines of sines, tan-

gents, secants, or any other used in measurement
of angles.

GoRGUGNEIA. Key-stones carved in the shape
of Gorgons’ heads.

GrirpER. A large beam, to shorten the joists of
a floor, and thus lessen their bearing. It is also
termed the girding beam.

GIRDLE. (In architecture.) The circular band
round a column.

GuiypeH. An ornamental cavity or incision.

GRATICULATION. The dividing a design or
draft into squares, for the purpose of reducing it
to smaller dimensions.

GRounD Puot. The ground on which a build-
ing is placed. (See p. 34, vol. 4.)

GRounD PLAN. An ichnographical outline or
drawing of the foundation of a building. (See p.
24, vol. 4.)

GREEK Cross. (See p. 21, vol. 2.)

GUILLOCHI. Ornaments in the form of a series
of spiral strings. The following diagram shows
the method of striking the guillochis.

GRoINED CEILING. A surface formed by thre®
or more curved surfaces, so that every two may
form a groin, all the groins terminating at one ex-
tremity in a common point. The curved surface
between every two adjacent groins, is called a sec-||,
troid; the point where the groins terminate is the
apex orsummit. The reverse mould of a sectroid
is a convex surface, which exactly coincides with it ;
equal sectroids have the same reverse moulds, The
chord of a groin is a line supposed to be drawn
from the summit to the other unconnected extre-
mity. A regular groined ceiling has all the sec-
troids equal, and the extremities in a plane.

(To be continued.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. AE |

SKETCHES FROM NATURE.—No. III.

Fig. 4.

145 THE “DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Observations on Architecture and
Butlding.

COMPILED FROM THE CELEBRATED WORK OF
LEON BAPTISTA ALBERTA.

(Continued from page 39.)

Of Design and Structure.—Being about to
treat of building, we shall collect and transcribe all
the most curious and useful observations left us by
the ancients, and which they gathered in the exe-
cution of their works, and to these we shall join
whatever we ourselves have discovered by study,
application, and labor, that seems likely to be of
use. But as we desire in the handling of this
difficult, knotty, and commonly obscure subject,
to be as clear and intelligible as possible, we shall
according to our custom explain what the nature of
your subject is, which will shew the origin of the
important matters that we-areto write of at their
very fountain-head, and enable us to express the
things that follow, in a more easy style.

We therefore lay down that the whole cost of
building consists in ‘Design and Structure.”
The whole force and rule of design consists in a
right, judicious, and exact joining together the lines
and angles that compose and form the face of the
building. Itis the property and business of de-
sign to appoint to the edifice ail its parts and the
proper places ; determine proportion, so that the
whole form of the structure be pleasing. If we
would enquire what a building is in its own nature
together with its structure, it may be as well to
consider from what beginnings the Habitations of
men took their rise, and then to trace the progress
of their improvement.

Antiquity of Building.—In the beginning men
looked out for settlements in some secure country
and having fonnd a convenient spot suitable to
their wants there, they made a habitation so con-
trived that private and public matters might not
be confounded in the same place, but that they
might have one part for sleep, another for their
kitchen, and others for their necessary uses. They
then began to think ofa covering to defend them
from sun and rain. and in order thereto, they erec-
ted walls to place this covering upon; by this
means they knew they should be completely shel-
tered from piercing colds and winds; lastly in the
sides of the walls they opeued passages and win-
dows for going in or out, and Jetting in light and
air. and tor the conveniency of discharging any
gross vapours that might chance to get into the
house.

The first begining of building was such, but wse
and art have since improved them to such a pitch
as to become almost infinite; some are public—
some private—some sacred—some profane—some
serve for use and necessity—but nobody will deny
that all are derived from the principles before
mentioned. The whole art of building consists in
six things, which we define as follows; Region is
the open space on which we are going to build, and
of which the seat or platform shall be a spot selec-

ted as the site; the compartition is that which di-
vides the platform of the house into small divisions}
so that the whole edifice thus formed and constitu-|'
ted seems to be full of lesser edifices: by walling
we understand.all that structure which is carried
from the ground to top, to support the roof, and
such also as is raised on the inside to separate the
apartments. Covering we shall call not only that
part which is laid over the top of the edifice to re-
ceive the rain, but to any part to which is extended
in length and breadth over the heads of those
within, which includes ceilings, vaults, and the
like. Apertures are those outlets which are in any
part of a building for the convenience of ingress
and egress, and the passage of things necessary for
the inmates; of these therefore we shall treat, as
we find they are things by no means to be neglected, |
as each of them are adapted to some certain con-
veniency, and above all that they be firm, solid, du-
rable, and in a manner eternal as to stability; and
as togracefulness and beauty, delicately and justly
adorned and set off injall their parts.

The ancients used the utmost caution in fixing

‘upon aregion in it nothing that was noxious, and

that.was furnished with all conveniences; and es-
pecially they took care that the air was not un-
wholesome—in which they showed great prudence,
for they knew that if the earth and water had any
defect in them, art and industry might correct it ;
but they affirmed that neither contrivance nor
multitude of hands was able sufficiently to amend
the air. Andit must be allowed that as what we
breathe isso conducive to the nourishment and
support of life, the purer it is, the the more it must
preserve and maintain our health. Besides, how
great an influence the air has in generation, pro-
duction, and preservation of things. It is even
observed that they who inhale a pure air, have bet-
ter understandings than those who breathe a hea-
vy moist one. We know that the air, according to
the different situations and position of places,
affects sometimes in one manner, and and some-
times in another. Some of the causes of this va-
riety, we imagine we understand; others by the
obscurity of their natures, are altogether hidden
and unknown to us. That air is the most healthy,
which is the most purified, and which may be most
easily pierced by the sight, the clearest and the
lightest, and the lest subject to variations. That
air is the most pestiferous where there is a collec-

|tion of thick clouds and stinky vapour, and which

hang like a great weight upon the eyes and abstruct
the sight. The occasion of this wide difference is
various ; but chiefly from the sun and the winds.)
But without entering into enquiries how the va-
pours, by the power of the sun, are raised from the
most profound and hidden parts of the earth, and
drawn up to the sky, where, gathering up them-
selves into vast bodies in the immense spares of the
air, cither by their own huge weight, or by recei-
ving the rays of the sun upon their rarefied parts,
they fail and thereby press upon the air and occa-
sion winds; and being afterwards carried to the
oeean by their drought, they plunge, and having
bathed and impregnated themselves with the.mois
ture of the sea, they once more ascend through the
air, where, being pressed by the wind, and, as it
were, squeezed like a sponge, discharge their bur-
then of water in rains, which again cause new va-
pours. Whether these conjectures be true or not,
or that it be, as we may callit, the breath of the

* THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 47

air, or nothing but the air itself put into agitation
||\by the motion of the world, or by the course and
||radiation of the stars, or by the generative spirit of
all thingsin its own nature active, or something
jelse not of a separate existence, but consisting of
the air itself acted upon and influenced by the heat

of a higher air, or whatever other way of account-

ing for these things, we shall pass it over; but

from what has been said, we can conceive why

some countries in the world enjoy'a pleasant cheer-
ful air, while those close adjoining to them, and, as
it were, laid by nature in the same lap, are stupi-
fied and afflicted with a heavy and dismal climate.
The region therefore to be chosen should be that
which is most free from the power of clouds, and
heavy thick vapour. It has been remarked that
,the rays and heat of the sun act with more violence
‘upon close dense bodies, than upon those of a looser
texture, for which reason they say the air is most
/gross in those places that are most subject to great
jheats. Choose soft breezes before winds, but even
winds, though violent and blustering, before a
calm, motionless, and consequently a heavy air.
Water corrupts, if stagnant. And it is certain
that air is wonderfully exhilirated by motion; for
\thereby the vapours that rise from the earth are
dissipated. But then these windsshould be broken
| by the opposition of hills and woods. Care should
be taken likewise that they do not bring any ill
qualities with them, gathered from the places
they have passed through. And for this reason we
should be careful to avoid all neighbourhoods from

ill smells, exhalations from marshes, stagnant
‘ponds and ditches, for no water is so pernicious as
|that which rots and putrifies for want of motion ;
jand the contagion from such a neighbourhood will
be:still more mischievous, according as it is. more
or less exposed to unwholesome winds.

(To be continued.)

>
Anastatic Printing.—THE Rey. H. E. Strick-
land of Cambridge, has been instituting some in-
quiries as to the capability of the anastatic system,

received. In the course of his experiments, he has
succeeded in effecting excellent transfers of litho-
‘graphic chalk drawings. The so called metallic
|paper; as prepared for writing upon with metallic
|pencils, is found to be the best material upon which
to execute chalk drawing to be printed. Impres-

which have been originally made. on this paper,
have an appearance very closely approaching to
that of a good lithograph. Fine drawing paper,
smooth, but not glossy, is the next best material.
Mr. Strickland terms his productions papyro-
\graphs. The advantages of the new process are
not artistic, but practical; it is not intended
that the draughtsman will be enabled to produce
results at all superior to what he accomplishes by
the existing arrangement, but it presents facilities
for the execution of drawings, which lithography
cannot possess. No weighty stones are required,
and the the artist may have his sketches printed
off immediately, without copying or revising. The
process is also a rapid one, insomuch that, some
plates may be published within half an hour after
the time they are finished by the draughtsmen.

which any noxious particles may be brought,—as

for more general application than it has hitherto.

sions from the zine anastatic plate, the drawings of|

Mecoration of the Oriental Club
Wouse, Panover-square.

THE decoration of the drawing-room and two
libraries of the Oriental Club has just been com-
pleted under the able superintendance of Mr. Leo-
nard Collmaun. .The club intending to spend only
a limited sum of money on the repainting and)
embellishing of these rooms, a style of decoration
has been adopted, in which, by simple means, and
without the aid of superior artistic talent in the
execution, considerable effect can be produced;
moreover itis one very suitable for public buildings,
and more particularly so in this instance, the ar-
chitecture being in style Greekish, if not Greek.
That is, the ornament is all painted perfectly flat
and mosaic-like. The effect produced solely rely-
ing on the merits of the general design, and on
the arrangement of colour, the execution requires
no more than great nicety in the workmen. The
general design and the ornamental details, are of a
strictly architectural nature, and the only painting
in light and shade introduced, is in two figures,
Europe and Asia, in the niches of the drawing-
room. Strong colours were chosen for the walls,
in order to add to the rooms a degree of comfort
and richness which lighter colours could not have
produced, and which was the more desirable, as’
curtains to the windows are entirely dispensed with.!
The general tone of. the drawing-room is red, and)
that of the libraries green. Some full-length por-
traits, formerly in large and clumsy ¢g gilt. frames,
projecting nearly a foot, have been fixed to the
walls, and enclosed with suitable gold panel mould-.
ings, so that they now form, as it were, a part of.
the room, and do not obtrude by any overpowering
quantity of gold. The door and window archi-)
traves, as also the dados, are painted in imitation
of marbles (and exceedingly well done), and the
doors and shutters in imitation of woods, suiting
the arrangement of colour in the various rooms.—
The result of the whole is very satisfactory.

{
|
|
|
he on |
Library of Queen’s College, London.—This col-.
lege for female education, so named by her ma-
jesty’ s permission, and now guarded by a royal
charter, is pursuing its course with great success.
Unwards of forty lectures are given every week to.
full classes, and Broadwood and Stoddart have
each contributed a grand piano to the instrumental
music department. The professsors are now endea-
vouring to form a library of standard works, and
also a library of music. They have set apart a
room for the purpose, and the same lady who gave
£100 towards the college apparatus has given a
large set of books as a commencement.

THE Queen of England has made the purchase
of the splendid. piano of ivory, which excited SO
much admiration in Paris. This instrument is.
completely veneered over with ivory, in sheets of
from fourteen to seventeen feet in length, and
thirty inches and upwards in width, from a single
elephant’s tusk, by 2 spiral process, "it is also in-|
crusted and ornamented with the rarest woods,
forming original designs.

| 48 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Perspecttye.

(Continued from page 38.)
OF SOLIDs.

Lo construct a Cube as seen cornerwise.
Draw any line as xy, fig. 8, from any point in

'8 feet: bisect the angle e A x, and also the angle e

Ay; through each point of bisection draw A D

land AB, make A D and 4,8 each equal ae, draw
Fig. 3.

ehand ef equal and parallel respectively to A D
and AB; draw DC and hg each equal and parallel
| toe fjor AB; draw BC and fy parallel to eh or

structed as proposed.

| To construct a Prism having a square Base.

Draw AB, jig. 4, equal 2 feet, from a quarter
\scale; raise A g perpandicular toa B, make Ag
‘equal 7 feet, draw Bh parallel and equai to ag:
join g h, draw B c in an oblique direction toward
| Fig. 4.

| AD; joink D,gc, and f B, and the cube is con-.

the right, make B c equal A B, draw A D, he, and | for its preservation, by Mr. A. Lawson, the pro-
g f parallel and equal to BC; join fe, also f D | prietor, and will be ready for public inspection.—
and e €; and the prism és constructed as proposed. | Yorkshireman.

Here note that all the four foregoing solids may
be constructed by first forming their bases, and
raising perpendiculars from each angle, and
having determined the altitude, join the points at
the top.

To construct a Pyramid having a square Base.

Draw AB, fig. 5, equal 2 feet, draw B Cin an
oblique direction toward the right, make Bc equal

Fig. 5.

A Diagonal, from the Greek dis, twice, or double, |
and gonia, an angle, that is, meaning a line drawn}
through two opposite angles.

Now draw the diagonals A c and 8B D, crossing}
in 0, the centre of the base. The altitude or height
of a pyramid is laid off on a line perpendicular to |
the base.

Draw Aa perpendicular to A B, draw oe, the
axis of the pyramid, parallel toa x, make oe
equal 8 feet; joineA,eB,ec,andeD, and the
pyramid is constructed as proposed. The altitude,
might be determined without a a, by letting fall a)
perpendicular from 0 on A B, and producing it up-|
ward to e.

(fo be Continued.)

Interesting Antiquarian Discovery.—A valu-
able addition has been made to the recorded Roman |
remains in this country, by Mr. Henry Ecroyd
Smith, of this city, at Aldborough, the Roman Jsx
Brigantium. On digging in the garden of the|
Black Swan Inn, about three feet from the surface,
a low wall was exposed, and found to surround one
of the finest Roman tesselated pavements hitherto!
met with in Britain, being twelve feet square, per-|
fect, well-executed, and in the highest state of
preservation, the tessella remaining as fresh and
bright as when the room was last occupied some
thousand yearsago. It is only about fourteen feet
distant from another curious pavement, found in
1832, on digging to bury a calf; and next spring
will, like the latter, have a building erected over it

\
\
a a a TD IN

Frposition of Manutactures at
Birminghan,.

_ We are happy to learn that the proposed plan
for an exposition of manufactures, to be held at
Birmingham during the visit of the British Asso-
ciation to that town next year, is favourably pro-
egressing. The importance of expositions of this
character can scarcely be overrated ; the great suc-
cess with which they have met, and the benefit of
which they have been productive in Belgium,
France, America, and in our own country, in the
case of Manchester, and the usual Exhibitions of
the Society for promoting the Industrial Arts, af-
ford ample proofs of their ¢xtensive usefulness in
producing and fostering a gorrect taste in Art.

To England, indeed, these manufacturing re-
unions are of more importance than to any other
country, inasmuch as we have here too few stimu-
lants to artistic exertion, and therefore especially
need some regular Expositions of Manufactures,
in order to test the progressive development of our
powers of design. As tests of mechanical excel-
lence, they are also extremely valuable; and, in-
deed, in every point are, to say the least, highly
‘desirable efforts to improve Art as connected with
Manufactures. The Birmingham Exposition will,
we learn from good authority, assume a character
of extraordinary interest, as well from the great
variety of the manufaetures of that important
town, as from the high point of excellence which
those manufactures have attained. The iron and
brass work of Birmingham is famous over the
whole'world. Its silver manufacture has long been
‘eminent for the productions of the solid and other
forms of standard character ; and its glass-painting
and. casting have lately made astonishing progress.
In proof of this statement we need only refer to
the windows lately produced by Mr. Hardman,
‘and the magnificent elass work of Messrs. Osler.
The papier maché department of the Exposition
will be rich in contributions from Messrs. Jennens
and Bettridge, Mr. A. Turley (who is employed in
fitting up some magnificent works purposely for
that occasion), and Mr. Lane. A most important
manufacture, exclusively confined to Birmingham,
that of metallic bedsteads, will form a very impor-
tant feature. The position of Messrs, Peyton and
Harlow, and Mr. Winfield, as manufacturers of
these articles, is well known. These eminent firms
will, no doubt, supply some very splendid. speci-
mens, the articles produced by the former being
especially marked by correct taste, beautiful form,

wee Nt --

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘mingham the importance of the proposed Expo-

‘applied to manufactures, that England, or indeed,

= eee s = ae

and judicious application of colour. We cannot
too strongly urge upon the manufacturers of Bir-

sition ; and we sincerely trust that the visit of the
British Association will be signalised by the appear-
ance of some of the greatest triamphs of Art, as

the world, has ever witnessed.

Tur Hot~tanp Monument. — The Holland}
Monument, after a brief lying in state in the)

sculptor’s gallery, has at length been inferred in}
the Abbey. A monument, it is true, by its very
nature suggests the ideas of obscurity and
oblivion :—but then it does so by the attempt to,
defeat the one and rescue all that the art of,
mortality can from the other. To make it share
in the burial which it records neutralises the!
record. It brings the immortality of Art to
proclaim the mortality of Love—but must have
an audience, or its morals are unrendered. To
hide away a monument is like putting a dial in
the shade :—in each case the oracles are dumb
and the structure is a waste. The Dean of
Westminster is a great geologist,—but has no
idea of the value of some stones. Now, had th
been a fossil, the present process would have had
a chance of being reversed. Digging out would
have been the order,—not stowing away. The)
mark of past centuries on the one the Dean)
could have read—the promise of centuries of|
eloquence to come which is written on the other
is written in'vain for him. The stone wrought)
by ages is dragged by his science to the light of
day—the marble wrought for ages is consigned by
his authority to the Abbey’s most hidden nook.
Such is the fate of the Holland monument: in the
first freshness of its creation—with the characters
of its immortality yet young upon it-—deliberately
put away, like’ so much lumber, to abide its
archeeologic time. This is the doom of the modern
sculptor in England :—the lowest den in the Aca-~
demy and the darkest corner in the Abbey! Dean
Buckland, it is true, looks to his church generally
rather than to any work of art in particular: but
pride in the first might have suggested some better
provision for one of the noblest monuments that
ever entered his cathedral; and surely the trustees
—who are persons haying that kind ef interest
which knocks at abbey doors and is opened to—
have yielded more in this matter than became the
due execution of their trust. ‘To the memory which
they sought to honour, to the subscribers by whom
they were delegated, and to Mr. Baily who had so
ereatly fulfilled their intentions, they owed it to
have secured some better arrangement if the nar-
rowing spaces of the Abbey left it in any way
practicable.—However, views of the monument are
to be had by those who will look for them ; and it
is in order that our readers who are not antiqua-
rians may have their share reserved in an enjoy-|
ment which the Dean has handed over to pos-
terity, that we thus call attention to a concealed
treasure. They will enter the Abbey without seeing
the Holland monument :—but it is well they should
know that they need not leave without having
found it.— Atheneum.

}

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

. The Chronotypist.

bow is mentioned in. Galignani, that there has been
|in Paris, a sale of autographs belonging - to the late
M. Antoine Vandyck,—last year consecrated Bishop
of Adras, in partibus. Amongst a vast quantity
of historical papers, was found an* autograph of
Mandrin, the famous robber of the last century :
—which was knocked down for 250f. (101.) to M.
Greppo. ——One solid block of Anglesea stone,
'|weighing before dressing, twenty-seven tons, has
just been placed in work as part of the coping of
the arch over the western entrance of the tunnel,
by the Bangor station of the Chester and Holyhead
Railway. The arch is extremely massive, and must
have’cost an immensity of money.——The services
\jof Mr. Wilson—formerly director of the Head
School of Design at Somerset House, and subse-
quently Inspector of the Provincial Branch Schools,
—have heen transferred to the office of Head
Master of the Branch School in Glasgow; in the
place, of Mr. epomanus, who has been removed.
| It as mndenstond that no successor to Mr. Wilson
ijas director is ‘deemed necessary——A Munich
icorrepondent in the Allgemeine Zeitung reports
on an Exhibition of drawings by M. Herman,—
the subjects of which are taken from the history
of German people. These drawings, consisting of
fifteen leaves, comprise the time from the period of
‘the old Germans under their northern deities down
‘to that of the French dominion in Germany. The
artist’s intention was to represent the great drama
‘of the foundation, growth, power, and fall of the
German empire and the strugele of the Germanic
minds in modern times, © The whole work is to be
engraved and published by subscription.——Ac-
cording to the Roman correspondent of a morning
contempory, the King of Naples in the very midst
||of these stormy times has found leisure to do what
probably never struck him in the calm. From his
boat which is tossing in presence of the great sea-
serpent, he has put forth an edict erecting an In-
‘istituteof Fine Arts in Rome for the use of Neapo-
litan aspirants in painting, architecture, and
sculpture. There are seven students, who are to
have each 25 ducats (3s. 6d. ) a month,—a director
with 750 ducats annual pay,.—a beadle and porter
iwith 140 each,—and “‘an ecclesiastical inspector”
with 240.—The writer in question concludes his
notice of the Neapolitan institution by prophecying
—or suggesting : “Sweden, Russia, Prussia,.and
France,” he says, * have already foundations of this
nature:—and a graceful adjunct to the new
British embassy is probably in Palmerstonian con-

‘templation.——M., Jules Rossignon has lately sub-||.
mitted to the Academy of Sciences a specimen of||.
vegetable wax, extracted. from the berries-of a |
common laurel grown on the mountains of Vera-||
Paz, in the Republic of Guatimala. The analysis
of this wax gave—carbon, 76:29 ; hydrogen, 15°08;
oxygen, 8°63, It is of a green colour, and exhales
a slightly aromatic odour. when rubbed: or melted.
The candles which have been made with this wax
give a beautifully. clear light, and diffuse a pleasant
aromatic odour. The laurel whose berries furnish
this wax, has- the character and leafage of Laurus
nobilis ; it forms numerous thick forests in the)|
mountains of Vera-Paz, that: is, throughout, the,
whole -of that part of the Guatimalian territory
which commences at Rio Polochis, and spreads to
the limits of Yuctan. ,

Go Corresponvenis, Ke.
Write legibly and sensibly, so that both thy)

words and their meaning ‘may’ be readily. decy-'|
phered by, the recipient, of ie communication.

—

QUERY.

Can any Correspondent inform us where we can
purchase moulds for casting picture Srames, Se.

“A Young Mechanic.” - If you have a know-
ledge of drawing you had better apply to the
School of Design, Somerset House ; the terms are!
very moderate.

‘A. F??. They proved too expensive, for the)
limited demand for them to remunerate us.

*.* Other Correspondents neat week.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens,
of Inventions, &c., to’be addressed to “the Editor
of the DecoRATOR’S ‘ASSISTANT, 17 Holyjwell-
street, Strand, London.”—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readers as will favor us with local information'
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c.

Cases for Vols. ‘I. I. and II. are now w ready,|
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt, or
marbled, 6d. extra.

* Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
bh lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 19 is now, ready, Price Vd.

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SATURDAY, ]

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[DECEMBER 2, 1845.

Art Manufactures.

LL
representation of the Beautiful is called Art,
says Professor Thiersch, in his Academical
Lectures. If so—and we of course cannot
gainsay the definition—how happy a lot, as it
would seem, must theirs be who are privileged
to become its followers; how proud the posi-
tion they incontestably must hold among their
fellow men. And truly the artist’s were a
calling of the highest honour, and one that
might, with justice, presuppose much happiness
in the pursuit, if, in the course of age, that re-
verence for Art which once was felt had not
gradually diminished; until at last such feeling
was looked upon as pertaining almost to the
mythology of those days when music, poetry,
and oratory were deemed especially worthy of

as proof of their especial excellence, the Li-
beral Arts. But “it is not now as it hath been
of yore;” and of this reverence, and of the
protecting aid which it was implicitly believed
was accorded the artist by some higher power,
we, in these days, think and feel as we do
when reading of the awe with which, of old,
men crossed the threshold of their temples, or
of the veneration with which they stood before
the marvellous work of Phidias in the Parthe-
non. The truth is, Art is no longer looked
upon as a cultus; its followers no longer are
bent to as the high priests who alone might}
approach the altar and prepare the offerings.

Wherever Art, be the department what it
may, is no longer looked up to in the belief
that it is destined for some ulterior higher end
than the mere gratification of the senses, it
will there fail to exercise such influence as we
have alluded to above. Moreover, in that land
Art will degenerate; for, as in social life, the
knowledge that our friends estimate our cha-
racters most highly, even beyond—far beyond,
our deserts, is of itself an incitement, if not
really to reach the almost ideal excellence
which their partiality makes them see in us;
vet, at all events, to guard against the commis-
sion of any act which might lessen us in their
estimation; so the absence of high appreci-
ation will be felt by the artist, and cause him
to relax his efforts, and by not desiring to rise
so very high above the common earth, he will
at first soar midway, but approach eventually
nearer and nearer to the ground; and that
this should be the case, must be a matter of
regret.

It is the peculiar province of Art to give to
life, and to spread over its bare necessities and
arrangements, the charm of grace. Now the
effects of this are incalculable, inasmuch as it
is beyond our power to trace the thousand hid-
den ways by which it arrives at eXercising an
influence over our natures to determine the
measure of that influence, or even, may be, to
tell when or in what it has shown itself. We
receive impressions as we imbibe certain prin-
ciples: they steal upon us unconsciously; yet,
gently as they come, they leave their mark be-
hind. That harmony of tone is not without
its effect on the mind, we are willing to allow;
and yet, perhaps, those same persons might be

a free-born man, and hence were denominated, | little inclined to concede a like power to har-

|mony when displayed in the forms of things.
‘And this only because its influence, in the
latter case, is less apparent from its being less
|direct. But we question whether, though not
so immediate, it be not more durable in its
consequences. We, at least for our own parts,
would rather rely upon it for working a change
in men’s minds, and making them susceptible
of the grand or beautiful; for ‘softening their
manners, and preventing them from being
brutal.”? Beauty of form seems, most mar-
vellously, to have a plastic power over the
mind; but, like all things which are moulded
into shape, the change is a gradual one.

To render Art, genuine high Art, accessible
to the people, to make its contemplation a
matter of rare occurrence, is therefore to be
looked on as a subject of positive importance
by those in authority. They will not, it is
true, for the reasons we have given above, be
able to balance the debtor account of outlay or
of trouble by an exact creditor for so much
“improvement in taste and manners ;’’ yet
they may be assured that the venture, if they
look upon it as such, will not be a losing one.

Let those, therefore, by whom the produc-
tions of the Art-Manufactures are put in cir-
culation, have a thought as to the price at
which they are to be obtained. To be of use
they must. be widely disseminated. They must
be accessible to those whose means are not
|jample, but who yet are willing to expend some-
what more than the mere common jug would
have cost, for the pleasure of possessing some-
thing that gives elegance to the table or the
shelf, and affords satisfaction as often as it is
looked upon. It is already something gained
||when they feel they are the possessors of a
“work of Art;”’ they begin to take an interest
in what the artist produces, as for them, even
for them, his genius has been employed.

Becorations of the Avelphi Cheatre.

Tue interior of the Adelphi theatre has been
reconstructed from the designs of Mr. Digby
Wyatt, a clever architect, who has distin-
guished himself by a beautiful work he has
|\recently published on the geometrical designs
of the middle ages, Independent of re-ar-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

ranging the internal form, it may at once be}
seen that an artist has presided; and although

Mr. Sang is here also the executant, it is not

difficult to see that a master hand has governed,

and that artistic skill has guided the brush of

the ornamentist.

The ceiling is domed; small lines diverging
from ‘the chandalier in the centre, divide the
concavity into parts, which resemble the
glazed roofs of botanical erections; and as
the sky is seen between, it gives the theatre a
semblance of some lofty floral conservatory,
‘The decoration of this partis effected by swing-
ing genil, flirting birds, and pendant festoons,
in all the gay colours of Nature’s vivid hues.
The design on the fronts of the boxes is a
slight combination of thin curved lines, with
batches of bright colour detailed with ideal
images. The new drop-scene is a continuation
of the architectural interior, with similar or-
namentation formed into arcaded openings,
through which a garden vista of old French
style is seen; and immediately in front of this
arrangement some lively figures are painted in
the fantastic costume of Watteau’s bals cham-
petre. The harmony of tint on this splendid
drop-scene, rich with air and life, forms a con-
trast with the hard mechanical painting of the
ornaments of the interior; and it is not a little
interfered with, or spoiled rather, by the gaudy
chintz curtains of the private boxes, and the
unclean yellow hue of a stinted fringe sus-
pended over them. If this upholstery were
removed, the effect of the house would be ma-
terially improved.

In theatrical undertakings it too frequently)
occurs, that every thing must be done with
precipitation, and time is not allowed for con-
sideration to create unity of design. To deco-
rate the interior of a theatre is not a light
undertaking, if Art is to be accomplished. Un-
fortunately, an artist is seldom consulted, and
the decorator is selected, whose staff of sub-|
ordinates is strong enough in numbers to per-
form quickly their evolutions over the space
that is to be covered, However, we must be
content with auy display of intention which)
minutely indicates a desire of progressing;)
and so far we are willing to laud the smallest
particle of good that gleams among much that)
is indifferent.

WPabitations for the MUddle anv
UM orking Classes,

_— t

| WuirHIn the last few years much has been ac-
\complished to remedy the sanatory condition of
|this metropolis and our large towns, both by local
jand other authorities. Yet much more ramains
jto be done, and one of the principal considerations,
‘next to a proper drainage, is the habitations of the
|middle and working classes of society. Govern-
ment by enactments and other measures of course
can compel local boards to remedy the former, but
not so the latter, which is quite a matter of private
speculation and enterprise. England, above all
nations, is proverbial for her industrious and specu-
\lative spirit, not to mention her advance in other
respects ; and whenwe come to consider her vast
wealth, and the numerous ways in which it is in-
vested in all parts of the globe, we cannot forbear
exclaiming, —“This is, indeed, a wonderful
people !”

But in the midst of all this propagating indus-
try, why is it that our monied men have hitherto
never thought of investing a portion of their
jwealth in the erection of habitations for working
men. Surely this would be as safe a field for their
capital as the Pennsylvanian funds, or the erection
of splendid mansions and fancy dwellings which
have sprung into existence within the last five
years, in this mighty city; and which at this mo-
ment, I am sorry to say, are partially inhabited.
|Many are still inthe same condition as left by the
workmen, either more or less incomplete. There
|\they stand, monuments of industry, as far as re-
|gards rapidity of erection goes,—but on the other
hand, sad spectacles of man’s cupidity, want of
foresight, and folly.

There can be no doubt if the capital now lying
dormant in empty houses had been applied in the
erection of model dwellings for the middle and
working classes, that the capitalist would be real-
izing at this day a good per centage for his outlay,
not to mention the unspeakable benefits he would
be conferriug on his less fortunate brethren.

It may appear tedious to be so harping on the
man of money, but it’ is to this individual class
that we must look for bettering the homes of
the working classes. With them it rests to increase
or decrease our weekly Bills of Mortalitv.—The
Builder.

NEARLY twenty thousand houses, many of them
of the first class,and the majority comprising six
and eight-roomed dwellings, are now standing in
an unfinished state in the metropolis.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

5B"

praca neeseameypnesteens aie

Review.

CoLLECTANEA ANTIQUA, by Mr. Chas. Roach
Smith; published by J. R. Smith, Old Compton-
street, London.

Mr. C. R. Smith has just completed the first
volume of his “‘ Collectanea Antiqua, Etchings of
Ancient Remains, illustrative of the Habits, Cus-
toms, and History of Past Ages.” It presents in
an unpretending form, an interesting record of
facts, very copiously illustrated, and will supply
materials to many future writers. We quote the
following observations from the preface :-—

“ Unhappily, the Goyernment has not yet been
awakened to a sense of the importance of our na-
tional antiquities. It neither originates any scheme
for their preservation, nor encourages the exertions
of societies or individuals. It even defends its
pertinacious apathy by asserting that the chartered
Society of Antiquaries of London should, and may,
do all that is required. If this argumeut had ever
any reason or justice, it would be the more forcible
and conclusive, since the establishment of the As-
sociation has bronght-forward so many institutions
having similar objects in view. Butit was ever a
poor excuse for indifference, and is now manifestly
absurd. The income of these societies is exceed-
ingly trifling in comparison with the claims upon
it, and this income is becoming more and more in-
adequate as the exertions of the members increase,
and as materials are collected and accumulated.
And it must ever be borne in mind, that the sci-
ence which these collections promote is one of the
highest consideration that it might be made of
great public utility, and without which every sys-
tem of education must be incomplete.

“The Government of Great Britain, with re-
sources beyond those of any other state in Europe,
is behind all in the appreciation of its valuable
national monuments, and in the encouragement of
inquiries which have a direct tendency to advance
the intellectual and moral condition of the people.
Ever boasting of its institutions, and inculeating
reverence and attachment to them, it neglects the}|
preservation of those memorials the knowledge of
which can alone give sound notions of the origin,
progress, and value of national institutions, and
beget, in the people at large, a capacity to appre-
ciate the great social regulations and the political
organizations under which they live, and which
they are daily expected to cherish and defend.”

Our space is this week too much pre-occupied to
do adequate justice to this subject. It will ‘be re-
sumed in our next.

54 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A GARDEN SEAT AND FOUNTAIN, TO TERMINATE A STRAIGHT WALK.
(BY S. H. D.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

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NY WEES G a

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7 itty A

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~tp———

HMovern Monumental IWrasses,

FEW persons can have visited our ancient
||churches without having their attention attracted
by the monumental brasses, a number of which
remain upon their floors; although the hand of
spoliation has deprived us of many that would
throw much light on the tastes and manners of the
past. They generally consist of figures and in-
scriptions, let into cavities cut in the stone slabs to
receive them; but some of a more modern date,
are entirely executed on a square plate of metal
the size of the gravestone. In all instances they
now serve as a most valuable series of truthful il-
lustrations of the costumes, civil and military,
{|worn in England at the various periods when they
j{were executed. All the details of armour are
||faithfully and minutely given; all the varieties of
fashion dwelt upon and scrupulously delineated ;—
all ecclesiastical vestments, legal and magisterial
|robes, clearly defined. They must furnish us with
authority for costume from the time of their earliest
use in the fourteenth century, until their disuse'in
the seventeenth ; and no country in the world can
show so large and perfect a series as Great Britain.
To the archzologist their value is inestimable, nor
can they fail to interest every observant mind. In
their.own day they formed an important part in
church decoration, and the beauty of their effect
when laid side by side in a chancel, may still be
judged by a visit to Cobham Church, Kent, a short
{|distance from Gravesend, where is a series of fine
brasses to the Cobham “family, second in beauty,
number, and interest to none in the kingdom.

The church decorators of the olden time did all
in their power to destroy the coldness and mono-
tony of blank walls. Hence fresco, or more pro-
perly, distemper painting, was a common internal
{/decoration, and the walls were covered with pic-
tures of the lives of the Saints, or the history of
the Saviour, the Last Judgment, &ec. Many of
these-have been laid bare when the process of new
plastering church walls has destroyed the white-
wash with which they have been covered; and so
long a list might be given of churches which have
been thus decorated, that it would go far to prove
this practice universal.

Where the pictures did not exist, a pattern in
diaper work was stencilled, and the pillars and
arches thus decorated, or the flutings painted in
various tints. The windows, in the same way, ex-
hibited in glowing tints the fathers, martyrs, or
saints, their acts and legends. The ceilings were
frequently painted, and the floors brilliantly glow-
ing with coloured tiles, and thickly interspersed
with monumental brasses.

Simple recumbent effigies and monumental
brasses seem to have gone out of fashion early in
||the seventeenth century ; and semi-classic monu~

||mental piles to have usurped their place, ending in
the absurdities which disfigure our churches and
cathedrals, and give them the look of a stone-
mason’s pattern-room or workshop. Allegorical
|figures, difficult to comprehend, pagan emblems to-
‘tally unfit for the Christian church, groups of
pyramids, pilasters, and perching angels’; 3 contra-
|dictions in costume, full-bottomed marble wigs

‘THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

ane ahundanty over aon armour, the latter|

worn by modern Englishmen who scarcely ever}}
saw a battle-—are some few of the absurdities of
the last two centuries. Heavily dressed heroes in}
jack boots, ascending amidst headless cherubs, and|}|.
hard angular glories, chiseiled from harsh stone,}}
give a ludierous and unpleasant air to the sacred|}
edifices in which they are enshrined ; and when we||
see, as in Westminster Abbey, the most exquisite||
tracery and beautiful sculpture cut ruthlessly away ||
to make room for such disfigurements, we can but
sigh over the want of taste which was too prevalent
half a century ago, even among educated church-

men. F

We have been led into these remarks owing to .
the resucitation of the ancient style of mortuary||
commemoration, by placing an engraved plate over||
the grave, as in the middle ages. But as our walls
are generally blanks, such modern monumental||
brasses have been inserted in the walls, as the fune-
real tablets generally are. The rich effect produced
by this means far exceeds that afforded by any
stone memorial, particularly as the brass is suscep-
tible of the reception of enamel in its most bril-|}
liant forms. We have seen several instances of
these modern monumental brasses, and have been
exceedingly struck with the happy manner in
which the artist has got over the difficulty of re-||
presenting modern costume, by adapting the frock
coat or cloak to the figure, until all incongruities
vanish, and the style and ornament of the middle
ages incorporate therewith with happy effect.

“The artist whose works in this way merit parti-
cular attention, is Mr. J. W. Archer (46, Claren-
don-street, Euston-square), who may be said to
have revived this almost forgotten Art. He has
been followed hy Messrs. Pugin, Waller, and others, ||:
who have manufactured many such memorials.||’
His first work was the monument of Dr. Davy, in
the chapel of Caius College, Cambridge, which
has been succeeded by upwards of twenty others,
designed and executed by him in all that variety,
simplicity, and elaboration, of which mementos in
this style are susceptible. One of his works, to the
memory of Captain W. Ingram of the Enniskillen
Dragoons, was honoured by the notice of Prince
Albert; another, of Captain White of the same
regiment covers a space of nine feet in the wall of
Wargrove church, near Henley on Thames.

By assiduity, Mr. Archer has been enabled to|}
overcome a difficulty in the ornamentation of his
brasses with colouring matter; such colours in an-
cient brasses were introduced by a medium of soft
mastic, which being perishable, has left but few
traces behind. To remedy this, Mr. Archer has
obtained acolouring material from silica, Chinese
porcelain, and other hard substances incorporated
with sandarac, and gums of similar quality, which
material seems scarcely inferior in probable dura-
bility to enamel, a substance that cannot be em-
ployed in mixed metals. For heraldic decorations,
diaper work, or the interstices of Gothie enrich-
ment, such colouring has the most brilliant effect.

We hail the revival of this ancient Art with
pleasure, and we recommend it asa much more
elegant and fitting memorial than the stone tablet,
or other monumental structures generally affixed
to church walls. These frequently disfigure the
sacred edifice, and are seldom analogous to the}|
architectural style or enrichment of ‘such build-|)
ings. But brasses properly designed and tastefully}:

sees”

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

executed, embellished as they may be with he-
taldic and coloured decoration, really ornament

the building whose walls receive them, and make

the hand of affection subservient to church deco-
ration.—F. W. FAIRHOLT, in the Aré Union.

@Mbserbations on Architecture anv
Butlirg.

COMPILED FROM THE CELEBRATED WORK OF
LEON BAPTISTA ALBERTA.

(Continued from page 46.)

In choosing region it will be proper to have it
such that the inhabitants may find it convenient
in all respects, both as to its natural properties,
and as to the neighbourhood and. its correspon-
dence with the rest of mankind. For certainly we
would not build a city upon a steep, and hardly
accessible cliff, unless obliged by the utmost extre-
mity, nor In a solitary desert; neithet should we be
pleased to live upon eggs of birds, or upon acorns.
On the contrary, it should be aregion where, if
possible, nothing should be wanting that could be
of use to life. Choose a region that has many
different ways of access for the easy conveyance of
all manner of necessaries, both by land-carriage
and water-carriage. ‘Theregion should likewise not
be too moist, through a great abundance of water,
nor too much parched by drought, but be temper-
ate ; and if we cannot find one likely in all res-
pects to confirm as we would wish it, let us
chooseait somewhat cold and dry, rather than
moist. nd warm. For our houses, clothes, fires,
and exercises, will easily overcome cold. Nor has
a dry soil anything init that is noxious, either to
the bodies or minds, only that the dryness tends to
harden men’s bodies ; while for certain it is known
that all bodies corrupt by humidity,and arerelaxed
‘by heat. And, further, we find that men, either
in cold weather, or that live in cold climates, are
more healthy, and less subject to distemper. It is
‘Said that men in warm climates have livelier wit, as
they have better constitutions in cold. That re-
gion will be best which is just moderately warm
‘and moist, because it will produce lusty, handsome
‘men, and who are not subject to melancholy ; and
that region is most eligible which, being placed
among countries liable to snow, enjoys more sun
than its neighbours, and among countries burned
jby the sun, that which has most humidity and
‘shade.

But no building can be placed more unsightly
and inconveniently than in a valley between two
hills; because, not to insist on more manifest rea-
‘Sons, an edifice so placed loses all dignity,—lying
quite hid,and its prospect being interrupted, it
can have neither pleasure nor beauty. But what
is this to the greater misfortunes likely to happen
where the house, overwhelmed by floods, and filled
by waters that pour in from the adjoining hills,

‘and imbibing continual wet, rots and decays and
'||exhales vapour extremely noxious to the health of
the inhabitants? In such a place the understanding
can never be clear,the spirits being damped and

| from every side, and if it does not, you will be dried

| channel, it will rage there with greater fury than

| to be 133 feet, by 12 feet, and 103 feet—respeetive-

— —

‘87

stupified, nor will any kind of bodies endure long.)
The books will grow mouldy and rot, the cases will
rust, nothing in the store-house will keep; . in
short, the excess of moisture will spoil and destroy
every thing. Ifthesun shines you will be scorched
by the reflection of his rays, which beat back you

and withered by continual shade. Add to this,—
if the wind gets in, being confined as it were in a

in other places,; and if it never enters, the air, for
want af motion, will grow thick and muddy,—such
a valley becomes a puddle or bog of air. The
form of the place to be selected for building,
should be graceful and pleaasnt, not mean or low
as if it were buried below the rest of the earth;
but lofty, giving a clear prospect, and the air con-
stantly refreshed on every side by delightful
brezees. Besides these, let there be a plenty of
everything necessary to either the pleasure or con-|
veniency of life—as water, fire, and provisions,
care being taken there is nothing in these prejudi-
cial to health. The springs should be opened and
tasted to see there are in them no qualites injurious
to the constitution of the inhabitants, for some wa-
ter breeds wens.in the throat, and gives the stone
and gravel, and physicians state that they who
drink water that is not well purged, but heavy and
ill-tasted, grew cholicky and have large swelled
bellies, while the rest of their members, as the
arms, shoulders, and faces, beeome thin and ema-
ciated. Add to this, that through the fault of
spleen ill digesting with the blood, they fall into
several kinds of distempers, some even pestilential.
In summer, fluxes of the belly, by the stirring of
the choler and the dissolving of the humors, waste
all their strength—and all the year round they are
continually liable to heavy and tedious infirmities,
such as dropsy, asthma, and pluerisy.

(Lo be continued.)

HOUSES FOR THE PvoR.—A writer in -the
Edinburgh Courant points out the eligibility as a)
money investment of providing houses for the poor.
Invitatis invitandis, hisremarks are as applicable
to the English as the Scottish capital. ‘ Having,
occasion (he says) to call upon a poor widow in an
inferior street, [ had the curiosity to enquire what
rent she paid for the single room she occupied ; she
informed me that is was 40s., I measured its di-
mensions, and found them to be 10 feet long by 9
high, and 7 feet wide. Onmy returnto my own
house, a flat, I found that it stood on an area of
1,778 square feet. The height of ceiling of the
vasious flats in the stair, three in number, I found

ly giving an average of 12 feet. The rents again
are £384, £27, and £20, giving an average of £27.
The cubic dimensions of the poor woman’s house
you will find to be 630 feet. The average cubic
dimensions of one of the better houses alluded to,
are 21,386 ft., would produce a rental of £67 10s.

or deducting for the increased number of partition!
walls necessary in small houses, say £60 instead of
£27, the present rental. Nor is this all—my land-
lord, at my taking possession, spent the first year’s
rent on painting, papering, &c., a little whitewash
is all that is necessary in the humble dwellings of
the poor.” You may draw your own conclusion.

|\58

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

An LHlustrated Glossary of Cechnical
Terms used in Architectural anv
Enteviov Mecorvation, Ke.

(Continued from page 44.)

GALLOWAY Dyxez. It is built the same asa
dry stone wall, with a broad base, tapering gradu-
ally upwards, asat A. It is then levelled with a
course of flat stones as at B, in such a manner as
to let them project two or three inches on each

||side, resembling a coping, as shewn by the dotted

lines,aa@. Over these is a course of rugged round

| Stones, D, placed so as to leave a considerable va-
| \cuity between each, which affords free passage for

the light and wind. This fence is very economical
in places where stones are in abundance.

GRoUND PLANE. A line forming the ground of
a design or picture, which line is a tangent to the
surface of the face of the globe; as a ground line
is any straight line serving as the ground of the
design. $

GrourED CoLUMNS. Are when three or more
columns are put together on the same pedestal.
When two are placed together they are said to be
coupled.

Grout. A thin kind of mortar.

Gutters. A kind of canal in the roofs of
houses, to receive and carry off rain-water. They
are either made of lead or of tiles, which are either
plain or concave; these last are called gutter-tiles,
jand so adapted to each other as to be laid with
great case. The Romans had gutters of terra-
cotta along the roofs of their houses, and the rain-

water from them ran out through heads of animals
and other devices, placed in the angles, and other

convenient parts. Leaden gutters were known in
the middle ages. |

GyMNAsium. Among the public edifices of the
Greeks, the gymnasia were classed in the first rank.
It was in them that they instructed the youth in
all the arts of peace and war, to make them use-
ful and aceomplished members of society. As
long as they were carefully protected by the state,
the sciences and the arts were cultivated with zeal.
The name of palestra, which properly designated
that part of the gymnasium where they exercised
their bodies, was sometimes applied to the whole
building. At first, the gymnasium was only an
open space enclosed by a wall, as the ancient gym-
nasium of Elis, mentioned by Pausanias: rows of
plane trees were planted to afford shade from the
heat of the sun. These trees, when the gymnasia
were ornamented, and divided into compart-
ments, gave place to colonnades and rows of pil-
lars.

Gypsum. Calcareous earth saturated with vi-
triolic acid, therefore it does not effervesce with
acids. Being subjected to a moderate heat to ex-
pel the water of christalization, it forms plaster of
Paris, and coming in contact with water, immedi-
ately assumes a solid form. Of the numerous
species of this fossil, alabaster is perhaps the most
abundant. The plaster earth found in Glipston
quarry, in Northamptonshire, is a dry, harsh, grit-|
ty, light yellow powder, which adheres to the,
tongue, but not to the fingers, and, mixed with
water, immediately sets without previously being!
heated.

GUNDULPH. Bishop of Rochester, toward the
close of the eleventh century, the inventor of nu-
merous important improvements in architecture,
especially in the construction of castles. In the,
castle of Rochester there are the remains of a tower,
bearing his name, and said to have been built by
him.

GUERITE. A small tower of wood or stone, on)
the point of a bastion, or some other appropriate
station, for the use of the sentinel.

GRANGE, NEw. A remarkable antiquity jn)
Ireland. It is a large mound or pyramid, sur-
rounded by a circle of stones, twenty-five miles
from Dublin, and near the town of Drogheda.
The gallery is sixty-two feet long, and the arms of|
the cross or transepts twenty feet each. A cupola
over the centre is formed of long flat stones, pro-
jecting in gradation like tiles, and meeting in the;
centre, like one of the openings to the great Egyp-
tian pyramid.

(To be continued.)

The Chronotypist.

Urwarps of £1400 has been collected in Mac-
Jelesfield, towards the establishment of Baths and
Wash-houses for the people. It is reported that
a lump of gold, weighing 3,032 dwts., was lately
found in a mine, belonging to Major Heiss, in Vir-
ginia, A remarkable tunnel on the Waterford
‘and Dublin Railway at Bray, has advanced so far
towards completion, that there is a communication
throughout. The works run through Kilkenny point
and for its whole distance, it passes through the
hardest granite. Itis said that this is the first tun-
‘nel in the United Kingdom entirely, through such
‘difficult material. Ludwig von Schwantater, the
classic sculptor of Munich, died on the 14th ult.,
\in his forty-seventh year. In the great level or
audit, now in course of construction to drain the
water from the Eyam-edge mines, Derbyshire, was
recently found a beautiful fossil planulite, a species
‘of ammonite. It consists of three or four “whorls”
‘and is considered the most perfect fossil of the kind
ever found in Derbyshire. Above £100 in sub-
‘scriptions, has already been received by the Society
for the Nottingham monument to Lord George
Bentinck, for the purpose of erecting a monument
to perpetuate his memory. The sixth annual
soirée of the Manchester Athenzeum was held in
ithe Town Hall on Thursday in last week, under the
‘presidency of Lord Mahon, and although, from a
great variety of causes, the pressure of the times
in particular, the number of the persons present
|(700) was less than on former occasions, it may be
‘called one of the most successful meetings which
‘they have had. The speeches delivered were for
the most part admirable——On Monday the 20th
jult., the institute of British Artists held their ordi-
nary general meeting of the sessions. The presi-
dent, Earl de Grey, was in the chair, and the
rooms were crowded. More than 200 persons were
present, including the greater number of the lead-
ing members of the profession——The Builder
announces that the Architectural Publication So-
‘ciety is making satisfactory progress. There are
now 305 subscribers; and local secretaries have
been appointed in various places,—including two
| in Arabia and one in Jamaica.——Carpenters and
joiners are less needed in the United States than
jplmost any other workers in wood, with the excep-
tion, perhaps, of cabinet makers; all of which
trades are not very. promising at the present time,
|owing to an over supply of workmen. The wages

lof these classes are low, and the pay not very

| THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT...

‘day, the 17th ult.
)six, a truck containing a square wooden box, about

‘last carriage of the train about to proceed from

| box, and the rays, condensed and heightened by a

59]|

prompt. The Secretaryship of the National So-

ciety for Education, has become vacant, by the re-|}
signation of the Rev. W. J. Kennedy, M.A., who
has been appointed one of the Government Inspec-
tors of Schools.
Leicester, was re-opened during the past week.
The repairs of this ancient edifice were commenced

The church of St. Martin’s,

in 1846, when the roof of the side aisle was renew-
ed in oak, according to the original design. Inthe

following year, the walls, windows, and roof of the

chancel were completely restored. Inthe present
year the whole of the pillars and arches on the
side of the nave have been re-constructed substan-
tially from the ground; the clerestory windows
restored, the decayed roof of the north aisle re-
constructed in oak, and the north aisle, and half
the nave filled with new seats, A costly east win-
dow of stained glass has been presented by R.
Luck, esq., a parishioner.

WE have seen a prospectus issued by a very
deserving artist, Mr. EK. V. Rippingille, for the
disposal of forty-two of his works, in shares
of one guinea each—the works being valued
at 1,235 guineas. The prizes are to be twelve
in number, and some extra advantages are
offered to those who subscribe larger sums.

The distribution to take place when the list is
‘filled.

A committee is appointed, and Messrs,
Colnaghi receive subscriptions.

THE Ewtectric LigHT.—An experiment to
test the power of a new electric light was made on
the Great Western Railway, on the night of Satur-
The light was produced by an
apparatus, the invention of M. Le Mott, a French
gentleman, who has been for several years employed
in electrical experiments in Russia. At half-past

the size, though not the shape of a sentry box, and
having a galvanic battery of some sixty or seventy
small cells disposed around it, was attached to the

Paddington. The light was ‘produced iuside the

powerful reflector, were emitted by an aperture
contrived for the purpose. When the apparatus
was put in action, a dazzling blaze of light filled
the spacious station. The train started, and as it
went down the line it was follbwed by a train of
light more than a mile in length, and so bright

| that no engine could possibly approach it from the

rear by mistake. The cone of light, as seen from
the carriage, was exceedingly beautiful ; the bor-
ders of it being decomposed by refraction into a
prismatic circle of rainbow tints, which rested on
the steam clouds left by the engine. It is stated
that bridges were visible at a distance of two miles

| by the light.

New CuHuRcHES. — Arrangements have for
some time been completed for the erection within

‘the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark, of seve-

ral new churches, to some of which ecclesiastical
districts have been conventionally assigned under
Sir R. Peel’s Act.

THE DEGORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

Perspectibe.

(Continued from page 48.)

OF SOLIDS.

To construct a Prism, and to place a Pyramid
on its upper Surface or Plane.

Draw A B equal to 4 feet, raise Ae and B J per-

pendicular to a B, and equal 1 foot, join e J, draw
BC in any oblique direction toward the right,

_ make Bc equal a B, draw f g, e h, and a p all
parallel and equal toD c; joinhg, h D, Dc, and
| gC, and the prism is constructed. Next find k and
4, the half of fg, and the half of ef; the base of
| the pyramid is to be 2 feet.

to _p; and from & to q, ‘also from é to n, and from 4

Lay off 1 foot from &

| to 0, draw ps, qm, and q 7, all parallel. to g h, or

f e, draw lines in like manner from 0, 7, and n, all
parallel toeh, or fg; these lines crossing on the
prism, form the square v w ¢ y, the base of the py-

||ramid, and determine also its centre x ; draw a z

parallel to A e,or to Df; lay off'8 feet from 2 to z,
join 'z v, zw, zl, and zy, and the proposed figure

is constructed.

There are two very important terms used in the
study of perspective, and these are, a vanishing

| |line and a vanishing point.

As the whole art of perspective depends on clearly
understanding these terms, we will attempt an ex-
planation, which, we trust, may prove satisfactory
|to our readers. ,

VANISHING LINE.

Let us imagine a perfectly level horizon: let us
also imagine a road twenty feet wide, and one end
of it produced to where the sky seems fo meet the

Magnetism shortly.:

land ; the remote end of this road, we say, is at an
infinite distance.

At the near end of this road, imagine a plane of
glass of infinite extent, placed perpendicularly on
the road, so that the sides of the road may be per-
pendicular to the plane of the glass. Now ima-
gine a spectator placed at the distance of 20 feet
from the glass, and in’the'centre of the road, and
let the height of the spectator’s eye be 5 feet.

If the spectator then look through the glass
toward the remote end of the road, this end ap-
pears contracted to a point, and seems to rise up to
the level of his eye ; hence the whole road assumes
a triangular form, the base of which is the inter-
section of the glass with the road; and the vertex
of this triangle vanishes or disappears at the remote
end to the spectator’s view.

(To be continued.)

a Correspondents, Ke.

“J. W. G.°—Thanks for your good wishes.
We will shortly give some. Gothic illustrations,
but your strictures on_the Perspective article are
decidedly wrong. If you refer to page 38, No.||
80, you will find an introduction to the diagrams
now i course of treatment. They are not Per-
spective views, but solids consisting of planes,
and will be followed by a perspective view of each.
We do not eonsider it-a false system ; it is a plan
adopted by one of ‘the most popular writers on
Perspective, and in use at the London University.

“J. 8. D.”— Heat the horn over a wood fire ;
you can then press it nto any shape you require.

“ H. S.”’— Accepted with thanks,

—— (Newcastle.) We will give an article on

Sao

ANSWER TO QUERY IN, No. 79.

Composition for Picture-frames, Sc. — Two
pounds of the best whiting, one pound of glue, and
half a pound of linseed oul are heated together, the
composition being continually stirred untii the dif-
ferent substances are incorporated. Let it cool,
and then lay it on « stone covered with powdered
whiting, and beat it well until it becomes a tough
and firm substance. : It may then be put by for
use covered with wet cloths to keep it fresh. When
used to be cut into pieces adapted to the size of the
mould, into which it is forced by a screw press.
The ornament or cornice is fired to the frame or
wall with glue or white lead.

QUERY. «:)
Can any correspondent inform us the-best methed
of making distemper colouring that will stand the
weather, on a compo wall ?

—_———

* "Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 20 is now ready, Price 10d.

*.” Part I, is'also re-printed, and will in future be
: ‘ charged at 10d.-each.

(‘QTA0S NVHOsayzria)—aurnsano “IV MMGUO “IMoTEya WOUd *HOINIOO

SES wa

i = ith = | 2 oni =I] = =a

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No. 83.—Vol. IV.]

v
Lye

Sate keen, ate
ARS, SR

SaTurpay, |

@n Bomestic Mecoration.

PORCELAIN SLABS FOR FIRE-PLACES.

OMESTIC
Decoration must ever be an object of impor-
tance to all who take an interest in the ad-
advancement of Art, because taste is insensibly
mouided and formed by the effect of familiar
objects in daily use. We should hope for little
artistic judgment from persons whose lives
were spent in rooms where the principles of
correct taste were violated in every article of
furniture.

In domestic economy utility must always
hold a higher place of estimation than mere
beauty; but there is an advance when the De-
corative Art is made applicable to objects and
|purposes that were previously regarded as
merely useful, and were on that account tole-
rated in spite of their unsightliness and defor-
mity. Our stove-grates and fire-places have
long been objeets which the genial influence of
a comfortable fire could alone render tolerable;

I : ——$——— ans

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[DEcEMBER 9, 1848.

the beauty of the marble chimney-piece could) |
not atone for the heavy mass of metal it en- |
closed: the effect was that of a magnificent! |
frame surrounding a detestable picture; and
the mass was almost eqally bad, whether it
assumed the form of polished steel, or shone in)
all the honours of black lead. The Dutch tiles)
in which our ancestors rejoiced, and which!’
may still be seen in a few old houses, were! |
better than the new walls which now guard
and disfigure our hearths; coarse as they were, |
and wretched as were the figures with which! |
they were adorned, they were still suggestive) |
and the family circle assembled round the so-\
cial hearth could often derive amusement and)
instruction from their contemplation. The
great objection to these tiles, independent of
the coarseness of their execution, was the small
size, which gave to their use the effect of a/|
The expe-|

pavement set up perpendicularly.
riment long remained untried of producing) |
slabs of earthenware; and, still more, slabs of],
porcelain, that would resist the action of fire}
as perfectly as any metal, and would at the)’
same time be susceptible of decoration derived) |
from the highest works of Art.

It is only within the last few years that the
slabs of porcelain have been made of sufficient;
size to render them applicable to the interior
decoration of the fire-place, and the very rich
effect was attained which they now produce.
The flowers in the several designs are all)
painted in their natural colours; and these co-
lours having been vitrified in the process of, |
manufacture, are, of course, indestructible, |
We believe that at most of the manufactories
in Staffordshire, and also at the porcelain ma- ||
nufactory in Worcester, these slabs are now,
produced; and that the manufacturers gene-||
rally are giving to the article very great atten-| |
tion—considering it a staple of their trade, one |
upon which taste can be largely exercised.

We have often noticed the almost instinctive |
anxiety of persons to associate flowers with the
means of warmth. Even the poorest persons |
love to have posies displayed on the mantel-|,
piece, and wreaths of flowers are among the
most common decorations of our metal stoves.
The manufacturers of porcelain slabs have fol-)
lowed this apparently natural taste, and be-
stowed a large share of their attention on |
floral decoration ; indeed, some of those panels

i
are among the most beautiful specimens of
flower- painting we have seen for many a long

day.

We have seen several slabs with Saracenic

work on the Alhambra, and their effect is par-
ticularly gorgeous and magnificent. Porcelain
panels are susceptible of ornament in high re-
lief, as well as pictorial decoration, and we
have seen both combined with the happiest
effect at tae Exposition in Paris and at several
||show-rooms in London. We have dwelt chiefly
on the application of these panels to fire-places,
because this is likely to be one of the most
popular forms in which they can be used, not
||merely on account of their beauty, but also on
account of their convenience, a wet sponge
being sufficient to clean them in a minute, and
their radiation of heat greatly contributing to
the warmth of an apartment. The latter qua-
lity was the chief recommendation of the Dutch
tiles to our ancestors, and we have heard old
people lament their disappearance, declaring
that when they were used fires gave out double
their present heat. But these porcelain slabs
are applicable to many other purposes. They
are beautiful tops for toilet-tables, being much
jighter than marble, susceptible of much
| greater decoration, not more fragile, and quite
as easily kept clean. They might be intro-
duced into the decoration of conservatories
with the most excellent effect; and we have
seen panelled surbases, which to the merits of
||cheapness and cleanliness superadded a very
pleasing picturesque effect.

In short, in winter, they add largely to the
comfort and elegance of an apartment; and in
summer they render unnecessary the usual
mode of hiding a fire-place—by classing it
among the most agreeable attractions of the
room.

GuTTA PERcHA.—This article continues to be
imported in very large quantities, in order to meet
the numerous and extensive demands which are
made for it to be appropriated to the very many
| |purposes to which it is now found to be applicable.
||A vessel just arrived in the Docks from Singapore,

has brought what we believe to be the largest im-
portation whieh has been made at one time, con-
sisting of 3,294 packages, 710 lumps, and 10,441
blocks of the article.

decorations in the style of Owen Jones’s great |

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

A ctropolitan Emprobements.

Durine the past week a number of houses
situate in Tower-street and Lumber-court,
Seven-dials, were pulled down for the proposed
improvement in that neighbourhood. On
Thursday next, the widening of Cannon-
street from Dowgate-hill to King William-
street, London-bridge, commences, All the
houses on the east side thereof are to be pulled
down and rebuilt back twenty feet; as also
the formation of the new thoroughfare from
the south end of Walbrook to Southwark-
bridge. Anew street is also about to be formed
from the junction of St. Martin’s-lane and
Long-acre, through Rose-street and New-street,
into Covent-garden and the Strand. The
Duke of Bedford contributes £3,000 towards
this improvement. New streets are to be
opened from Little to Great Tower-hill, and)
Bell-alley,
Lombard-street, is to be pulled down and
widened. The last remaining portion of the
notorious St, Giles’s Rookery, called Church-
lane, is to be demolished forthwith, and a new
street, to be called Nugee-street, opened from
opposite St. Giles’s Church to New Oxford-
street. A thoroughfare is to be opened from
the south end of Charing-cross Suspension-
bridge, passing through Belvidere-road, across
Manners-street, to the York-road: station of
the South Western Railway.

from thence to Fenchurch-street.

Mosaic Pavemrent.—A splendid specimen||
of Mosaic Pavement was on Wednesday, the}
29th ult, placed in the National Collection, at
the British Museum, in the passage leading to
the gallery of Xanthian Antiquities. The spe-}|
cimen is about eight feet square, and was found
in the ruins of Carthage, on the spot assigned
as the site of the temple of Neptune, and was
purchased by the trustees of the Museum.|}
On reaching this country it was found to be
broken into innumerable pieces, but under
the skilful hand of Sir R. Westmacott, it has)
been restored. It represents the head of a
sea-god, with a long flowing beard, and feet|
of the sea-horse.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

IR ebicl.

COLLECTANEA ANTIQUA, by Mr. Chas. Roach
Smith; published by J. R. Smith, Old Compton-
street, London. (Second Notice.)

According to our promise, we continue our ex-
tract from the preface, wishing the Author all the
suecess that his laudable efforts merit.

‘Tt has been the custom to ascribe to the igno-
rance of past ages the chief share in the destruction
of our national works of ancient art, as if the pre-
sent generation were the sole representative of all
that is enlightened and conservative. This is an
error both vulgar and common. If there be not
at the present day the same amount of ignorance
as in past times, there is an increased spirit of sel-
fishness—a proneness to test the value of every
thing by the scale of the trader—a dogged utili-
tarianism, to which has been sacrificed perhaps in
the last fifty years more of our national ancient
Temains than in previous centuries not so distin-
guished for the progress of science and general
knowledge. Public and private enterprise and
speculation have within the last few years dissected
the kingdom from one end to the other; and, in
consequence (from the supineness of the Govern-
ment), many a record of the olden times has been
swept away, and the desecrated church, the ruined
mouastery, the baren’s castle, as well as the less
and more exposed, but not less valuable, monu-
ments of earlier times, have been hurried to their
doom of oblivion. Even the zeal of the archzo-
logical explorer has, in numerous instances, con-
tributed to increase the amount of destruction;
for it often happens he is obliged to abandon his
researches at the very moment of their being
crowned with success, forego his reward, and stop
short in his discoveries for the want of pecuniary
resources. The Roman theatre at Verulam affords
acase in point. It was one of the most interesting
objects brought to light within the memory of man,
and in this country was without parallel. It was
in good preservatlon ; and at a comparatively in-
significant cost might have been preserved to the
country. But the people of the county cared not
about it; the Government, petitioned through
Lord John Russell, would hearken to no supplica-
tions on its behalf; the excavations were discon-
tinued, and the remains of the theatre were des-
troyed. Had such a discovery been made in
France, a different fate would have awaited a mo-
nument so curious and valuable. The disastrous
result of the researches at Verulam shew that it

would have been better had they not been under-
taken, for at some future day they might have
been prosecuted under circumstances more auspi-
cious, either by the aid of liberal private patronage,
or by the support of Parliament.

The establishment of archeological and an-
tiquarian societies in almost every county, is, then,}
an additional reason for the expediency of some,
extensive parliamentary measure which would ef-
fectually embrace the various classes of our ancient
national monuments, and secure their preservation.
These societies, although frequently exhibiting a
long array of names, are so poorly supported by
subscriptions that only a very few are able to pub-
lish their proceedings, and thus prove themselves)
to be in a state of healthy vitality. For the most
part they are clogged and shackled with persons
who yield neither pecuniary nor literary aid, but
are pressed to consent to swell the list of names,
froma prevalent but ridiculous notion that num~-
bers alone can ensure permanent success, and sup-
ply that intelligence and earnestness of purpose
which belong only to the few. In England, more-
over, there is a strong tendency in literary and|
scientific societies to encumber the executive de-
partments with persons selected solely for their
eminent rank or position, but whose tastes and
habits do not usually incline them to take the
slightest interest in the objects of the institutions
they ostensibly patronise and superintend. Where)
rank is allied with ability or with generous feelings,
it will naturally, in all well-regulated bodies, take
proper precedence ; but where it represents nothing
whatever beyond mere rank and station, it is be-|
neath the dignity of men of science to waive their
own honourable rights and privileges, and invest
with the credit of the labours of others, persons
who have no sympathies in common with them,
and who must in their hearts, if they reflect, des-
pise the adulation which, under the disguise of
courtesy, prostitutes intellect to worldly power.

Nothing, in fact, short of a parliamentary com-
mission, can do justice to our national antiquities.
It must be a commission responsible to Parliament
and the public, and composed of men of character
above suspicion, who will constitute a board to
see that the funds granted by Parliament are pro-
perly expended ; to call to their assistance persons
of ability ; and as a first step, to obtain the statis-
tics of the national antiquities yet remaining, and
then to devise measures to place them beyond the
reach of danger. It is not necessary that all the
members of the commission should be antiquaries;
but they should have practical knowledge, integ-
rity, and judgment, able to select instruments to
work with, and guard against abuse of the funds.”

]

Gbserbations on Architecture and
Bulldinrg.
COMPILED FROM THE CELEBRATED WORK OF
LEON BAPTISTA ALBERTA,

(Continued from page 57.)

||. The young lose their senses by bile—the old are
‘lburnt up by inflamation of the humour—the
women with difficulty conceive: in a.word, every
age and every sex, will fall by early and. untimely
deaths, destroyed and worn away by disease—nor
will they enjoy a single day while they live without
being tormented by melancholy—and fretted with
spleen and vapor,so that their heads are never free
| from vexation aud uneasiness. Many other things
_|might be said of water, as to its nourishment to
‘plants, seeds, and every other thing that has
|| vegetable life, and to those fruits by which men are
| |vefreshed and supported.

Enough, however, has been said to show how
important it is to see what veins of water the
country is furnished with. Now we conceive the
_|best water to be the best tasted that has no taste,
_jand that is the best colored that has no color at all.
_)it being agreed then that the best water is clear,
||transparent and light, and when poured upon a
_/white cloth leaves no stain, and upon boiling has
jno sediment. We should be carefnl to note
whether the region engenders anything pestiferous
||or venomous—that the inhabitants may be in no
danger of vipers, insects, &e. In selecting or
jchoosing of the region, we must’ weigh every
_|cireumstance, and consider all occult tokens. Thus
‘jit will be a good sign of excellent air if the
country produces plenty of good water, or plenty of
good fruits—or if it fosters a number of men of a
good old age.

A house at the foot of a hill, and looking towards
the setting sun is unhealthy, asit feels suddenly the
||chilling breezes of the night. The whole of our
‘(design in making these remarks, is to show it is
| the part of a wise man to consider ‘everything, that
the trouble and expense in the erection of a house
may not be made without recompense; for there
you have to apply to study—there are your children
/born,—there you pass the hours of labour and
rest,—so nothing can be more deserving of care
and. application ‘than to fix ona good, convenient
jhabitation for yourself and family.

SEAT OR PLATFORM.

In selecting the site, we ought to observe the
Same rules as laid down about the region; for as
region is but a part of an entire country, so the
platform or site is but a certain selected part of the
region, and on which the building is to be erected:
therefore anything that may annoy or be of service
to the region, will do likewise the same to the site.
The seat ‘must be either upon the plain, or on the
side or top of ahill. If it is on a plain, it becomes
| ;Recessary to raise the earth and make something of
an eminence, because it not only adds dignity,
but prevents often great inconveniencies from

i
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

overflowing of rivers, heavy rains, &c., leaving |
mud upon level ground, which by degrees raises, |

the earth higher and higher, until, in a manner,
the building becomes buried with filth and rubbish.

It is certain every situation should be strong, either

And therefore, first the goodness: |
ging in severak |
parts, and at some distance from one another, to |
observe whether it be firm, loose, or soft, fit “lt

by nature or art.
of the earth should be tried by dig

unfit to bear the weight of a house.

For if it stands upon a descent, we must see that!
the upper part does not lie too. heavy, and break
down the tower; or that the lower part, if by.
accident it slipped, does not pall the upper part.
with it. This part of the building, from the basis
of the entire edifice, therefore should be particularly
strong, and tightly bound together in all its parts. |
If the building be placed on the top of a hill, the’
site shonld be raised to a level, cr pared ee
and the sides enlarged and added to.

_ COMPARTITION.

The whole force of our invention, all our skill
and knowledge in the art of building , 18 required
in the compartition, because the parts of the
whole building ordered for convenience, pleasure,
and beauty, are disposed and measured out by
the compartition.

Aucient philosophers have compared a city to
a great house; and, further, a house to a little
city. Why, therefore, should not the members
of houses be cousidered as so many little houses
—as the courtyard, the hall, the parlour, the
portico—-and if anything in these be omitted by
negligence, will it not greatly detract from the
beauty of the whole building ?

Great care should be used in well considering
those things which concern and affect the whole
building ; ‘and all should be so arranged that the
most trivial parts are in conformity with the
rules of contrivance. To every room should be
allotted its fit place and proper situation—not
less than dignity demands, or convenience
requires—not in an impertinent or indecent
place, but in a situation so proper in itself that
it could be set nowhere else. more fitly.
Proportion and situation should be considered
likewise with reference to the season of the
year; for if rooms are large and spacious in
summer, those for winter should be more
compact. Again, a summer room should be
shaded and open to the air; while the winter
ones should open to the sun. Let the building
in all its parts be moderately proportioned, and
necessary for your uses, for all buildings, if you
consider it well, owe their birth to necessity, are
nursed by convenience, and embellished by use.
Pleasure was the last thing consulted. Let the
building be such that it may want nothing which -
it has not ; and those which it has, observe that,
they do not in any respect deserve to be|
condemned. Variety is, without dispute, a very
great beauty in everything when it brings
together in regular manner things different, but
in proportion one with another, and it becomes
shocking if they are unsuitable and incoherent.
Lastly, all things should be executed as use or
convenience requires.

(To be continued.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

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CUPIDS,—FROM AN ETCHING AFTER CAMBIASU.

Berlin Lyon.

—<_

THE mauufacture of Berlin Iron has now ex-
tended into the more delicate articles, for which,
until within a comparatively recent period, the ma-
terial was considered utterly unsuited. The state-
ments we refer to occurin the “ Notes of a Tra-
veller,”” who visited one of the late Expositions in
the Prussian capital.

““The art of casting iron has been brought to
great perfection in Germany. The chemical skill
of the founders enables them, by simple processes,
to produce specimens of wonderfully delicate
workmanship, not only in ornaments and figures,
but especially in plates, which are cast with great
accuracy of a large size. The price for cast iron
stands in a remarkable contrast with that of bar
iron, although the quality of both is superior to
that produced in England. In one article the su-
periority of the German iron isso remarkable, that
it becomes almost a matter of humanity to call
attention to it. In stoves it is free from that dis-
agreeable smell which has rendered the general
adoption of stoves in England almost impossible.
In this respect. the stoves produced in Austria, in
Nassau, and on the Rhine, are deserving of pe-
culiar notice; and it is sincerely to be lamented
that the trading relations of the two countries do
not favour an exchange which would allow the
poorer classes in England the enjoyment of ail the
advantages which Dr. Arnott’s and other inventors’
skill has long been unabie to procure for them for
want of a fit material.

“* Besides cast-iron stoves, the native steel, which
has long been prepared in Stiria and on the Rhine,
especially in the district of Siegen, is well adapted
to form an object of commerce, and, if produced
on a larger scale, assisted by the cheapness which
would result from the admission of our ordinary
iron at a low duty, would greatly contribute to en-
rich both coantries. Ishall be too happy if these
remarks induce any persuns interested in the iron
trade to make experiments with the German cast
iron, for which I venture to predict a larger market
in England as soon as it has been fairly tried.

“A round table of a beautiful open arabesque
pattern, in cast iron, and with ornamental claw-
foot, from the foundry of Count Stolberg, was
marked at 20 dollars (£3). It was three feet and
a half in diameter, and weighed 50lbs. Garden
chairs to match were marked at 5 dollars (15s.)
each.

‘““Pumps of various kinds, forcing-pumps, fire
and garden engines, were exhibited, of good ma-
nufacture and at reasonable prices. The castings
for architectural purposes were both tasteful and
well executed, and showed to what extent iron can

be used in building with great advantage. For the:

designs required for ornamental casting, the Ger-
man founder has an advantage, in the ease with
which he commands the aid of artists. Other me-
tals were also exhibited as applied to the same
use. Figures and arabesque designs in zinc, as
well as capitals of pillars, rivalled with similar pro-
ductions in terra cotta. Both have contributed to
the embellishment of Berlin, and have assisted the
execution of some of the tasteful designs of the
j|celebrated architect, Schinkel.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

““T was told that the capitalsof the pillars and
pilasters of the Opera House (which is rebuilding).
are of zine. The small figures and ornaments that
go by the name of Berlin iron-work are well
known. The principal seat of this manufacture is
in the principality of Sayn, near the Rhine.

““ The manufacture of tools has made consider-
able progress of late years in Germany, and many
large establishments on the English plan may fur-
nish a considerable supply. The abundance of the
native steel is of advantage for this branch of ma-
nufacture; but the difficulty of a factory organ-
ization, and the great demand for the raw material,
keep the prices high. This is still more the case
with agricultural implements, which were sparingly
exhibited. So great is the demand for iron of all
kinds in Germany, that I remember having been
shown rails at Vienna that were made of the Stirian
native steel, and which might have been cut up
into knife blades.

“The new fabrication from nickel, called Ger-
man silver, is extensively carried on at Berlin. A
method is now adopted of combining the nickel
with native arsenic, by which the use of the poi-
sonous arsenic oxide is avoided, and the mixture
is rendered harmless.”

LowpDon ARCHITECTURE.— Until recently, Lon-
don Architecture seemed reducible to the art of;
drawing straight lines in brick and plaster, aud
when any ornament was attempted various odd
looking imitations of beasts and flowers were stuck
on without the slightest indication of anything
that could be called artistic design. Bears’ noses,|
dogs’ tails, wreaths, looking like strings of sausages|
were festooned from plaster pilasters in most admi-
red disorder, and with the assistance of gallipots
and statues made up what may be called the
George IVth school of building. There are now
decided symptoms of improvement; for, bad as
are the disorders of architecture which the leading
building-makers of our day expect will hand their
names down to immortality, or, what is more pro-
fitable, write them on the muster rolls of the rich
"of the present generation, it is impossible to walk
about London without seeing many new buildings
in which something like an idea in difficulties may
be discerned, which is much better than no idea.
The imitations or variations of the Byzantine;
school of which the new churches in New Blooms-
bury Street and London Wall, with some houses in
New Oxiord Street and other places, may be taken
as specimens, are evidently stepsin a good direction.
London does not possess that unity of idea or feel-
ing whieh renders uniformity of style, at all prac-
ticable. We must havesomething of all sorts, and
if great abominations can be prevented, the variety
will conduce to picturesque effect. In many new
streets, such as Coventry Street, Leicester Square,
are houses of a very handsome and effective if not
correct style, bat they exhibit one serious fault, they
are top-heavy, the superstructure looks uneasy on
the basement, and violates all notions of mecha-
nical propriety in this particular. They may be
classed as belonging to the Bottomless or Cherubic
Disorder of Architecture, and we recommend their
contrivers to provide them with something to sit
upon as quick as possible.

~ = = =

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The Chronotyyist.

A new street is shortly to be made commencing
at the east end of Oxford St., where it is\joined by
Tottenham-court-road, and terminating at the east
of Hemming’s Row, near St. Martin’s Church.——
Another New Street and Road is to be made from
the north side of the East India Dock-rd., at Lime-
house, in a norta west direction, to York Place, in
the Mile-end Road, by which the approavhes to the
Victoria Park will be opened from Limehouse,
Bethnal Green, and Cambridge Heath Turnpike.
——tLady Hall, of Lianover, has presented a site
for the Welsh Llandovery Institution, founded by
the Cambrian Patriot, Mr. Phillips. It was not
known until lately who the donor was, as the land
was purchased privately, and presented, through a
friend, as the gift of a friend to the institution ——
Ata meeting of the Society of Antiquarians, held
the 23rd, ult. R. Fox, Esq., exhibited a gold tor-
que, or armlet, ploughed up on his estate near
Wendover, and weighing more than four ounces.
The workmanship is beautiful and peculiar; and

‘Mr. Way, in an accompanying letter, gave it as his

opinion that it is of Celtic manufacture. The pe-
culiarity of the workmanship is that, besides the
three gold strands of which the torque is composed»
there is a fourth, and a finer, twisted strand, which
followed the involutions of the others, just as our
sailors at this day wind in a smaller cord to fill up
the interstices of the larger. No other specimen
of the kind seems known; and we are glad that it
is on its way to the British Museum, where it will
form one of a series of antiquities relating to the
earliest inhabitants of our land.——J. Allies, Esq.,
sent an ancient arrow-head, found in the very cen-
tre of a huge mahogany tree, in Honduras: and
the Seeretary communicated a bronze fibula and
tweezers, of Saxon workmanship ; and read a pa-
per on the discovery of a seal belonging to one of

the Vervilles, in the reign of Henry 1V.——A
paper on Monumental Architecture, by Mr. Sed-
dons, for which we shall endeavour to find room,
was read at a meeting of the architectural society,
on the 17th ult. A meeting of the society was
held on Friday evening, December Ist, at Lyon’s
Inn Hall, Strand.——On Thursday a collection of
chalk drawings and sketches by the late R. B.
Haydon were put up to auction by Mr. Robins, the
proceeds to be devoted to the aid of his family.
They will we are sorry to say, contribute but little
to that object—haviug realized in all no more than
£53.——The Bombay papers mention the esta-
blishment of a School of Design in the Elphinstone

During the last 12 months, 2,000 houses have been

College in that city.——A contest has run high in
the Royal Society as to the appointment of asecre-
tary in the place of Dr. Roget, who resigned.—The
council named Mr. Grove ; the physiologists and
naturalists complained of having no representative
amongst the officers, and named Professor Thomas
Bell in opposition. At the anniversary meeting on
Thursday last the ballot was taken, and Mr. Bell
was elected by a majority of 30.——At a meeting
of the British Archeological Association held Nov.
24th, Mr. C. R. Smith gave a description of an ex-
tensive Roman villa, recently excavated in a field,
near Hartlip, Kent, at the expense and under the
superintendence of Mr. W. Bland, one of the
members of the association. Nearly thirty rooms
have been opened. Some of the rooms were heated
by means of furnaces, the flues of which
opeued underneath the pavements, which were sup-
ported by hollow tiles flled with earth. Adjoining
are two baths, the leaden pipes for drawing off the
water from which still remain. Among the many!
objects found in and about the rooms is some win-
dows glass, which appears to have been cast in a
mould. A paper on Domestic Architecture, as
illustrated by a curious wooden house, at Pitchford,
Salop, by Mr. T. F. Dukes, was also read.——The
Marquis of Northampton, has resigned the office of
President of the Royal Society. The Earl of
Rosse has been elected to succeed him.—The Duke
of Buccleuch, has consented to the erection of a
free church, at Wanlockhead.——Mr. Macaulay has
accepted the Rectorship of Glasgow University.

levelled in Kilrush, Ireland.——On the 14th
September, the workmen.employed in the King’s
Mines, which is one of the Kongsberg silver mines.
in Norway, found a lump of pure native silver,
weighing 2G68lbs., and on the 6th of October,
another lump of native silver, equally pure in
quality, of no less weight than 436lbs. was dug up.

At the meeting of the Anti-Enelosure Associations
on Monday, at Clark’s Rooms, Edgware Road, Mr-
George Newton in the chair, the stoppage of the
footway on which Delarue was murdered by
Hocker, and which is along the south side of
Belsize Park, Hampstead, was again brought
forward, and legal advice given on the subject.
Notice of motion was given fer the restoration of
all the invaded thoroughfares through the Regent’s
and Primrose Hill Parks.

THe earliest instances of monumental brasses in
this country, occur about the year 1388, though it)
is said that both Normandy and Brabant can boast
of some fine specimens of a much earlier date.

On the 17th of Febraary, 1564, died Michael
Angelo, .one of the finest painters and scnlptors
that Europe ever produced.

An Ellustrates Glossary of Cerhjnical
Terms used in Architectural and
Entevioy Mecovation, Ke.

(Continued from page 58.)

Groconpo. An architect of Verona in the six-
teenth century, who visited France, built two
‘bridges over the Seine, and obtained the title of
architect-royal to the French king. He was first a
‘teacher of languages. He was employed with Ra-
phael aud San Gallo, in superintending the erection
of St, Peter’s. He edited Pliny’s Epistles, and
Vitruvius, and published several architectural
dissertations.

Goreons. (In fabulous history.) They are re_
‘presented as three sisters, the daughters of Phorcu iE
and Ceta. They were named Medusa, Euryole,
and Stheirio, and are represented as having snakes

instead of hair, brazen hands, and golden wings.
The head, delineated as above, is in frequent use to
ornament the key-stones of arches, the centre of
the heads of arched doorways, windows, &e.

Guacts. An easy slope or declivity. In forti-
fication, a sloping bank, more particularly that
||Which ranges from the parapet of the covered way
to the level on the side of the field.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

GRounD. The first stratum of paint upon
which the figures, &c. are afterwards painted. The
fundamental substance—that by which the addi-
tional or accidental parts are supported. The bac
of a basso relievo. The face of the country or sce-
uery that ‘fills up round and behind a building.
The study of back-grounds is one of the most es-
sential branches of the art. So much so, that/'
when a great painter was offered a youth as a pupil,
who he was told could paint well enough to put in
his back-grounds, he said, “ then he requires no
instruction.” An observation of nature, studying
what colours and forms best set off others, is the
best school for back-grounds. The student may,
however, be assisted by reading the 137th chapter
of Leonardo da Vinci’s Treatise on Painting ;—
the fourth and eighth chapters of the fourth book
of Le grand Livre des Peintures de Lairesse, and
Reynolds’s Discourses on Painting, &c.

Guttus. A species of small vase with one,
handle, used by the Romans, according to Pliny,
in their sacrifices.

(To be continued.)

Wersvectiboe.

A PROBLEM.

Tue following diagram shows an easy rule for
for dividing the yanishing lines in perspective, the
work of which should always lie within the area
of the picture, and which should be free from the) |
trouble of finding vanishing points, points of sight,
base lines, horizon lines, and such like.

Let AB CD be the perspective representations of;
two parallels, no matter in what plane. It is re-
quired to divide the given portion AB of one of |
them so that its parts shall be the perspective repre-|
sentation of equal portions of the real line (or in
any other assigned ratio). Draw BE parallel to cp)

and equal to AB,—and divide it into the required'}

a A

aS SS ee

aI SRT

THE

number of equal parts, or of parts in the desired
proportion, beginning at B. Join AE, and produce
it to meet CD in F. From F draw lines to each of
the points of division, P, Q, R,S, of the line AE,

and they will cut AB in the required points of sab
division p, 7, 7, 8.— Atheneum.

HAr. CHornuw’s Mectutes on r=
namental Art.

——

On Friday evening last, Mr. Wornum continued
the above series of lectures at the Government
School of Design, Somerset House, the portion for
the evening’s illustration being on the Doric Age of
Greek Art. The learned gentleman began by
tracing the connection between the earliest efforts
of Greek art and the works of the Egyptian artists ;
and in support of his views, he referred to many
historical and poetical authorities to show that
although the early Greek writers claimed for them-
selves the merit of originating the arts of painting
and sculpture, however they might have brought
them to perfection, they were essentially indebted
to that remarkable people, and the colonists from

ihe sublime and beautiful in both arts. After
giving a sketch of the progress of Art in Asia ge-
nerally, as derived from the Egyptians, Mr. W.
proceeded to the more immediate object of his
proposed subject, the history and detail of what
he. designated as the Dorie period of Greek Art,
specifying many instances of the same, and refer-
ving to the various drawings which hung behind
him illustrative of his topic, as he went along. He
showed how the characteristics of Egyptian Art,
under the influence of the hierarchy, were simpli-
city and grandeur in accordance with the climate,
and as chiefly displayed in sepulchral monuments
and temples; and then adverted to the evidences
of Greek improvement as manifested in the manu-
facture of armour and warlike weapons. He also
alluded to the architectural additions which the
Greeks had made in the construction of their
buildings. He dilated at some length on several
excellent specimens of high Art manifested in the
composition and manufacture of ancient drapery ;
and concluded by announcing his intention of
devoting his next lecture to the subject of deco-
rative art as portrayed on the ancient vases that
were relics of the era to which he directed the
attention-of his hearers.

There was a very large and respectable attendance
of visitors of both sexes present on the occasion.

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

| between the hours of eight and nine, in front of,

‘the 'gas lamps appeared dim and insignificant in}

that remarkable country, for their first notions of |

Che Electric Light.

_—

THE first experiment with this light out of
doors, was made on Tuesday week, the 28tin inst.,

the National Gallery. The apparatus, of which!
the most conspicuous part was the concave refl ector
behind the light, was so placed as to illumine the’
whole of Trafalgar-square, the rays reaching as far |.
as Northumberland House. So brilliant was the
light that it was impossible to look at it for a length (
of time without a dazzling effect upon the eye, and |

comparison. The rays were continually moved,
and as they swept through the somewhat foggy
atmosphere, they produced the same sort of illu-|
mination as the sunlight through atoms of dust.|
The objects upon which they fell were most bril-
liantly lighted,—the Nelson column was selected ||
as the principal point, being frequently as con-|}
spicuous as at noonday. If the illumination can
be sustained, there is no other means of lighting
the streets that can at all be compared with the’
Electric light.

HXHIBITION oF MECHANICAL INVENTIONS.
—The report of the council of the Society of Arts, |
Adelphi, read at the opening meeting, contained
the following passage:—“It is proper that the
council should direct special attention to a new
feature in the exhibitions of the present session.
It has been complained, perhaps justly, that for a
couple of years the society las directed attention’
too exclusively to the fine arts, to the neglect of,
the mechanical arts and manufactures. This may, |
perhaps, be in part true, but in reforming the
operations of the society it was necessary to begin
with one thing, and to do one thing at a time.—
The council have postponed the mechanics—not
lost sight of them—and have availed themselves of
the past vacation to prepare the large room on the!
ground floor for the reception at Christmas of an
exhibition of models of new and important inyen-|}
tions of recent date, and of a mechanical nature.
This, they hope, will afford to inventors the oppor-'
tunity they so much want, of bringing valuable!
inventions under the notice of the public, and also
afford to the public the gratification of having laid|
systematically before them all that is most impor- ||
tant in the records of modern inyention.’’

M. Pape, of Paris, was the manufacturer of the!

splendid ivory piano-forte recently purchased iT

Her Majesty.

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

WAMat’s Emproved Camera.

THIS camera on an improved principle , for
taking photographic portraits and views, has been
invented by Mr. Willatts, of Cheapside. The old
camera is a wooden box (see page 169, vol. I.), fit-
ted in front with a brass tube, in which is a move-
able achromatic lens; but in the improved camera,

the lens, instead of moving in a brass tube, is fixed

in the front of the apparatus, whereby an increase
of light is obtained, the admission of which is re-
sulated by a diaphragm. The back of the instru-
ment slides to the front, being moved forwards or
backwards by a handle at the back, and secured in
he necessary adjustment by a screw.

We present a cut of this apparatus, which is con-
structed with two grooves. @ and 6, that admit of
the use of two lenses of different powers, adapted
to either portraiture or landscape. The operator is
aided in determining the focus by the exclusion of
the light, which is effected by the moveable sides
of the frame with the ground glass. The plates,
which may be placed vertically or horizontally, are
held by a frame which has a sliding dour that, when
raised, lies over the top of the camera, the dimen-
sions of which are eight inches broad by six inches
and a half high, receiving a plate four inches by
three. We have examined both figure and land-
scape pictures which have been taken by this
apparatus, all of which are very perfect in their
minutest details. ‘The researches of those scienti-
fic men who have devoted a share of their attention
to photography, have been mostly instituted with a
|view of rendering the plates as sensitive as possible.
At a meeting of the British Association, held in
September, 1844, it was suggested by Sir John
Herschell, and adopted, that it should henceforward
be termed Activo-Chemistry, the effect being pro-
duced by the solar rays. The process is extremely
simple, but the manipulation demands the utmost

nicety ; however, with the instructions which are
supplied with this camera, success cannot fail.

To Correspondents, &e.

Write legibly and. sensibly, so that both thy
words and their meaning may be readily decy-
phered by the recipient of thy communication.

[Errata—in a few impressions of our last.—
Page 59, first column, line 21 from top, for ‘£100,
read ‘£1,000.’——Second column, line 12—18, for
‘on the side,’ read ‘on the north side.’ |

“ Blucher-—Many thanks for your good
wishes. With regard to the case for binding, we
shall have more cases ready in the course of the,
week; and if proper instructions are given to the |
London Agent you will be able to obtain one. We
intend following up Architecture; the Ionic capi-
tal is in the hands of our engraver. We have not
for some time received any names from you for
the Glossary y s—if you have sent any, they have|
not come to hand. The remaining portion of your
letter may be answered by the adage,—“ Rome
was not built in a day.”

“J. G.”—(Newcastle.)—No: the polish cannot
be used in the manner you describe. We will,
answer your other question in our next.

A. B. G.”—You will find a receipt to make.
gold size at page 127, vol. 1.

“ Ned Rub,” on Monumental Brasses, shall
appear next week.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the DecorAtoR’s ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.” —We shall at all times,
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial.
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics,
Institutions, the fine arts, science, &c.

Cases for Vols. I. II. and III. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt, or
marbled, 6d. extra.

u *Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly obliga Us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 20 is now ready, Price 10d.
*,.* Part I, is also re-printed, and will in future be
charged at 10d. each.

(GL a6nd aag)—"MaIA “A'S ‘“I—'WIOZUON “TIVH GTSIANVIS

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SATURDAY, ]

|
Taste in Architecture.

ASTE is
‘subject not only to wholesale revolutions, but
\to strange fluctuations and relapses. One day
we are disposed to think that taste has taken a
better direction than before, and is likely to
advance in itif allowed to have its free course;
when, the very next, perhaps, we are startled

. THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[DrcEeMBER 16, 1848.

it falls upon no other than Mr. Hope himself.
Mr. Hope has the reputation—the hereditary
reputation at least, of being an authority in
matters of art and taste, wherefore he is almost
the very last person from whom so public a
display of bad taste was to be apprehended.
Besides marvelling much, there is also room
for fearing that, through the influence of his
name, his example may become contagious,||
and encourage others to perpetuate similar ar-
chitectural enormities. One comfort is, the
building seems to be universally disliked and]!
condemned ; while the evil else to be appre-
hended from such example will now be greatly
counteracted by the very opposite one of
Bridgewater~house, Cleveland-row.

Bridgewater-house puts its neighbour—
“Sutherland,” quite out of countenance. The
two buildings contrast very strikingly with
each other, and afford a very good lesson, and
make manifest that decided improvement upon
the whole has taken place within the last five-
and-twenty years.

Ordinary rules have, no doubt, their service-
ableness in architectural design, but it is of a
negative sort; the observance of them will
prevent faults, but will not ensure positive)|
beauties, or other merits than those which par-
take of mere routine, and are therefore equally
at every one’s command—of the novice as well
as of the master Rules are indispensable,
since they constitute the very grammar of the
art; but from its grammar to its poetry the
distance is prodigious—at least, so great that
ninety-nine out of a hundred never advanco
beyond the former, so as to reach the latter.

What is done by mere rules and routine, can
be accomplished by one man just as well as by

and shocked, puzzled and perplexed, by some another. Rules teach much, but they do not
architectural monstrosity which runs quite| teach all, and the observance of precedent ma
counter to, and upsets our calculations. Al-| suffice for mere mechanical copying, but if,
though such is the fact, it seems hardly credible} architecture need not, or cannot now advance
that two structures which are almost within| beyond that, it ought to forfeit all pretension
sight of each other, and erected in the very|to the character and title of fine Art.
same year, should exhibit such diametrically} Many, perhaps, would be really glad, were
||opposite tastes as do Bridgewater-house and| the idea of architecture being a Fine Art to be
||Mr. Hope’s new mansion in Piccadilly. The| altogether renounced, since art does not seem
|\latter is a compound of uncouthness and de-|to be at all their element. They are safer on
| rormity. The design is said to be by some|dry land—on the honest terra firma of practical
||foreign architect,—which is the only thing to|routine. Art is a treacherous element to those
||console us; yet, let whoever may be responsible | unprepared for and inexperienced in it. If,
for the design itself, the discredit of adopting | according to the opinion which, though not

formally expressed, is to be gathered from the |
remarks of certain writers, we have no further
occasion for artistic invention, or any actually
operating and creative principle in architecture,
but may get all the art that is required for it
at second hand, and would therefore do well

‘Ito confine ourselves exclusively to traditional

forms and ideas,—if such be the case, and we
can now dispense with art itself, we can surely
dispense with the name of it. Or, if we must
call it art, let us call architecture the art of
making new buildings by copying or hashing
up old ones. But to affect to consider and
style it a Fine Art, when we make it in prac-
tice just the reverse, partakes too mach of
quackery.

Architects are now such a numerous class

||that it would be strange if there were not

some among them who might fairly aspire to
the honourable name of artists; but the ma-
jority have very questionable claim to it, and
some none at all; nor even so much as any
genuine relish for their ‘‘art:””? and the want
of earnest affection for it, is of itself a proof
of the want of the talent requisite for it.

Those who admire one style of architecture,
are apt to be not merely indifferent to, but in-
tolerant of every other. The lover of pure
Greek architecture sees only the corruption of
it in the Roman style; and of this latter, the
degradation in the Italian. His standard of
excellence is the Parthenon; and by the stane
dard he tries everything else, no matter how
different may be the principles upon which it
is constituted. He would have Greek-Doric

temples spring up everywhere throughout the

length and breadth of Europe, and of America
also. He is willing to extend some degree of

||favour to Ionic, that being at all events Grecian;

but Corinthian is Roman, and shows a sad
falling-off from the manly simplicity of the
earlier style. On the other hand, the lover of

{Roman and Italian design is equally strong

both in his liking and his antipathy, holding

||Greek architecture to be frigidly severe and

monotonous, exceedingly borne withal; and
Gothic, together with all other medizval styles.
to exhibit only the barbarous conceits of the
dark ages,—to be utterly devoid of ‘‘propor-
tions,” lawless, extravagant, and irreducible
to “‘rules.”’. Such, at least; used to be the
case, for at the present day, such sweeping

THE DECORATOR’S. ASSISTANT.

condemnation and insolent contempt of me-
dizval architecture cannot be expressed with
impunity. Gothic may be said to have now
the ascendancy, and its admirers and devotees
repay with compound interest the insults and
indignities which it formerly received from the
Italian school and its followers. Opposite as
they are in their tastes, all these parties are
alike in one respect, they being all alike one-
sided, prejudiced, and intolerant in their anti-
pathies, and cheating themselves out of much
varied, enjoyment by limiting the sphere of it
to the compass of a single style of the art;
instead of sympathising with the beautiful and
intrinsically esthetic in architecture, whatever
may be the particular form under which it
presents itself, or the name to which it an-
swers.

On the Study of Mestgn, from
Paintings, Ke, tr Mampton=
@Mourt Palace.

At a meeting of the Decorative Art Society
on the 8th instant, Mr. Bulnois in the chair,
a paper, ‘‘ On the Study of Design from Tapes-
tries, Paintings, &c., at Hampton-Court Pa-
lace,’ was read by Mr. Dwyer. The subject
was prefaced by remarks upon the ordinary
disregard of those things within our reach at
all times, whilst a fondness prevails very gene-
rally for speaking of foreign arts in eaves,
temples, cathedrals, &c. as ‘‘ very fine,” by
those who often are dwelling in shameless ig-
norance of the genius which illumines a West-
minster Abbey, St, Paul’s, or St. Stephen’s,
Walbrook.

It was remarked, that we pass along the
highways and byeways, and that things com-
mon and uncommon are familiarized by con-|}
stant association till we observe them not.
We are only impressed, as the case may be, by
matter of a very new or of a very ancient cha-
racter. It is, however, necessary to awaken||
reason, and to render our senses susceptible, by
thoughtful investigations, to a truer apprecia-
tion of those qualities which ought to challenge|| _
our respect, and which ought to serve as our f
guides or our monitors. 1f was contended|
that we may thus be taught, and most forcibly

too, that there are vast fields for thought be-
jyond the boundary of our own imaginings,—
|regions wherein the various tastes and feelings
of past ages have been well-begotten, matured-
Jand then neglected. In comparing our deeds
|with those of bygone times, it was suggested
|that it should be our aim to discover wherein
|we now excel or are deficient—to trace results
\from causes, and to contemplate the issues in
Ja free unprejudiced manner Moreover, the ar-
|chitect or painter who speaks of time-honoured
Athens, of the wondrous structures, of Egypt
tand India, to those who have not seen them,
|speaks at a disadvantage, for while the intellect
‘can grasp at once the actual features of art as
{seen by the eye, things which are but dimly
pictured upon the mind by associations imbibed
from relics in a museum, can never be more
than partly estimated or understood; and al-
|though the mind may theorize upon and ex-
|tend an idea, it does not frequently attain to a
true or just embodiment of a fact described.

After considerations such as these, Mr.
Dwyer said, he had devoted a few days in the
autumn at Hampton-Court; and he hoped that
in his aim to evoke some of the practical and
useful information that the palace affords, it
would be remembered that there are convenient
opportunities for witnessing these things, to
which he would draw attention, and also of
testing the value and accuracy of his remarks.
Visits, with a spirit of searching inquiry, were
recommended to the architect, painter, sculptor,
and every lover of the arts. The vague and
redundant impressions, usual on a first visit,
arise from the mind being unable to embrace
so much variety as is there presented under
circumstances of entire novelty; the crowding
of historical recollections and associations — the
numerous rooms—the vast quantity of pictures—
the state beds and old crotkery—pretty walks and
stately avenues—gold fish and monstre vine—im-
mense facades, quaint court-yards, and other archi-
tectural features, each embodying and displaying
intact those several characteristics which so well
define the progressive changes in the prevalent

tastes, during two of the most important centuries
in English art-history.

The architecture, he considered, admitted of
much profitable study, from its representing two
distinct styles, the works of two great masters in
the constructive arts, Cardinal Wolsey and Sir
Christopher Wren. A comparison between the

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

widely different means employed in the production
of palatial magnificence was made, and it was sug-
gested, how differently had beauty been estimated
how strikingly had the phases of the two opposite
styles been developed in the Tudor and the Italian,
in the contrast of material and the variety of con-
tour. The respective advantages and disadvantages
supply much to reflect upon, much to learn, and
much to profit by. A description of the old palace
built by the Cardinal was then given. The well-
designed and well-executed chimney shafts, their
sharply moulded caps, forming picturesque clusters
around the fine court-yard, the noble gateways, all
constructed in admirably ornamented brickwork,
with its glowing richness of colour contrasting
beautifully against our prevaient cool grey sky,
were each respectively alluded to, and the use of
artificial cements, now so generally applied to our
buildings, was comparatively disapproved of. He
advocated the more frequent use of terra cotta; it)
is very durable, possesses a rich colour, and in
many places, such as window and door dressings
and architraves, might permit the introduction of
forms of greater importance than the convention-
alized bracket: and it has especial advantage in}
not requiring paint to keep it clean, or to preserve
it from the influence of the weather,

The next court-yard built by Wren is surrounded
by an Italian colonnade, after the manner of the)
Gothic ambulatories, and presents an imposing,
appearance. Several beautifully sculptured stone)
wreaths of flowers, executed under the superin-|
tendence of Grinling Gibbons, are admirably
arranged within semicircular arches, and are as,
sharp as if just from the chisel.

A wish was expressed for casts of these, which}
by the use of gelatine moulds might be readily ob-
tained and distributed to our schools of design at a!
trifling cost. This would greatly facilitate the
studies of the modeller, the importance of whose
skill is beginning to be better recognized. A series
of lunettes is arranged between the principal and
attic story over the colonnade; and on one side of;
the court, these are painted with frescoes repre-
senting the labours of Hercules. The framework is
boldly conceived and well executed in stone, de-
signed from a lion’s hide, with head, paws, &c., the
shadows being well defined. The pedestals placed
in this court, it was said, are finely formed, although
deprived of their purpose—an iron bar that pro-
jects from the top of each shewing that they once
secured some figure (by Farelli), which has been
removed.

(To be continued.)

HERE i TEAM el pee eet a |

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

fl Ss

{

Fig.1. Elevation of Niche, South Transept.
_ Fig. 2. Elevation of Piscina, South Transept.
_ Fig. 8. Plan of Piscina.

——SSe

FROM THE CHURCH OF SI. JOHN THE BAPTIST, BISHOPSTONE, WILTSHIRE.

= : ree ee
a

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 4a}

which was sometimes ornamented with flowers or
; fruit, like that. of Baechus by a pine cone, called
An Elustratedy Glossary of Technical ee
Terms used in Architectural any Hatcuep Movunpine. A moulding chiefly
Entevtor Becoration, Ke.

(Continued from page 68.)

HAsit. (In painting and sculpture.) Dress, | used in Saxon architecture.
accoutrements. HEAD Movuupine. Another moulding used in)
_Hanp. The extremity of the arm, consisting,

of the palm and fingers, with their radial and ul-
nar muscles. The hand is one of the most diffi-

Saxon architecture.
HEART Movuupine. A moulding also used as

cult and important of the extremities to represent
well, either in drawing, painting, or sculpture, and
requires the greatest attention from the artist.

HAND-RAIL. The rail used in stair-cases. It
is formed straight, circular, or elliptical, to suit the | the above.
construction of the staircase. It is frequently en-/ Hip Nos. The terminal of a gable end.

HAND-IRON. A kind of stand used in old fire-'

riched by elaborate carving, and composed of
costly materials. Marked a.

Hasta, A spear or pike used by the ancient Ro-
mans. The hasta reversed was used as an emblem
of peace, and Cirero uses the words hastam abjicere

in the meaning of to give up the cause; ad hastam
locare, to make open sale. The hasta pura was
the pike staff divested of its iron head or point, | places to rest the burning logs of wood upon.

————

Hip-roor. When a roof of a building is
formed by equally inclined planes rising from each
Side, it is called a hipped roof, and the ridges

rising trom the angles of the wall are called hips.

Hauu. The first large room or apartment in a
house; the public room of a corporate body; a
‘court of justice; a manor house, so called because
courts for the admission of tenants and other ma-
norial business are held in them. There are also
other apartments in a mansion called halls, be-
‘sides the hall of entrance, as the servants’ hall, &c.

Hip or Corner Ties. These are used at
the hips of roofs. “Tbey are ten inthes long, and
of a convenient breadth and thickness; they are
bent on a mould before. burning, and have a some-
\what triangular shape, with a hole for a nail at the
narrow end, which is laid uppermost.

HEcAtomponis. The name of the Isle of
Crete, so called from its hundred cities which it had
in the time of its ancient king, Minos.

HEIGHTEN. (In painting.) To improve, to
meliorate, to make more prominent by touches of
\light colours, in imitation of the brightness of the
lights in nature, contrasted with shadow, common-
lly called to heighten the lights.

(To be continued.)

ANCIENT ReELIcs.—During the past week

some premises occupied by a Mr. Parkinson, in
Northgate Street, Chester, discovered an Ancient
Urn, and other relics, supposed to be of Roman
‘manufacture. They were found at the depth of
‘eight feet below the surface. The Urn, which is in
the possession of Mr. Parkinson, isin a remarkable
good state of preservation, and/will no doubt be
‘prized as a most interesting antique vase. As
‘the fragments of a bracelet were within the urn, it
probably contained the ashes of a Roman Lady,
‘A drawing of it has been made by Mr. W. Ayrton,
and forwarded to the Archeological Society.—In
constructing a large sewer in the Hastgate, a large
‘quantity of gunpowder and other ammunition was
discovered, probably placed for use during the
Siege of Chester, in the days of the great rebellion.
Some coins have also been found, in excavating
(or a sewer near St. Peter’s, Chester.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

some workmen, in digging a drain in the yard of}

I ebicl,

— eee

On ORNAMENTAL ART, APILIED TO ANCIENT
AND MopERN Bookbinpine. By Joseph Cun-
dall. Cundall.]

Mr. Cundall, the publisher, has here printed a
paper read by him at the Society of Arts on the
subject of the Bookbinder’s skill. Though of ne-
cessity short, it presents a concise and comprehen-
sive glance at the history of an art which was at
its zenith at the time when the higher arts were
most flourishing. A little historic sketch brings!
us to the time of the celebrated Grolier, some of
whose specimens exist in our national museum,
where we have lately admired them.

As in all the other arts, re-production of the
past is shown here to be the spirit of the day. This
Mr. Cundall, very properly, deplores. ‘“‘ Since the
beginning of the eighteenth century,’’ he observes,
“we have arrived at the greatest possible pitch of
mechanical skill; and although we are unable at
the present time to exhibit any very high standard
of excellence in ornament, yet the improvements
which have lately been made, and the attention
which is now generally directed to ornamental art
augur that it will not be long before we shall join
artistie merit to our perfect execution. It will be
said, that books are much better bound now than
they were formerly. Granted. The mechanical
execution is better—the books open more freely, |
are more truly folded, have the squares more even,
the head-bands much handsomer, and the sides and,
back are richly enough gilt ; but where is the Or-
namental Art of the fifteenth century? Now and)
then we have good copies of the old designs re-
produced, and occasionally a good original design»
but we have no style whatever that is worth perpe-
tuating.”

After questioning the propriety of adapting Gro-
lier patterns of the sixteenth century to modern)
guide-books, &c., he observes that ‘One of the
principles which he would seek to establish in Or-
namental Art in Bookbinding is, that every book’
should be decorated as far as possible in accordance)
with its contents.”

Twenty-four plates of coloured lithographic spe-
cimens of various styles of binding illustrate this
little memoir,—a large portion of which are from
specimens preserved at the British Museum. There
is much common sense and good taste in Mr. Cun-
dall’s observations, Altogether it is a highly use-
ful production, and calculated to further the im-
provements he so strenuously advocates. We can
confidently recommend its perusal to the trade.

SSS SSS SS

Dn a es

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

eta

GMoreester Cathedral.

TuIs edifice presents a very curious admixture
of all the styles of architecture which have pre-
vailed in England, since the coming of the Nor=
mans, and earlier, if the believers in the Saxon
origin of the crypt, which we are not, should hap-
pen to be right. The whole history of architecture
may be illustrated there, and the characteristics of
each stvle pointed out. The crypt; a very curious
large semi-circular arch in the east wall of the
south transept, with rudely sculptured capitals ;
and the lower part of the chapter-house, with its
arcade of semi-circular intersecting arches, will
iserve to make evident some of the chief features of
ithe Norman period. In the two westernmost bays
of the nave, where the pointed arch is mixed up
with the semi-circular arch and zig-zag adorn-
‘ments, we see the evidence of transition to the first
‘pointed style, of which, in its perfect state, the
‘ehoir and the easternmost transepts present such
beautiful specimens, wherein some of its most pro-
‘minent characteristies,—the acutely-pointed arch,
\erisp, sharp, twisting foliage in the capitals and
corbels, the dog-tooth moulding, &c., are obvious.
The nave shows thechangeto the decorated style,
and many of the window-openings throughout the
‘cathedral, are filled in with tracery of the perpen-
\dicular period, easily distinguishable even by the
\least initiated, by the tendency of the mullions to
continue perpendicularly up from the cill to the
arch. Prince Arthur’s monumental chapel, be-
tween the chancel and its aisle, at the junction of
the south transept, affords us an example of the
last period of that style, when panelling and
sculptured ornament covered every foot of surfave,
‘and debasement was coming on. ‘The cloisters of
the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, with their
lavatories, perforated piers between the windows,
and the buildings attached, have many points of
interest.

THE ELectric Ligut.—During the past week
out door experiments have been made of the two
different Electric Lights. That of Mr. Staite, was
shewn on Tuesday, the 5th inst., in Trafalgar
square, and was very successful, rendering all the
surrounding objects as clearly distinguishable as at
noon day. The Chevalier Le Molk’s took place on
Thursday, the 7th inst. onthe gallery at the summit
of the Duke of York’s column, on which the ap-
paratus was placed, and notwithstanding the very
unfavorable state of weather at the time, the effect
produced was certainly most striking. The light
wherever it chanced to fall, made every part of the
surrounding buildings perfectly visible. The most
distant object on which it was thrown, was the
County Fire Office, at the top of the Quadrant,
which appeared as though it was illuminated.
Many thousands of persons assembled to witness
the experiment.

Baths of Caracalla have been discovered in a state
of great preservation. They are under the market
place, between the inn at the Rose and the church.

By an excavation made at Baden-Baden, the

Perspective.

(Continued from page 60.)

VANISHING LINE.

Now, as the distant extremity of the road va-
nishes in a point where the sky seems to meet the
land, we may properly call this remote extremity
of the horizon the vanishing line in nature. But
as the spectator means to represent this road in
perspective on the glass, he must also have a per-
spective vanishing line, and this is obtained in the
following manner :

Imagine a plane of infinite length, placed hori-|
zontally with one edge at the spectator’s eye, and.
this edge parallel to the plane of the glass; in this,
position this horizontal plane will be five feet high.
Imagine this plane to move in a horizontal direc-|
tion, cutting the glass, and produced to the remote
extremity of the road, where it will seem to coin-
cide with the vanishing line in nature.

In the progress of this horizontal plane, it cut
tne glass at the height of five feet, and produced
the required perspective vanishing line, which,
being parallel to the horizon, we call the horizontal
vanishing line on the glass or picture. |

From this theory we may conclude that the per-'
spective vanishing line in nature, and if produced
or moyed parallel to itself, they would both coin-
cide at an infinite distance. |

VANISHING POINT.

All things remaining as before, imagine a line
drawn from the centre of the intersection of the
glass with the road, and this line produced along
the middle of the road to the vanishing line in na-
ture, its extreme end will vanish in that point in
which the remote extremity of the road vanished.
Now this line, as well as each side of the road, is
supposed to be perpendicular to the glass or picture,
and all vanish in one point in the vanishing line in
nature, which point is opposite the spectator’s eye.

To find a corresponding perpective vanishing
point on the glass or picture, imagine a line drawn
from the eye of the spectator parallel to the line
drawn along the middle of the road, and the for-
mer will vanish in the same vanishing point in na~
ture as the latter: but the former line drawn from
the eye, in its progress cut the glass or picture in a
point, and this point is the perspective vanishing
point on the picture for all lines perpendicular to
the picture or glass. |

A line drawn from the spectator’s eye perpendi-
cular to the plane of the glass or picture, is called
the centre of the picture; but the line drawn from
the spectator’s eye parallel to the line drawn along
the middle of the road, is perpendicular to the
plane of the picture, and the point in which it cut
the picture is the centre of the picture: hence the
centre of the picture is the vanishing point for all
lines perpendicular to the plane of the picture.

Having now the vanishing line of the road, and
the vanishing point for the sides of the road, its
perspective representation is easily found, thus :—_
From each extremity of the line or section made,

f Sa eT

\78, ‘ THE DE€ORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

| \by the glass and the road, draw a line to the centre
of the pictnre, and these two lines form a triangle,
the base of which is the section of the picture with
the road ; and the vertex in the centre of the pic-
jture and this triangle we call the perspective re-
presentation of the road. We have spoken of the
|horizontal vanishing line in nature as being at an
‘infinite distance from the spectator. Now, if we
isuppose a plane perpendicular to the horizon to
pass through the vanishing line in nature, and this
‘plane to be infinitely extended, we may call this
‘plane the plane of infinite distance; and in this let
\us suppose all original planes, however opposed to
ithe picture, to vanish.

| To exemplify this hypothesis, let us suppose the
‘common roof of a house, as placed before the glass
jor picture, so that the ridge or top may be parallel
to the plane of the picture. Here each side of the
‘roof is inclined to the picture, and also to the hori-
zon. Now, if we imagine the side of the roof
next the picture to be produced upward toward
the sky, it will cut the plane of infinite distance,
and determine a vanishing line in nature.

| And if we imagine a plane to pass from the eye
-of the spectator parallel to the same side of the
roof, and produced, it will seem to coincide with
(the vanishing line in nature, and, in its progress,
jwill cut the picture, and determine the perspective
jvanishing line for the near side of the roof.

At frequently happens that original planes are so
opposed to the picture and the horizon, as to re-
\quire vanishing lines intersecting other vanishing
lines in various angles of inclination, all which
\tend to prove the invariable analogy between the
plane of the picture, and the imaginary plane of

‘infinite distance.

through the pupil of the eye, and is transmitted
directly to the retina, and thence to the brain.

The retina is of a limited round magnitude, so
that a ray may enter the pupil, but that ray may
not fall on the retina; for it may pass above it, be-
low it, or on one side, and in such cases there can
be no perfect vision ; hence it has been ascertained
that one or many objects should be viewed under a
certain angle.

The progress of rays of light in straight lines is
made manifest by admitting the light of the sun
into a dark room through a small aperture or nar-
row slit; if there be dust- or smoke in the room,
the straightness of the rays of light will be made
apparent. Also, if we look through a continuous
tube considerably bent, we cannot see any object
placed near the end of the tube; if we straighten
the tube, we are then enabled to see the object
which before was invisible. From these conside-
rations we deduce the following proposition, name-
ly:—Objects are seen by means of rays of light
that proceed in straight lines, in every direction,
from every point of the visible surfaces. Of these
innumerable rays of light, some meet at the eye of
each spectator, and there form the images of the
objects.

ANALYSIS OF THE DIRECTION OF RAYS OF LIGHT
PROCEEDING TO THE EYE,

We will now trace the directions of the rays of
light, and ascertain their relative positions in order
that having learned how the image of an object is
conveyed to the eye, we may be enabled to repro-
duce that image by a drawing. It will be simpler
to separate, as it were, the straight lines which form
the outline, or determine its shape, and to consider
the course and progress of the rays of light pro-
ceeding from a single straight line, which may be)
afterwards combined with others to reproduce the
accompanying or similar forms. We will examine
the course of the rays of light, as they would pro-
ceed from this straight line to the eye of any indi-
vidual. Now, the rays of light conveying to the
eye the image of a straight line, proceed from every

A transparent substance or body is that through
which we can distinctly see objects on the opposite
\side: water, glass, &c. are transparent.
| An opaque body is that throngh which we can-
not see, as iron, wood in general, &c.
| If, at the distance of 12 or 18 inches, we look
through a pane of glass, at a window in a house
opposite, and keeping the head steady, we rake on
ithe glass, with a little brush of dark colour, the
four corners of the window, just as they appear to
,the eye; then join the points on the glass—this
squarelike form will. be the perspective represen-
‘tation of the opposite window.

In the above example, the eye being fixed, and
lines imagined to be drawn from the four corners
jot the window to the eye, these imaginary lines,
and the window opposite form a pyramid, the win-
dow being the base, and the vertex of the pyramid
lin the eye. The pane of glass through which we
\look is a plane cutting this imaginary pyramid,
and the squarelike form on the glass represents its
joriginal, the window opposite.

point of it, and may be said to be innumerable.—
We can, however, simplify the illustration by omit-

OF THE ANGLE OF VISION.

The principal parts of the eye for our purpose
are the pupil and the retina. Pupil, from the La-
tin pupilla, probably means a diminutive figure of
a person, as the representation of a little human
figure may often be seen in the pupil of the eye.— A ;

San. fi : hi
Hee wae, peste ee take Bae eas Te Ae ting all the threads except those which proceed from
appearance of network. If we look at a point, a! the ends of the line.
‘ray of light comes from that point, and passes | (To be continued.)

————

Stantels Mall, Porfolk.
| OwuR first page this week presents a correct view
of the above old English mansion, recently brought
into painful notoriety by the horrible tragedy per-
petrated within its walls. .
The mansion, which early received the name of
Stanfield Hall, is situated in the Hundred of Laun-
ditch, and at the Conquest it fell into the hands
of the Earl of Warren. It is partly the remains
of the house inhabited by the Flowerdews, in the
reign of Elizabeth; and the Rev. George Preston,
the owner, in 1820, preserved the peculiar charac-
ter of the former period in his additions. The
porch at the entrance exhibited (1820,) the arms of
the family; the large windows, divided by mul-
lions, and the clustered chimneys, with the spiral
ornaments to the gabels, give a correct represen-
tation of the architecture of that period. Our en-
igraving represents an E.S. E. view of the build-
ing. The interior contains various specimens of
[gecaeetures from the plain groined to the florid
style, the whole of which is executed in imita-
tion of stone, and was the work of Mr. Wilkins, of
Norwich. The house is surrounded by a moat, and
stands in the midst of a cheerful.and well sheltered
lawn. ‘The situation is considered the highest in
the county of Norfolk.

SocreTy oF ANTZQUARIES.—On Thursday
Evening last, the Chevalier Bunsen and M. Guizot
were admitted Honary Fellows, on the introduc-
tion of Sir George Staunton. The President (Vis-
count Mahon) addressed the illustrious foreigners,
referring to the excellent labours of both in’ the
field of antiquities, and especially to the Chevalier
||Bunsen’s late learned work on Hyoyptian History.
M. Guizot, returned thanks with great energy of
manner, promising to attend the Meetings of the
Society frequently, and the Chevalier Bunsen ex-
pressed how happy he should be at all times to
contribute, to the progress and prosperity of the
Society.

GALVANISED WirRE AND Hump Ropzs.—An
experiment was lately tried in Woolwich Dock-
yard, to ascertain the comparative strength of wire
and hempen ropes. A wire rope, 3 inches round,
and a hemp rope of three strands, hawser laid, com-
mon make, 7 inches round, were spliced together,
and placed in the testing machine, and on the hy-
draulic pressure being applied, the hemp rope
broke in the middle on the strain reaching eleven
jtons and three quarters, the wire rope remaining
apparently as strong as when the experiment com-
menced. A wire rope, three inches and a half
round, was then spliced with an eight inch hemp
shroud rope, and on the power being applied, the

hemp rope broke in the middle, with a strain of | it will amount to 123 tons It ran from Slough to

10 tons and a half, the wire continuing uninjured.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Payne's Pon-Combustible Cetaoy,

» Durine the past week experiments have been
made in the presence of a number of agriculturists
and other influential parties, to test the capabilities
of the process by which wood is rendered incom:
bustible or uninflammable. Two model houses,
one constructed of wood prepared according to the
patent, and the other of unprepared wood, were
tried. In the one of unprepared wood, four pounds)
weight of shavings were placed, and being set fire
to, speedily communicated the flames to the house,
which was partly consumed, when the flames were)
extinguished by some of the solution used by the
patentees in the process. Inthe house of prepared
wood, 12 lbs., of shavings were ignited, and blazed
away furiously, but the house was only slightly
charred, and never in flames. The cylinder for
carrying on the process is very large, made of iron,
like a steam boiler; the air is exhausted by the)
forcing into it of steam, which expels the air. It is,
then closed, and the steam condensing, a vacuum
is created. Thetimber is conveyed into this cylin-
der, and being exhausted of air, and the cavities
empty, the solution is applied, and becomes in a
manuer fossilized, or rendered metallic, without
however, losing its elasticity. The most common)
and comparatively worthless woods, by this process
are rendered impervious to damp or rot, resist fire,
and. will not be invaded by insects, worms, &c.

New Steam Carriace.—On Friday, the 8th
inst., an Experimental trip took place on the Great
Western Railway, with anew Patented Steam Car-
riage, constructed with a view to the more econo-
mical management of branch and other lines,
where the passenger trafic is light. The Patentee
is Mr. Adam’s of Fairfield Works, who has con-
tracted with the Bristol and Exeter Railway ; for
whom this machine has been constructed, to pro-|
pelit with ten pounds of coke per mile. The En~
gine and Carriage are joined in one frame work,
so that they form one machine. The total length
is 39 feet, and the carriage, whichhas a first and}
second class compartment is constructed to carry
48 passengers. ne following however will give a
more accurate idea of the nature of the invention.
The driving wheels are 4 feet 6 inches, made of
solid wrought iron, the training wheels 3 feet 6 in-
ches, of wood and running independently on their
axles as well as their journals, the middle wheel
having a lateral traverse of 6 inches. The boiler
is tubular and vertical, 3 feet in diameter, and 6
feet high. The fire box 2 feet high, and 2 feet 6
inches in diameter. The cylinder is 8 inches dia-
meter, with 12 inches stroke. The boiler is placed
behind the driving axle; the tank, holding 220
gallons of water, in front of it, and the coke box,
is attached to the front of the carriage, behind the
driver. The first class carriage is in the form: of
a saloon, and accommodates 16 passengers, the se-
cond class, 82. The entire weight of the machine) |
is about 10 tons, when occupied by 48 passengers,

Paddington in thirty minutes.

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

The Chronotyytst.

THE New Roman. Catholic Church. Liverpool,
was ‘opened last week, it has been upwards of 3
‘years in course of erection, and is the first in

Liverpool in connection with the order of Jesuits..

The building whichis an exceedingly Jarge one,
will cost, when completed, upwards of £30,000.
The Marquis of Westminster, has granted the
handsome sum, of £5,000 towards the erection of
the new Church of St. Gabriel, Pimlico ; in addi-
tion'to which Mr. Cubitt, his Lordship’s leesee, has
given up hisinterest in the land, valued, for build-
ing purposes at £2,000.——The Eastern Counties
Company, have constructed a. Railway upon the
Southend Pier, which they have purchased, and
which extends about a mile and a quarter into the
Thames, for the conveyance of passengers to and
from the Steam Boats.——The Lords Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty have given permission to
Mr. Charles Blunt, Civil’ Engineer, to effect a
communication by laying down his submarine
electric telegraph between Holyhead and Dublin.
The telegraphic wires will be connected with the
lines of Railway radiating from Dublin,and with
the Chester and Holyhead Railway, and conveni-
ent positions at both the termini, have been chosen
and marked out, where the wires will terminate.
The Seven district churches, now in progress
of erection at Plymouth and Devonport, are ex-
pected to be completed, consecrated, and ready for
use, within five years from the present time.——At
the Parish meeting last week at Aylesbury, it was
resolved from the dilapidated state of the parish
Church to close it, and obtain atemporary place of
worship.——A new and magnificent Church, dedi-
cated to St. Peter, has just been completed at
Cheltenham. It will be consecrated immediately
after Christmas, by the Lord Bishop of Gloucester
and Bristol.——There is a rumour very generally
circulated that the annual grant of £10,000 for
ladditions to the Library of the British Museum is
about to be suspended for a while—if not entirely
withdrawn. A conviction of the impossibility of
continuing to lay out so large a sum annually in
ithe increase of such a library as that which now
rests within the walls of the Museum has probably
had as much to do with this determination as the
present state of the exchequer.——We are glad
to find that the commissioners of Woods and
Forests have at length decided finally on having
the Serpentine River drained and cleaned.——
jAmong the emigration schemes now before the
public, that of the potters demands attention from

its novelty and interest. The potters, it seems,
have had many quarrels with their enployers re-
garding the question of wages; and in these the
artizans, it is stated, have always been worsted.
Recently a machine has been invented which will
do the work of a great number of hands—and if
the men all remain in the labour market, will re-
duce wages itis believed, still farther. On this,
they have agreed to emigrate ; and clubbing their
means together they raised £5,000, out of which
they have bought an estate at Wisconsin, United

States,—where they have already located a con-|

siderable number of persons. The plan issaid to
be successful; and the society is now about to
make known its principles, and invite the general
public to avail themselves of its advantages. Each
shareholder pays down, or in instalments, £1 Is,
6d.; when he becomes entitled to ballot for
the allotments as they are cleared and prepared for
occupation. The remainder of the price of the
land—the smallest divisions of which are twenty
acres—is to be paid at convenient intervals.

Ga Korvresponvents, Ke.

Write legibly and sensibly, so that both thy
words and their meaning may be readily decy~
phered by the recipient of thy communication.

“ J. G.” (Newcastle.)—We have made severa
enquiries respecting mottle painting, but cannot
understand what spirit you allude to. You say
that when you dash the SPrrit on, it runs down
when placed in.a perpendicular position. It ought
to be varnished in the usual manner, with the best
Copal varnish and a soft brush, which will pre-
vent the fossils being destroyed.

“ Brutus and. Cassius.”—Since you appear so
anxious to assume the toga, we would advise you
to apply to Mr. Nathan, Berwick-street, Soho.

“ D. K.”— We do not communicate per post ; an
answer will appear in our next.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provineial
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics
Institutions, the fine arise science, &C.

Cases for Vols. I. IL. cane III. are now. Fane
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt, or
_marbled, 6d. extra.

Part 20 is now ready, Price 10d.

* .* Part I, is also re aorintiedl, and will in fature be
charged at 10d. each.

—————— ee

"GNVTIOHTIOAW SIONVEA AT (Nviom19) ‘AZM V WO NOISTG TVNIDIMO NV

De OT

ARs

[Two-PENcE.

ol. IV

No. 85.—V

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SATURDAY, |

The §rint Woom of the Writish
SMuseum.

T may be
observed—and with unquestionable truth—that
our artists are better acquainted with the as-
sembled treasures of foreign collections than
with those equally valuable in a general com-
parison, and not less accessible, which invite
their attention athome. We hear never-ending
rhapsodies of the inestimable bequests made to
Art by Albert Direr, Marc Antonio, Martin
Schon, Cellini, and all the painters, etchers,
argentiert and niellatori who have lived between
the Categat and the Mediterranean—between
the thirteenth century and the present time.
We hear incessant praise bestowed on the col-
lections at Rome, Dresden, Florence, Nurem-
berg, &c.—but seldom any mention of the
Print Room in Great Russell.-street, the con-
tents of which may be fairly estimated at the
value of a hundred thousand pounds. Our

painters bear the character on the Continent of| Cracherode, and Knight collections; drawings

being the most persevering sketchers on record;
jyet after, we may say, a long life of sketching,

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT. [DECEMBER 23,1848. 3

how many of them are there who “die and
make no sign!”” In what nook soever of Eu-
rope there may exist an association with a
great name, be it authentic or apocryphal, it is
coloured a green spot in the charts of our voy-
aging Anacharses, and a shrine is established
to the hallowed memory; all this before the
STORES AT HOME are even looked into.

In the folios of the Print Room the works
of the greatest artists who have ever lived may
be studied, before they are contemplated at)
large in the temples of Italy, or in the cabinets
of more northern Europe; and with how
much advantage does the student, or one who
may have passed the chrysalis state of student-
ship, survey the vast and sublime compositions
at Rome, Parma, or wheresoever any like won-
ders of Art may exist—for everything that has
been published has a place here.' It is at pre-
sent only our purpose to call the attention of
our readers to the Print Room: we can here,
do no more than allude to its contents; ina
future paper we purpose to devote some space
to a particular examination of its shelves.

This room is little known to the public, and’
less to artists, by few of whom it is ever)
visited, notwithstanding the extent of the va-
luable and curious collection described in the)
catalogue. The form of obtaining admission
is similar to that employed in soliciting per-
mission to visit the Reading-room: a written)
application is addressed to Sir Henry Hllis,
the principal librarian, supported by the re-
commendation of some person of known
respectability.

Every facility is afforded to visitors and stu-
dents for copying prints and engravings with
the single reservation, that they are not al-
lowed to execute fac-similes—that is, some
difference of dimension is insisted on—with
the view of preventing the substitution of a
copy for an original, either by accident or de-
sign. General visitors are at all times cour-
teously received, and their wishes consulted in
every respect, in as far as they may be consis-
tent with the regulations of the establishment.

The works are classed, as first—original)
drawings by masters of the different schools,
principally arranged in the Sloane, Fawkener,

after Italian pictures; monuments of the in-
vention of engraving, and prints after the

—_____——=!

pe ereeene e e

works of eminent painters and designers of all
schools, including ‘also the works of emiment
engravers, commencing with the Florentine
school; engravings after L. da Vinci, Fra Bar-
tolommeo, Andrea del Sarto, Michel Angiolo,
also after those of members of the other
schools of Italy, as Peruzzi, Beccafumi, Raf-
faelle, Guido, Romani, &c. ;
tish topography; costumes, processions, cere-
monies, animals, antiquities, Indian and
Chinese drawings, &c.

The admirable order and classification of the
contents of the Print Room are beyond all
praise. The visitor is not only met with cour-
teous attention, but his wishes are at once
gratified; this, indeed, is not less the case in
the reading department, a fact which we may
contrast with the arrangement: of the Biblio-
theque soyale at Paris, where, for certain
MSS., although known to be in the library,
Wwe may ask in vain: they are not classed, and
cannot be found; many are known to have
been stolen; and, in short, it would require a
labour of years to place this establishment on
the footing of order which prevails in the Li-
brary of the British Museum.

The visitors’ book in the Print Room is a
curious record of the class of persons to whom
| these valuable drawin os and.engravings may be
supposed to be interesting. We cannot help
expressing astonishment at the list of names,
which we may examine, page after page, with-
out discovering one of those associated with
|the patronage of Art—we run even through a
course of years uncheered by the sight of a
single star of this magnitude—even the names
of known artists are but a thin sprinkling:
these average, according to the book, about ten
|per month! We may, indeed, visit this sanc-
tum, day after day, and often find no more
|than half-a-dozen persons, one half copying,
and the remainder turning over the leaves of
the volumes placed before them; hence it is
clear that the resources of the Print Room,
jand the facilities of access to them, are but
little known, and, even where known, insuffi-
|ciently appreciated. It is our object, therefore,
merely to call attention to it at present; in a
future notice we propose to describe ,its con-
tents more in detail. In the meantime we
trust that it will be acceptable to our readers to

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT, |

foreign and Bri- |

point out the means of access to a collection‘of],
works of Art, from the study of which incal-
culable advantage is derivable.

opal Lnstitution of Architects.

Art a meeting held on the 4th inst., Mr. Bil-
ling gave a lecture on the Infinity of Geomet-
ric Design, as ‘regards Tracery. Mr. Billings
commenced his.observations with some remarks
on the present practice and position of archi-
tecture. He objected’ to the unwise use of
gaudy colourings, and condemned the mode in
which the Temple Church had been disfigured.
In its original state it was the artificial infinite
realised; now the whole was [contracted and
brought down on the head of the beholder.’
There were other buildings to which the re-
mark would apply. ° Look to the House of——
but no; he was one of those who would rather
run a mile than fight a minute, and he would
not provoke a controversy. Only a short time
ago the idea of geometric principles in Gothic
architecture was laughed at; but now the fact
was well understood and generally admitted.
Why should modern architects be content with
simply copying ?—why stand still and exhibit
no invention? The use of glass and iron alone
ought to have led to an entirely new style.
The fact was, they succumbed to lay and cle-
rical masters, who positively would not let).
them design. Why was this permitted? Ar-),
chitects too readily gave way to amateur pre-||
tenders. When he first introduced the system
of squares for tracery, he had been laughed at,
but these squares, like the British squares at
Waterloo, had never been broken. Pursuing
the same train of thought, he had been striving
to discover the means by which the Gothic
architects achieved such infinite variety of de-
sign, and he had succeeded, he believed, to a
great extent. On one fixed design, namely, a
circle divided into eight compartments, with
four smaller circles within it, placed around
the circumference, and each one-third the size
of the enclosing circle, he had constructed 100
difierent panels of tracery, not one of which
could be called vulgar Gothic. They were all
purely geometric; no rule of thumb in them,
and any one could draw them, when he knew

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

83)

|how. Geometric forms, he thought, the most
\graceful of all forms. An entirely new field
was opening to the designer, and would doubt-
less would be well worked.

The lecturer then explained the construction:
of a large number of these panels, which dis-
played extraordinary variety and beauty; the
variety was caused simply by varying the po-
sition of the connecting curves. He said he
was most anxious that others should get on the
same scent, with a view to other branches of
design. These designs, forming a book, would
be published at a low price, and he looked for

|general support. ‘

@bserbations ow the Polvehromatic
Decoration ef the Hidde Ages,

But a few years have elapsed since the theo-
|ries by which Polychromy was first announced
to the world, were regarded by the great ma-
jority of persons interested in the arts with
doubt or apprehension. It was anything but
an agreeable association to the admirers of
classic genius to be told that the exquisite
finish of Grecian chiselling was concealed be-
|neath a coat of ‘‘ villainous ochre,’’ or that
the sculptor and architect selected the most
|costly materials only to daub them with eplour,
or cover them with stucco; and they resolutely
refused to believe that Grecian taste could ap-
| prove so much coarseness and exaggeration, or
that Ictinus and Callimachus, to say nothing
of ‘Phidias or Praxiteles, practised those atro-
| dities.

581¢ was difficult for them to suppose that the
same nation which displayed such exquisite
skill in architecture and sculpture was guilty of a
“barbarous taste in painting; nor could they re-
concile themselves to a custom so foreign to all
their preconceived ideas of art. Yet within these
few years, so great a change has been wrought in
public opinion, that suggestions bold in that day,
seem timid in ours. The advocates of Polychromy
have never been led astray by an extravagant ima-
gination. Inferences were drawn only from the
facts that every succeeding day brought.to light ;
and research, prosecuted simultaneously in different
countries, and among the monuments of widely
varying ages and people, has led to results unanti-
cipated by the first propounders of the new doc-

trine, and what is of greater object toa practical
eye, as substantial as they are new.

The architect or antiquary is no longer content
with ascertaining the date of a building, and des-
cribing it by the combination of its parts, the form
of its mouldings, and the character of its plastic
decorations ; but in the unnoticed teints that time
and change yet permit to remain upon its walls
and ornaments, he reads a language long silent and
unknown, but now eloquent with beautiful mean-
ing and glorious conceptions.

Before the discovery of this practice there was
much in “ classic” architecture that seemed inef-
fective or incomprehensible, and much that when
copied-in our public edifices, only served to disgust
‘the public, and blind them to the merits of the

|style; yet, although we were familiar not only with

the existence, but also acknowledged the beauties
of Polychromy as applied to the tombs and|
temples of India and Egypt; although some such
usages seemed connected with the sacred architec-
ture of all nations ; and although with every style
that has flourished among any people, Polychromy
was born and grew together with it, forming, as it
were, the very soul of the material fabric, yet with
strange perversity we refused to reason from the
analogy, or apply to those forms of architecture
that were received among ourselves the same con-
clusions that were obvious as regards the rest.

It is only now that we can present to the mind
all the gloriesof Grecian art, or realize the picture
of an ancient temple, perfect inthesimplicity of its
conception, grand in the combination of its parts,
bold in its continuous lines and unbroken shadows,
and harmonious in its brilliant and contrasting
colours.

We acknowledge the very highest grade of art in
the Chrysolophantine statues, that ranked among
the ancients themselves as the finest productions of
the sculptor ; and a consummate judgment in that
application of colour, that at once displayed in
their sculpture a forcible representation of the ac-
tual, and impressed them the more powerfully with
the characteristics of the ideai.

(Vo be continued.)

Glass Signboards—One of the most beautiful
specimens of glass labelling in Liverpool, was
placed last week, over the door of Mr. Smith, a
Chemist, in Scotland Road, Liverpool. The pre-
sent operation consists in applying gold or silver
leaf to the back part of plate or sheet glass, with a
glutinous substance, which does not affect the bril-
liancy of the gold; and aiter the gold is burnished
by the application of heat, the writing cr etching}
is then secured by a varnish, and the surplus gold
removed; the ground is then laid, ason wood, or||
any other surface, and the work is finished.

ee ccc cccc cc cccccccccccrcccccc cra I

= a)

DECORATOR’S

THE

An Llustrates Glossarp of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural and
Entervior Mecoration, &e.

(Continued from page 76.)

HANDLE. Used for the purpose of opening

drawers, doors, &e. The accompanying engraving
represents one from an old eabinet.

Hiner. The iron or brass ligaments affixed to
doors, shutters, and other parts of buildings, re-
volving on an axis. The most ancient hinges of

Egypt were of wood, rolling in a stone box. The
hinges of the Greeks and Romans were pins of
wood or metal fixed in the top and bottom of the
door, or in the threshold, so that the door might

.| which the chimney was constructed.

ASSISTANT.

open either inwardly or outwardly. There are va.
rious descriptions of hinges adapted to suit all
purposes to which they are applied.

HERRING-BoNE AsHLAR. This is one of the nu-|
merous kinds of ashlar used for building purposes.

It is chiefly used in the country; also the herring-|
tooled ashlar. (See Ashlar, page 89, Vol. 1.)

Hearr-ponp. (In Masonry.) Where two stones, |
forming the breadth of the wall, have one stone of
the same breadth placed over them.

. HeartH. Among the Anglo-Saxons it was a}
heap of ashes or earth, heated by fire, used for
baking cakes, and other purposes. The Norman
hearth was in the middle of the house, but when
chimneys were introduced in the fourteenth or fif-
teenth centuries, it was under the fire-place, for)

HanGine-stILe. The portion of the door to
which the hinges are fixed.

Hawnp-spike. <A lever for the purpose of carry=,
ing a heavy beam, or other burden requiring the
When pieces. of;
timber are used for this purpose, they are called |

strength of two or more men.

pudlais.

Hassack. The provincial name for Kentish rag-;
stone.

Hawke. The board with a handle on its under

side, used by the plasterer to hold his plaster.

Hermes. This is one of the names of Mercury,
a personage very celebrated amongst the mytho-
logical deities of the ancients. Those peculiar
little figures we now and then encounter in sculp=
ture, and which resemble a stone placed upright,

increasing in width towards the top, and termi-
nating in a head or bust, are termed Hermes.

(To be continued)

$$
- . = — a

W j

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

@ssay on the drure Arts.

eal

ARCHITECTURE.
[EXTRACTS,—BY JOHN GALT, ESQ. ]

Tue Fine Arts are the delight and study of all
polished nations. They disarm the spirit of man
,of its natural ferocity, and they elevate the mind
while they soften the heart. Ignorance is but
another name for barbarity, and the want of know-
ledge sharpens the appetite of violence.

It was, indeed, a paradox of Rousseau, to main-
jtain that mankind were happier when they re-
sembled wild beasts, than with all the enjoyment
of civilized life; and that the cultivation of their
intellectual faculties has tended to degrade their
virtues. There ean be no virtue but what is
founded on a comprehensive estimate of the effects
of human actions, and an animal under the guidance
cf instinct cannot form any such estimate.

The chief object of science is the discovery of
truth, and of Art the developement of beauty. In
the former we trust to reason, and in the latter, to
imagination. Bnt judgment and fancy are of

the obstructions which impede the progress of Art,
and art adorns and smooths the path of science.
No discovery is made without some previous con-
jectural effort of the mind,—some exertion of the
imagination ; nor is beauty unfolded where there
has not been some pre-consideration of probable
effects,—some exertion of the reasoning faculties.
As the human mind is pleased with the contem-
plation of what is true, and delighted with the
appearance of what is beautiful, it may be assumed
that the cultivation of science, and the improve-
ment of Art, originate in our love of science.

We commonly divide the object of the two pur-
|suits into distinct classes, and we think when we
call scientific studies useful, and the productions of
Art only ornamental, that there is something intrin-
sically different in their respective natures.
we examine our feelings, and judge of science by
its influence on ourselves, we shall be obliged to
leonfess that although less obviously, it is, in fact,
2s much recommended to us by the pleasure which
it ministers, as those arts that we regard—as en~
tirely devoted to the excitement of agreeable
emotions. :

Of all the Arts, the art of building is that which
prominently attracts attention. Invented in the
country, and brought to perfection in the town, it
owes its origin, like every other human contrivance,
to necessity. Man, naked at his birth, thrown

mutual assistance in both studies; science clears:

But if

upon the earth, exposed tothe cold, the wet and
the heat, and to the concussion of other bodies, was
constrained to seek artificial means of protection.
The rain. obliged him to fly for shelter to the trees
and caverns, the only habitations with which Na-
‘ture has provided her favorite ;' for in the improve-
able faculties bestowed on his mind, she has fur-
nished him with the means of constructing abodes
suitable to-himself and the growth of his wants as
they increase by theimprovements of his condition.
The same instinct which led him to take refuge
from the shower, taught fhim to prefer those trees
of which the branches were most thickly inter-
woven, and when they were insufficient, to draw
the boughs closer over his head. The process of
reasoning from this experience to the considerations
which led him to form permanent bowers, requires
no illustration.

Every hypothesis framed to account for the
various styles of architecture, ascribes them to the
form of the structures first raised by the inhabi-
tants of the countries in which they respectively
originated. The aisles of the Gothic cathedrals,
and the rich foliage of carving with which its vaults
are embowered, cannot be seen without immediately
suggesting theidea of a grove; and in the struc-
‘ture of the Grecian temple we may trace the cha-
racteristics of an edifice originally formed of trees,
hewed and pruned for the convenience of trans-
portation; for Greece was not a woody country,
like the northern regions which gave birth to Go-
thic architecture. In Egypt, where trees are still
more rare than in Greecr, where, indeed, there is
nothing that can be: properly compared to our idea
of a tree, we find the character of the architecture
partaking of the features of what must have been
the early habitations of a people necessitated by
their inarborous climate to make their permanent
retreats, and the sanctuaries of their gods, in the
hollows and caverns of the earth.

Thearchitecture which would arise from such a
people, we would expect to be dark, massive, and
stupendous; and accordingly we find in Egypt
and the countries which resemble it in local cir-
cumstances, temples and labyrinths that rival in
estent and intricacy the grottoes of nature, and
pyramids.that emulate the everlasting hills in mag-
nitude and durability. In the more oriental na-
tions, we find the same general principle, and in
their permanent ‘structures a similar resemblance
to the features of what were probably the primeval

lion-like appearance of the Chinese buildings we

abodes as were likely to be constructed by the in-

may see the hereditary indications of the people
that formerly resided in tents,;and such temporary]

habitations of the natives. In the light and pavi-|;

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

habitants of a country abounding in extensive
plains, and of a climate unfavourable to the growth
of trees, and yet not so hot as to oblige the natives
to seek shelter in natural or artificial excavations.

The first savage, who, in the construction of his
hut united a degree of symetry with solidity, must
be regarded as the inventor of architecture. Mul-
tiplying improvements upon the first result of a
‘combined plan of reason and imagination, after a
series of accidents and errors, a code of rules came
to be established, by which the art of building has
since continued to be regulated. ‘The study of these
rules furnishes a knowledge of the science of archi-
‘tecture.

Although necessity was the mother of architec-

||ture, climate dictated the choice of the materials

employed in the construction of the buildings, and
chance directed the fancy of individuals in the se-
lection of ornaments. History in recording that
Callimachus of Corinth was led to think of forming

‘the Corinthian capital by observing the beautiful
| effect produced by a vase accidentally placed in

the midst of a bunch of celery, has furnished us
with a fact,—although a natural law governs man
in choosing styles of architecture, and climate pre-

| seribes to him the materials, that the peculiarities

of individual genius, and not the effect of any ge-
‘neral principle of taste, developes the beauties of

| ornament.

Taste is formed by the contemplation of works
of art, and the perfection of art consists in exhi-
biting the greatest degree of beauty, with the ut-
most possible resemblance .to the natural models.
Taste, therefore, does not instruct us to prefer for
any general reason any one particular style of ar-
chitecture to another, but only to observe and dis-
approve of deviations from what is natural.

Every pleasure, after enjoyment, occasions a new
want. The shelter and protection obtained from
architecture, igcited man to seek enjoyment in the
improvement of the art of building. When his
corporeal necessities are supplied, the restlessness
‘of his mind leads him to seek additional pleasures
by new modifications of the means which supplied
his corporeal necessities.

In the Greek colonies of Asia Minor, architecture
\is supposed to have first attained excellence. At
least, the best authors on the history of the arts,
agree in stating that the Doric and Ionic order
were first perfectly constructed there, and it may
be questioned if in the lapse of more than twenty
centuries any improyement has been added to the
august simplicity of the Doric, or to the unaifected
elegance of the Ionic. The Corinthian of later
invention, though more elaborately ornamented
than the other two, is by many of approved taste,

considered inferior to them as an order. It retains

less of the resemblance of the origlnal natural mo-
del—it has more about it that may be regarded as
superfluous, and the foliage of the eapital is obvi-
ously a redundancy placed there for no other pur-
pose than for the display of skill.

The Corinthian capitals of the porticoes of Saint
Paul’s, in London, are esteemed very fine specimens
of the order; but their appearance is far less im-
pressive than that of the Doric columns which still
remain among the ruins of the Temple of Minerva,
at Athens. More than two thousand years have
elapsed, and the remnants of Grecian architecture
still afford models, which, never having been
equalled, seem ineapable of being further improved.
It may, indeed, be said that the genius of ancient
Grecce has furnished eternal models of art, as well
as of literature to Europe.

About the time that the Doric was raised to per-
fection in Ionia, the Etruscans invented the Tuscan >
a similar order, but of a grosser style; and the
Romans, after the simple and dignified manners of
their republic had passed away, demonstrated by
their invention of the composite, and their prefe-
rence for that gaudy order, how much the corrup-
tion of their morals had infected their taste.

The Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan and Com<
posite, constitute what are properly called the
classes of architecture. They are arranged with

distinct, appropriate, and peculiar ornaments, and!

their proportions are regulated by rules which can-
not be violated without impairing their beauty.
This isnot the case with any other kind of archi-
tecture, and henee all other modifications of the
art of building are called styles, in contradistinction
to orders.

Tt is true that in England the Society of Anti-
quaries, and several private amateurs, have of late
endeavoured to classify and illustrate the different

styles of architecture in the ancient baronial and)
ecclesiastical edifices of Great Britain; and it has)

been ascertained that the Saxon, Norman, and
Gothic, or as the latter is properly called, the
English order, have characteristics as distinct as
those of the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian, and
codes of rules peculiar to each.

The human mind has an innate disposition to
admire order, and seek pleasure by the classification)
of objects. Hence, architecture is considered as
consisting of three distinct species,—civil, military,|
and naval. A fourth may be added—ecclesiastical,
for it is impossible to visit any part of Europe
without being convinced that the buildings conse-
crated to religious rites could not be applied to
any other use without radical alterations.

(To be continued.)

ANCIENT FontT.—The Font in St. James’s
Church, Taunton, which has been for some time
more than half hidden in a recess of the wall of
the S. W. corner of the Church, has just been re-
moved, and its beauties again made visible. It is
of an Octagon form, each compartment has cano-
pied niches filled with statuary. Three of the
compartments are so mutilated as not to be decy-
||phered, but these are to be carefully restored, after
the pattern of the other five, which are in very fair
preservation. The massive pedestal that supports
the font is als» octagonal, and is decorated with
boldly sculptured quarterfoils, and in the centre of
each isa boss. The rim of the basin (above the
figures) is ornamented with a row of quartrefoils.
The base or steps no longer remain, but new ones
willbe added. The font is evidently of the same
age as the church, which was built in the thirteenth
century. Two of the figures on the font corres-
pond with the remaining two in the niches of the
tower, which are supposed to be St. Peter, and St.
Paul. A very accurate drawing of the font and
its ornaments has been made, by Mr. A. A. Clarke,
of Taunton.

The Norman Tower, Bury St. Edmund’s,
Suffolk.—tThis fine structure, on the restoration of
which so much labor has been bestowed ; was last
week, simultaneously opened to the public as a
thoroughfare, and to its use as a Bell Tower to St.
James’s Church. Great admiration was expressed
at the beauty of the Tower, and at the tone of the
Bells, hung by Mr. Hurry, of Norwich. The
Tower is Eighty feet high, of a quadrangular
figure, and is deemed one of the noblest specimens

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

in the kingdom. The Church of St. James, is an
interesting Gothic structure, the roof of the nave
of which is somuch admired for its lightness and
elegance. It was built in 1500, on the site of the
original structure, erected in the year 1200.

THE LIVERPOOL ARCHITECTURAL AND AR-
CHAOLOGICAL SoOcrETY.—On Wednesday even-
ing last week, a numerous meeting of the recently
formed but properous Liverpool Architectural and
Archeological Society was held at the Royal Insti-
tution, in Colquitt Street, in that town, the Rev.
David James, F.S.A. of Kirkdale, in the chair,
A letter was read from the respected antiquary,
John Britton, expressive of his good wishes, and
presenting to the society several works, including
a copy of his recent publication, “‘The authorship
of the Letters of Junius Elucidated.”” A cordial
vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Britton, and it
was unanimously resolved that to mark their sense
of the value of Mr. Britton’s long devotion to ar-
chitectural antiquarian pursuits, the treasurer be
instructed forthwith to send a contribution in
the name of the Britton testimonial]. After the
transaction of miscellaneous business, Mr. J. A.
Picton read an interesting historical compilation,
entitled ‘‘ Ancient Liverpool in its Buildings and
Architecture.”

The Scotsman states that the scheme of erect-
ing a memorial over the graves of the slain at
Culloden, which was proposed in the year 1846,
has been revived—and that a subscription has
been commenced for the purpose of carrying it
into execution.

GROUND PLAN OF STANFIELD HALL.—(See Wo. 84.)

STABLE ¥ARD,

A. Entrance Porch.—B. Entrance Hall.—C. Staircase Hall.—D. Dining Room.—E. Draw-
ing Room.—F. Small Inner Passage-—G. Corner of Passage.—H. Footman’s Pantry
Door.—I. Passage leading to Servants’ Offices.—K. Servants’ Offices.—L. Small Sit-
ting Room.—M. Servants’ Entrance.—N. Store Room-—O. Servants’ Hall.—P. Pantry.
Q. Servants’ Staircase.—R. Study.—S. Passage.

PLAN OF PIgcINA,—(page 74.)

Cbsrrbations on Architecture and
' Guiloing.

|COMPILED FROM THE CELEBRATED WORK OF

LEON BAPTISTA ALBERTA.

(Concluded from page 64.)

THE COVERING.

As far as usefulness is concerned, exceeds every
other part of the building. Tt not only secures
‘the health of the inhabitants, by defending in the
night from rain, but it also preserves the whole of
the edifice. Take away the coverings the materials

||rot, the wall moulders and splits,—in short, the
|| whole structure falls to ruin.
‘themselves are secured by the protection of the

The very foundations

covering. It is certain that the covering is the
\defensive arm of the building against storms and
tempests. Of coverings, some are open, others
not, the open are those which are not for walking
upon, but only for receiving the rain. Those that
are open to the air are the roofs (floors) that are

‘between the covering and foundations—so that one
hhousé seems to

stand upon another. By these
means, the same which is the covering to the
apartments below is the area to those above. Of
these coverings those above our heads we will call
roofs, or ceilings, and those which we tread upon
with our feet, the. area. Whether the uppermost
covering, which lies open to the air, is to be reck-
oned as an area or pavement we shall not stop to
consider; but whether plain superficies or not, it
ought to be even with respect to the area which it
covers below, but :should always incline on one
side to throw off the rain. Whatever form of roof
we determine on, it is absolutely necessary that all

coverings should ‘beso constructed as to throw off

all water, defending the whole edifice upon which
it is placed as a covering; for rain is always pre-
pared to do mischief, and wherever there is the
least crack it never fails to get in and do some da-
mage orother. By its subtility it penetrates and
makes its way—by its humidity, rotsand destroys,
—by its continuance loosens and nnknits all the

|merves of the building, and in the end, ruins and

lays waste the whole structure to the very foun-
dation.

For this reason prudent men always take care
that the rain should have a free slope to run off,
and that the water should never be stopped in any

‘part; they have therefore advised that in situations

subject to snow, the coverings should have a very
steep slope, rising to an acute angle, that the snow
might never accumulate, but fall off easily. But
in warmer climates, the coverings may be laid less
obliquely. Lastly, if possible, the whole structure
should be laid. with one.equal covering, ina man-
ner all of one piece, and with such a projection
that the water falling from the gutters may not wet
and soak into the walls; ; and all coverings should
he so disposed, where there are more than one,
that one may not spout upon another.

(To be continued.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

| actual—its real length would remain unaltered.

Perspective.

(Continued from page 78.)

For if the ends or extreme points of a straight’
line be fixed in position; if their distance asunder) |
as well as relative position and elevation ‘be known ||
the line itself, that is, its length and direction, are|||
known. To find, therefore, the way in which the,
image of this straight line is formed at the eye, it)
will be sufficient to consider ‘the rays‘of light: wake |
proceed from its extremities to the:eye. i|

OF pee VISUAL ANGLE.

The angle feat eel by two rays of licht merc tiny
at the eye, is called the angle of sight, or visual
angle. All other things being the same, the size
of the visual angle (represented by the meeting of,
the lines in our illustration ,) varies nearly accord-|
ing to the size of the object, or the length of the,
line from which the rays proceed, increasing or di-|
minishing according as the object is larger or,
smaller. In this example, if we shorten the line,
half, we diminish the visual angle one half.

The length, or apparent length of a line isesti-
mated by the actual size of the visual angle which
it forms at the eye.

OF FORESHORTENING.

Independently of the length of a line, its direc-:
tion with reference to the position of the eye, con-
tributes to modify the size of the visual angle, and
consequently the apparent length of the line.

If the straight line is held square opposite the
eye, that is, with the eye equally distant from its.
extremities, the visual angle which it forms at the
eye is greater than when it is placed sideways or
obliquely towards the eye, that is, with the eye un-,
equally distant from the extremities of the line.
And the more the line, A, is inclined, the smaller
does the visual angle become, until at last the line

may be so placed, with the eye in the direction of
the line produced or continued, that the two rays
of light proceeding from the extremities of the,
line to the eye would meet, and the visual angle
become nothing, as at B. The length of a line is.
estimated by the size of the visual “angle, and the’
line would, when the two rays are brought to coin~

cide, necessarily appear as a. point, although its)

(To be continued.)

|90

{

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Hy. WAornuw’s Wectutes on Gr=
namental Art.

On Friday evening, at the Government School
of Design, Somerset-house, Mr. R. N. Wornum
delivered a lecture in continuation of a previous
one, on the Doric Age of Greek Art, Terra Cotta
Vases, &e, The lecturer began by alluding to the
celebrity | which Samos acquired from its pillars and
its ornamental designs. After a few remarks on
the decorative art of that age, and in reference to
the painted friezes found in the tombs of Etr uria,
the lecturer proceeded to describe very minutely
the various forms and styles of ornamental colour~
ing among the Greeks, their pictorial methods of
decoration, and their three modes of encaustic
painting. The style of their designs, or the forms

|in which they appear, were then treated of, and

led to a description of the Terra Cotta Vases, and
their decorations, which were illustrated by several
well executed diagrams, to which the lecturer fre-

quently referred.

The Chronotprist.

—_—_

THE annual distribution- of premiums took
place on Saturday, the 9th inst., the eightieth an-

jniversary of the foundation of the Royal Academy,
ata general assembly of the Academicians in Tra-
\falgar Square.—The Earl of Amherst has resigned
ithe office of Vice President of the National Society
‘of Education.—The Admiralty haveat length de-

termined to complete the Steam Guard Frigates,
to be propelled by the screw.—In the circular issu-
ed by the directors of the British Institution, to

four years since, which rejected any picture that
had been before exhibited, has been modified.
The fifth regulation of the circular now stands
thus ;—“ No picture or other work of art will be
received which has already been exhibited, unless

‘by. special order.”—It has been finally arranged

that the magnificent library at Stowe, shall’be sold
during’ the ensuing month, by Messrs. Sotheby,
of Wellington Street, Strand.——A new Telegraph
Company has been established in Scotland, called
“The Scottish Electric Telegraph Company,” for

supplying the chief towns and cities of the north.

——A Government School of Design was formally

|/opened at Paisley on the 4th inst.

Provost Murray

Artists intending to become exhibitors at the fortb- |.
‘coming exhibition, the regulation, made three or

read a discourse on General Art, and Mr. Stewart,
the Head Master of the Institution, delivered an
explanatory Lecture on its particular objects.

To Morrespondents, se.

Write legibly and ieee so that both thy
words and “their meaning may be readily decy-
phered by the recipient of thy communication.

“D. K.”—The Third Volume can be obtained,
through any Bookseller.

“« Edward.’ — Next week.

“A. Z.’—The grained or ring-like appearance
in your barrels is produced in the manufacture.
If you were to purchase Nos. 30, 32, 35, 39,
&c. of the Sportsman’s Magazlne, you would find
the whole process of manufacturing gun-barrels,|
locks, $c.

QUERIES.

How to produce coloured letters in plain and
ground glass as used for gas-lamps, &c. .

The method of embossing glass for. ornamental
windows.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “‘the Editor
of the DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.” —We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such'of our provincial
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechantes
Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c. ©

sae

- Cases for Vols. I. II. and III. are now ready,

price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt, or
marbled, Gd. extra.

——

* *Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 20 is now ready, Price 10d.

*.* Part I, is also re-printed, and will in future be
charged at 10d. each.

Fic. 1.—GorHIc PINNACLE ON SCREEN, FROM THE CHURCH OF SI. JOHN THE BAPTIST,
BISHOPSTONE, WILTSHIRE.

FIG. 2.—DECORATED GOTHIC FINIAL, LAVENHAM CHURCH, SUSSEX.

No, 86.—Vot. IV.]

[Two-PENCE.

SaTuRDAY, |

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[DECEMBER 80, 1848.

Che Hine Aris in Australia.

OQ —————————— 3
\\
s cf

O much as I
had been delighted, on my arrival in Port Jack-
son, with the varied beauty of the harbour,
and the situation and unexpected extent of
the city of Sydney, I must confess my surprise
was increased, when observing how consider-
able a taste for the elegancies of life was mani-
fested in the fittings and furniture of the bet-
ter class of residences; the walls of many of
which were hung with paintings, varying in
merit, but, on the whole, just such as one
would be likely to meet with in similar esta-
blishments in England. Of course this, in
many instances, was attributable to the circum-
stance of persons emigrating to the colony
having brought their ‘‘ household gods’ with
them.

In the houses of a lower class, the love of
ornament was equally preceptible; but here, as
indeed might be expected, the taste was ca-
pable of considerable improvement. This class
of persons would have to depend on the supply
|afforded by the colonial market, the importation

to which consisted principally of vulgarly-co-

loured scriptural prints, sporting subjects, un-
wieldy oxen, &c.

1 remember being told, at the time of my
arrival, that the most popular prints which
had been received for some time past, had been
those well-known engravings after Parker,—
“ Looking Out,’ and « Looking In’. These,
with their abundance of colour and gold, had
proved very attractive, and occasionally had
been sold for fifteen guineas the pair. On in-
quiring why a better class of engravings was
not ordered from England, I was told that the
tastes of the people must be consulted.

Now considering of what the population of
New South Wales ina great measure consisted,
I could not come to this conclusion; on the
contrary, I was of opinion that the introduc-
tion of a better class of prints would, after a
while, not only answer the ends of trade as
well as those they had been in the habit of cir-
culating, but that they would be the means of
improving the taste of the people, and thus be
doing a great benefit to the community at
large.

For the purpose of more generally expressing
my views On this and other matters connected
with Art, I agreed to the request of the Com-
mittee of the Mechanics’ Institution, to give
some lectures on the subject. This I did, in
two series, consisting of six lectures in each;
and I had the gratification of finding that by
treating the subject in a popular manner, and
illustrating it with drawings, as well as practi-
cally, the interest of my audience increased to
that extent, that, although the theatre of the
institution afforded accommodation for nearly
five hundred persons, numbers were frequently
unable to gain admittance, This state of feel-
ing was favourable to my wishes, and I thought
the time had arrived when an exhibition of
pictures would be supported, and would be
likely to advance the object I had in view.
For ‘this purpose I called together those who
were practising any branch of the Art as their
profession, and proposed that we should select
and borrow pictures from persons residing in
the colony, which, together with the produc-
tions of artists living in Sydney, would form
a sufficient number of works for an exhibition,
and be the means of doing all parties a ser-
vice.

a a

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. |

of His Excellency the Governor, the late Sir
George Gipps, and arrangements were made
for carrying it into effect; but unfortunately
the result of previous mercantile imprudence
and over-speculation was then beginning to be
felt in the colony, and a state of universal dis-
tress ensued, which continued during the fol-
lowing three or four years.

Of course these were no times in which the
Arts could be expected to flourish, and I was
obliged to abandon my project. In the year
1844, I left Sydney for the neighbouring colony
of Van Dieman’s Land. At Hobart Town I
again proceeded with my plan of giving lectures
on Art, and taking means for getting up Exhi-
bitions of Paintings. I found here, as in New
South Wales, considerable interest in the sub-
ject was awakened, and I was-most fortunate
in meeting with the hearty co-operation of the
Bisbop of Tasmania, the Colonial Secretary,
ithe Treasurer, the Architect, &c., and the re-
sult was, that in January, 1845, the first exhi-
bition of paintings in the Australian colonies
was opened in the legislative council chamber,
granted for that purpose by his Excellency, the
Lieut.-Governor, It was well attended, and
afforded great gratification to everyone. Since
that time an Exhibition-room has been built in
Hobart Town by Mr. R. V. Hood, in connexion
with his picture-frame manufactory. In this
room we had a second exhibition in 1846, and
a third exhibition took place in Launceston,
the north side of the island, in the beginning
of the present year.

199
My scheme was honoured with the approval

I have been gratified in finding that, (altho’
during my residence in T¥ew South Wales the
circumstances of the colony compelled me to
give up my idea of establishing exhibitions of
paintings there,) the old feeling has been re-
vived, and that during the past year a most ex-
cellent collection of pictures was brought to-
Sether in Sydney. Subscribers to the amount
of six hundred were found who took season
tickets at a guinea each, which has left funds
in the hands of the committee to proceed with
during the next year.

Aud ‘now as to the effect of these exhibitions
and other exertions, on the community. Any
one acquainted with the colonies now, and who

j|knew what they were seven or eight years
||since, cannot fail to have perceived, that altho’

a great number of trashy prints are still sent |
out from England, and meet with purchasers,|}
and for years to come no doubt will do so; yet
that engravings from Wilkie, Landseer, and
Turner, are much more frequently to be seen
than they were, and that the lithographic works}
of Haghe, Frederick Tayler, Harding, Nash,}|
&e., are taking their places on the drawing-||
room tables of the colonists.

Perhaps another proof of the diffusion of|{
taste for the Fine Arts, might be found in)
comparing both the quantity and quality of)
drawing materials now in demand, with those
of former years. Then, the shops had their}
scanty supplies from inferior manufacturers ;|,
and articles which would not be used in Eng-
land, were sent out there, because they could}
be supplied at a cheaper rate, and thus enable},
the colonial vendors to increase their customary)
exorbitant profits. At the present time, scarcely),
any but the best materials are saleable, and I
know of orders being sent from Hobart Town]!
to one house in the artists’ colour trade, in the||
course of twelve months, to the amount of
about two hundred pounds. These circum-|
stances, as well as many others that might be
named, will, I think, at once show that a feel-|
ing for Art is rapidly increasing in the Aus-
tralian colonics; and when we consider their
importance to Great Britain, and the character
of the people by whom this distant land was
first colonised, and who still form a large por-
tion of its population, the fact of its being so
must be a matter of high gratification to all
who would raise the tone of its society, and
who cannot but feel how powerfully influential
a taste for the Fine Arts must be in effecting
that most desirable object.

J. S. Prout.

Gssap on the fine Arts.

ARCHITECTURE.
[EXTRACTS,—BY JOHN GALT, ESQ.]|

(Continued from page 87.)
) \

Tue cathedral with its vast aisles, its solemn
vaults and adjoining cloisters, is as obviously
constructed for an especial purpose as the for-
tress, the ship, or the mansion,

years before the Christian era, composed a
treatise on the engines of war and military ar-
|chitecture. He is, therefore, justly regarded
‘las the father of engineers, and the principles
which he is supposed to have elucidated con-
tinued to be acted upon till the invention of
gunpowder. History ascribes by a kind of
courtesy, the honour of inventions and dis-
coveries to the persons who first make them
public, or bring them to use. 1t is thus that
in naval architecture, Usoo, a Phoenician, is
considered as the father of the art, because he
is the first on record that navigated a canoe ;
but in this, the courtesy of history goes too
far, for Noah has certainly a superior claim.

Although the Greeks excelled all the world
for the beauty of their works of art, they did
not furnish any treatise on the theory of archi-
tecture till after they had constructed their
finest buildings. This was natural.. The rule
that instructs us to produce beauties in any
kind of art, must be derived from the practice
of those who have previously by the instinct
of genius produced excellent works. The rules
for composing a ;perfect Epic poem were de-
jrived from the practice of Homer, as it ap-
peared in the Iliad. In like manner, the prin-
ciples of architecture, as a science, are founded
on the result—not of rules previously delivered,
but of experiments; hence we are assured that by
an adherence to the rules we shall produce the
game beautiful effects as the result of the expe-
riments from which the rules were deduced. Ve-
truvius was. the first author who established the
principles of ancient architecture; but he did not
write until the finest specimens of Art had long
been completed. He mentions, indeed, the names
of many architects, but they were practical men—
men of genius who had erected models, and there-
by furnishea the means of giving rules for the
guidance of others.

It is surprising that although the work of Vetru-
vius is admitted by all students to be deficient, ob-
scure, and ill-arranged; yet it was still the best of
the kind, especially in what relates to proper and
appropriate use of the different orders. A work
embracing the Saxon, Norman, and Gothic styles,
in addition to the classic orders, and discriminating
the uses to which they are respectively adapted, is
a desideratum in the literature of Europe. In
England, a work of this kind is particularly re-
quired, for the English are, perhaps, less than any
other people of Europe, sensible, or even acquaint-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

| Philones of Byzantium about three hundred |

aal

ed with the proprieties of architeeture. In Saint}}
Paul’s, of London, one of the very finest works of||,
the moderns, and admired by the English equal to
its merit, the architect ‘has employed the gayest
orders,and in the most ornamental style. The sub-
lime magnitude of the building diminishes at the
first view, the effect of its preposterous gaudiness.
It is not till after contemplating it with relation to
its uses that we perceive how mueh the style of
architecture is at variance with the purpose of the
fabric. Surely the flaunting luxuriance of the!
Corinthian and Composite orders are ill-placed on
a temple dedicated to the service of God, and ap-
pointed to receive the ashes of the great and illus-
triousmen. The decorum of architecture has been
equally disregarded in the construction of the the-
atre at Covent-garden. The portico is undoubtedly
a beautiful specimen of the Grecian Doric, and as
such, would not have disgraced Athens itself, but
the august simplicity of the Doric is as much out
of place at the entrance of a. playhouse, as the gau-|:
dier elegance of the Corinthian or Composite is in
the church.. Perhaps, if the theatre were entirely
devoted to the exhibition of tragedies, the grave
majesty of the portico would not be objectionable.
Still, however, both the theatre and cathedral are
fine monuments of skill of their respective archi-
tects; but they are curious examples of the want
of that taste for propriety which is as requisite in
the art of building as in the composition of the
muse. It has been said of the English, that they
build their hospitals like palaces, and their palaces
like hospitals; it may be added, they ornament
their churches like theatres, and their theatres like
churches, fg

Of ail the fine arts, architecture is not only’that
which is most easily traced to its origin in the wauts
andluxuries of mankind, but that on which all|
others are dependant. All the others, when com-
pared with architecture, are only representative,

‘and contribute only to the gratification of those

wants which arise from the experience of pleasure.
But this primeval art is in its rudimental state,
almost as necessary to man as food.

Gold in Canada.—The New York Ezpress||.
states that Professor B. Silliman, who has recently
explored the gold region of Canada, gives an ac-|}
connt of his examinations of masses of gold found
in the valley of the Chandiere. They are firmly
embedded in what appears to be slate, but which
is probably a concrete of deritus, cemented by ox-
yde of iron. The presence of mineralogical fea-
tures similar to those observed in other gold regions,
affords grounds for hope that this may become a||
rich auriferous region. A few tons of gravel have}|'
been washed in a rude way with the Berks rocker,||
and yielded about four dollars to the ton.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

A METHOD FOR STRIKING THE VOLUTE OF THE GRECIAN IONIC CAPITAL.

TILE,

Gn the Sturp sf
Paintings, &e., tn 3

Court Fala

Design, trom
Damnioue

(Concluded from page 78.)

THE reader censured the taste which could leave
these pedestals standing with such palpable evi-
dences of despoliation, and also he condemned the
presiding taste which continued to denominate this
the fountain court, when it had been stripped of
the device which adorned the water, and had left
standing instead some three feet of small gas pipe.
He hoped that the name would be altered, ora
person be permitted to receive subscriptions of
pence in a box labelled “ Assist the poor fountain,”
||and in a few months it would be no longer neces-
sary to think of changing the name.

The chapel was the next place referred to. It
offered an important study in what to avoid. He
described it as a victim to perverted extremes in
proportion, form, and colour, and to the utmost
force conceivable of contrasting oppositions result-
|ing in an impressive jumble to warn us against
abandonment with pretty wantonness. That which
Walpole said of Verrio, would apply equally well
in this instance to Sir Christopher Wren, and to
“the modern decorator.”—‘“‘ They appear to have
spoiled it on principle.” Wren spoiled that which
Wolsey had left at least “passing good,” and the
doings of our own timés had spoiled in turn the
work of Wren.
The open timber roof of this chapel was an
elaborate and ingenious construction, somewhat
debased in the design of its principal divisions and
| proportion, as is’ often noticeable in specimens of
late Gothic; the ribs of the arches and the intey-
spaced tracery, broad and massive spandrils, pen-
dants of a singular kind, and other details, which
are remarkable for a want of conformity and ex-
jaggerated contour. The ribs are ornamented with
the egg-and-tongue moulding; the pendants re-
\joice with eestatic boys springing out from a basket,
and corbel brackets present evidences of burly
Italian, ill according with the Gothic character of
the roof. All this, however, and even more, it was
contended, of strange combination might pass
with less censure had it remained simply in oak, as
Wren intended; but the incongruities had been
rendered more distinct by the power of misapplied
colour, and the effulgence of misplaced gold. Re-
pose, light, and shade, may be impressive under
certain conditions; but in this instance, all tended

DUCORATOR’S ASSISTA SND.

to a “coloured dazzle.’

The ribs are gilt, the
pendants and bosses are gilt, the eggs are golden.
the groundwork of the whole ultramine, spangled
with stars of gold, some dashes of vermilion laid)
in the deepest quirks, to give spirit, and displace}
shadows. By such treatment, as explained and
shewn by coloured sketches, he considered the pro-
portions had been again changed in’a wrong direc™’
tion, and the roof had been, in effect brought
nearer to the eye. In its previous condition, as
left by Wren, the roof of oak, ribs, &c., in quiet
and retiring guise of self colour, must have been
more in abeyance, more retiring from the eye, and
invested with the gloomy repose of deep shadows.
Another line of argument was then advanced in,
support of these commendatory opinions. A com-
parison was suggested between the gaudy roof and.
the other features of the interior,—the quiet altar,
with its Corinthian eclumns, elliptic pediment»
and crimson velvet hangings, the somewhat petite
character or ornamental paintings by Verrio on
the piers and windows, the plain wainscotting
around the pews, and the pews themselves. It
was maintained that, in a perverse spirit, rea-
son had been trifled with, and the laws of harmo-
nious decoration set at defiance; that we have
here an instance of the incongruity in combining
Italian with Gothic, literally dep qd in strong
colours. Attention was directed to the well con-
ceived and finely-executed pendantive pilasters,
arranged on each side of the picture over the com-
munion table. They were carved by Gibbons, and

few of his works are so happily treated in the de-)
Other car-|

tails as well as in the general outline.
vings below the cornice of the wainscotting display
much of his style in pleasing variety: a combi-
nation of the flowing palm with the acanthus was
alluded to as admirable for its simplicity, and being
“ easily read,” as well as illustrating the picturesque
manner in which the round fullness of one class of
botanical forms may be contrasted with the angu-
larities of others.
window of similar construction to the beautiful one,
at the west end of the Great Hall, had been acci-

dentally discovered a few years ago, in excellent)
preservation, and still remains concealed behind}

the altar, as left by Wren.

High Art v. Upholstery.-—We have money

enough to spend on cumbrous furniture, which

another generation will throw into the garret as|

antiquated and absurd; but we cannot afford to

adorn our walls:with the productions of genius,|
which delineate the unchanging beauties of nature)

It was remarked that a large)

or the grandeur of man, and to which the lapse of

time will impart only new value.—Channing.

{

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. +

Gasometer for the Wouses of War-
Trament,

A VIEW was afforded on Tuesday, the 19th inst.,
,to a number of scientific persons, and others inter-
ested in the consumption of gas, at Messrs. Glover’s
Iron-foundry, in Drury-lane, London, of the im-
mense meter constructed and cast under the super-
jintendence of Mr. Defries, of 67, St. Martin’s-
\lane, the inventor and patentee. This machine,
which is to be placed in the New Palace at West-
minster, is an almost stupendous piece of mechan-
ism, being above ten feet in height, and twenty
feet in circumference. It is in form a hexagon,
the designs are in the style, and in exact keeping
with the interior of the New Houses of Parliament,
so that it is an ornamental as well as an useful ad-
dition to them, and ought to be placed so as to be
,seen by the public. The machine weighs four tons,
and is of sufficient capacity to pass ten thousand
\feet of gas per hour, and of supplying two thou-
paod lights with, according to calculation, the loss
‘of only half a tenth of pressure; at which pres-
sure it will work with the greatest ease.

The principle and the action of the machine are
|, very simple, and yet very accurate. There are two
chambers, the lower containing three diaphragms ;
as the gas, in its passage through the valve, acts
upon these diaphragms, they move the machinery
in the upper chamber, and by these means the
quantity of gas consumed is registered. The in-
dex consists of six small dials, almost similar to
those of watches, and on these the consumption
can be calculated with very minute accuracy. The
iron has been bronzed, and has a fine surface, the
,castings being remarkably sharp and clean. This
‘meter far exceeds in dimensions anything of the
sort ever before attempted.

The Mineral Discoveries in South Australia.—
(The mineral discoveries in South Australia have
‘given quite a new feature to the colony. The ex-
tent of these discoveries, and the singular richness

chases of land, which in their turn have amply
replenished the Emigration fund, and secured for
the colonists a supply of labour; and for many
.a toil worn, poverty stricken families and indivi-

duals, free passages to a country where industry

|
|

and sobriety are sure of obtaining not only the
‘necessaries, but many of the comforts of life. The
impetus given to the internal trade of the colony,
by the discovery of the mines is very great.

of some copper ores, have led to very large pur-

@bservvations on the Polvehromatic
Becoration ot the Miudole Anes,

(Continued from page 83.)

In all the arts that minister to society, in the
varied hues that meet us at every turn, amid the
ruins of Pompeii, in the brilliant paintings that
adorn the walls of each apartment, in the profusion
of ornament that was lavished on the buildings
dedicated to pleasure, in the costly elegance that
marked those devoted to the service of religion, in
the means of luxury brought within the reach of the |.
humbiest, and in the graceful piety that conse-,
crated the choicest offerings to the gods,—we re-)
cognise the joyous character of ancient civilization,
and the universal and systematic appreciation of,
art. It was as though, through Polychromy, the
ancients gave expression to the brighter and more
etherial impulses of the mind; Polychromy was
the link connecting the forms of matter with the
airy fancies in which classic genius was so rife. It
clothed the massive outlines of Egyptian architec-
ture with a life and grace only subordinate to that
deep soul of thought which lives in every stone.

and lurks in every figure; while the eye of the |

artist is no less delighted with the exquisite ma-
nagement of colour that can unite the heavy
masses of its architecture with the burning soil and,
shadowless sky of that glowing clime. Nor would.
there be anything inconsistent in associating simi-|
lar ideas with our national architecture, adding to.
the solemnity of our ecclesiastical edifices a win-
ning beauty that should ever be present in the
temples of a religion that allures as much as it)
commands to the observance of its duties, and the/|
participation of its hopes.

Decorative painting has again assumed its place
among the Fine Arts; every new fragment that
turns up only adds to the mass of evidence that,
has convinced those who refused to believe ia
Grecian Polychromy, and every instance of church
restoration proves to those admirers of pointed ar-
chitecture, who were equally zealous in their detes-)
tation of whitewash, and love of native stone, that

even in the palmy days before the Reformation,
walls and stone-work were not only whited or yel-
low washed, but that the surface of the walls, and
even the very shrines and tombs, were diversified
with positive and contrasting colours.

Public favour has been gained for Polychromy
by that most powerful of all arguments, an appeal
to public sympathy; and the practice of it, at first
regarded as an experiment, is rapidly spreading as
a fashion.

(Zo be continued.)

Terms used tn Architectural anv
Entevioy MBecorvation, &c.
(Continued from page 84.)

HEAD-WORK. A name given to ornaments on
the key-stones of arches, frequently representing
heads of animals, especially a stag’s head over

|park-gates; in market-places, a bullock’s or a
sheep’s; and over stables, the head of a horse.

HEIGHT oF AN ARCH. A line drawn from

4 }
| ks !
ay
| LT
A \
7 ——- a a ee
ai

the middle of the chord, or spanning-line, to the
intrados.

HELIOPOLIs. A city of Egypt, and one of the
most ancient in the world. It was chiefly cele-
brated for its temple dedicated to the sun, part of
which was consecrated to the breeding of the sa-
ered ox, worshipped there under the name of
Mneuis. It was also celebrated for its four obelisks,
erected by Solchis, two of which were carried to
Rome, one destroyed by the Arabs, and the other
still remains. This obelisk is described as one en-
tire mass of reddish granite, about sixty-eight feet
high, and six and a half feet wide.

HELIX, or Hetyx. A small volute or twist,
representing the twisted tops of the acanthus stalk,

An Elustratey Glossary of Cechntcal | Mar capital.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

placed under the floor in the abacus of the Corin~

HECATOMPEDON. Any temple of a hundred
feet in length, particularly applied to that of mn
nerva Parthenon, at Athens.

HEPTAPYLos. A name of the city of Thebes, |
in Boetia, so called from its seven gates, whereas
that of Thebes, in Egypt had a hundred gates.

(To be continued.)

Werspective.

(Continued from page 89.)

THE diminution in the apparent length of a line,
caused by its obliquity with reference to the eye,
is expressed by saying that the line is foreshortened.

Of the effect of Distance on the Size of the
Visual Angle.

Independently of the length and the direction of
a line, its distance from the eye contributes toward
determining the size of the visual angle, and con-
sequently modifies the apparent length of the line:
The line being held upright, and at a certain dis-
tance from the supposed eye, forms a visual angle!
of a certain size; if the line is removed to a greater
distance from the eye, keeping it in the same ver-
tical position, it forms a visual angle of a smaller
size. In the second position it would therefore
appear smaller than in the first.

That this is exactly the effect produced by dis-
tance, is made manifest when we look at arow of
trees or columns, or a long line of street, road or
railway, of which every part throughout the en-
tire length is equally broad; the breadth, never-
theless, appears to diminish as the distance is in-
creased.

For the same reason, if we look at a long row of
columns, houses, or lamps, or of any objects which
are in reality all equally high, we find that the}
heights likewise appear to diminish as the distances|
are increased.

In the same Manner, if we look up a circular
||shaft, or down a circular well, every part of which
|\is, throughout the whole height or depth, of the
same width and size, we find that the opening of
||the shaft at top, or the circular appearance of the
wellat bottom, appears considerably less than their
circular openings near the eye, although we know
that no difference really exists. This effect is uni-
versal; innumerable instances might, therefore, be
||cited ‘as esamples; but the above, with the illus-
tration will suffice to establish the following rule,
namely :—As the distance of a line or object from
the eye is increased, so is its apparent length or
size diminished. ©”

It follows directly from this rule, that the dis-

great that ‘its apparent size would diminish or
yanish into a point. Striking examples of this
\effect are presented by very long and straight lines
lof railways or canals, the sides of which appear at
the extreme distance to meet in a point; at that
extreme distance, therefore, the width appears as
‘nothing. The reason of this effect is, that the
‘visual angle formed by the width of the railway or
‘canal at that very great distance is so small as to
be inappreciable, or incapable of being estimated

iby the eye.

(Yo be continued.)

@hserbations on Architecture and
$Butlding.
COMPILED FROM THE CELEBRATED WORK OF
LEON BAPTISTA ALBERTA.

————

(Concluded from page 89.)
APERTURES

Are of two sorts—the one for the admission of
light and air, and the other for the entrance and
passage of the inhabitants. Those for light are
known as windows—those for passage are doors.
No room ought to be without a window, by which
|the foul air may be let out and fresh admitted ;
and they ought to be so accommodated to conveni-
jence and the thickness of the wall, as not toadmit
more or less light, nor stand nearer or more remote
than use or necessity requires. We should notice
jwhat winds the window opens to, because those
which open to a healthy air may be large every
way, and it may not be amiss to open them in such
\2 manner that the air may go clear round the bo-
dies of the inhabitants, which may easily be con-
trived, if the windows are made so low that you
may both see and be seen from the inside into the
street. But such windows as are exposed to winds
not altogether healthy, ought to be proportioned to
admit what light is requisite but not larger than is
|mecessary for that purpose; and they should like-
wise be set high, that the wall may break the wind
before reaching us. Weshould also observe what
Li the house stands to, and accordingly make the

> : THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.
a aN cca ee Le a of a Oh

fiance of a line or object may be conceived to be so’

I ]
99

windows larger or smaller. In the summer rooms,
if the windows are, north, they should be made

iarge every ; butif they face asun, south, it will|}

be proper to make them low and small, such being
best adapted for the reception of the sun’s rays ;
and there is no danger of sucha place ever want-

ing light when the sun lies continually upon‘it, so||

that shade and not light, is what is to be consulted
there; but quite the contrary for winter, the win-
dows should be contrived for admitting the sun.
Lastly from whatever side we take in light, we
ought to make such an opening for it as will al-
ways ensure the people within a free view of the,
sky, and the top of the window should never be too,
low, as we are to see the light with our eyes and|
not with our heels; besides if one man gets be-
tween another the light from the window is inter-
cepted—the rest of the room is darkened, which

never happens when the light comes from above.|}

Doors should imitate windows—that is, be larger
or smalier, more or less in number, according as
use and necessity may require. We ought so to
proportion doors as not to make very little ones in
great walls—nor too large in small walls. In these

sorts of apertures various rules have been pro-||

posed, but all must admit that let them be of what-
ever shape they will, that they should be accomo-
dated to the size and form of the building. It is!
also convenient to place the doors in such a man-
ner that they may lead to as many parts of the:
edifice as possible, and in order to give beauty to
such apertures, care must be taken that those of,
like dimensions correspond with each other, both’
right and left. It was usual to leave the windows}

and doors in odd numbers, but so for the side ones |

to correspond with each other, while that in the
middle to be somewhat larger than the others.
Particular regard was always had to the strength)
of the building, for which reason they contrived)

that their openings should be clear of the corners |

and all the weakest parts of the building.

STAIRCASES.

The placing of the stairs is a work of such
nicety, that without mature and deliberate con-
sideration you can never place them well. Let

him that is desirous to have the stairs not to hinder |

him, take care not to hinder the stairs, but allow it
a fair and just portion of the plan, in order to give
it a free course quite up to the topmost covering ;
and no one should repine that so much space
should be occupied by the stairs, for it furnishes us

with many conveniencies, and is no inconvenience |

to the other parts of the building. The ancients
used to make the slope as easy and as little steep as
possible. They likewise recommended the treads
to be in odd numbers, especially in their temples,|
because they said by these means they set their!
tight foot wpon the temple first. The best houses
seldom have more than seven to nine treads in one
flight, without making a plain (landing) that such
as were weak or tired with the faticue of the
ascent, might rest themselves. ‘And that, if by
chance they stumbled, there might be a place to
break their fall. Staireasesshould be well lighted,

and of ample and spacious dimensions, though the
fewer stairs and the less room they take up in a
house, the more they are esteemed.

END QF FIRST PART.

1100

The Chronotppist.

Tur Torquay Extension of the South Devon
Railway, was opened for general traffic on the 18th
——By the last Mail, Accounts from upper Egypt
and Cairo, state that an extensive mine of good coal
had been’ positively found in the vicinity of the
town of Esneh, onthe Nile-———Ata coucil of the
Royal Academy, held on the 16th, Eight gentle-
men were admitted Students in Architecture.——
A Church with chalk columns, pillars, &c. not even
seasonsed, has of late been in course of erection at
Prestwoods, Bucks, : ecording to the local Chronicle

'|and got on nome the frost began to ope-

rate on the moisture) in that celebrated ‘“‘absor-
bent,’’ when the columns, pillars, &c., split of
course, and crumbled into p!eces; and besides a
damage to the amount of at least £100, it is said,
on this, ‘ cheap material,’ will occasion the additio-
nal expense of a replacement in stone, making good
the old proverb,— penny wise, pound foolish.——
The new Savings Bank at Cambridge has been
opened. It is in the Italian style, with two fronts,
and contains a hall 18 feet square, bank room, and
actuary’s residence. The architect was Mr. John
Smith, of Cambridge.——Mr. Burford, assited by
Mr. Selous, has completed a panorama of Pompeii
and the surrounding country which will be exhi-
bited next week at his building in Leicester-square.
——A recent fire in Little Portland-street, Regent-
street, is supposed to have been occasioned by
some unsiacked lime on the premises get ting wet,
The Paris papers aunounce the death, at the
age of 61, of M. Latronne, Keeper of the French
Archives, Member of the Academy of Relles Let-
tres, Professor of Archeology, and Administrator
of the College of France. The Minister of the
Interior. on his wayback from the funeral cere-
monial, called at the house of M. Durel, the sculp-
tor, to commission him for a marble bust of the
deceased, to be.placed in one of the Holls of the
Archives.———The church of St. Mary-at-hill, is
being restored internally, under the direction of
Mr. Savage. Mr. Rogers is executing the carvings.
The pulpit is new, of oak, and profusely enriched
with carved fruit and flowers. A new organ and
gallery front has music trophies, branches of palm,
oak, and garlands of flowers; the principal pews
have wreathed and perforated panels. Works in
this style for a church are a very great novelty,

now-a-days.

THE recent discovery of gold in Australia is not
expected to return large profits for some years.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Co Correspondents, Ke.

Write legibly and sensibly, so that both thY
words and their meaning may be readily decy-
phered by the recipient of thy communication.

“W. T. E.”—The terms are very moderate,
and may be ascertained on applying to the secre-
tary,at Somerset House.

“

“A. W.’—Try the effect of nitric acid. It
has often been found effective.

“ BH. H.’—Next week:

QUERIES.

How to produce coloured letters in plain and!
ground glass as used for gas-lamps, §c.

The method of embossing glass for ornamental
windows.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens}
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such, of our provincial
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics
Institutions, the fine arts, science, &c.

Cases for Vols. I. IT. and III. are now ready,
price 1s. 3d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, of gilt, or
marbled, 6d. extra.

* *Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, swit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 21 is now ready, Price 10d.

* * Part I, is also re-printed, and will in future be
charged at 10d. each.

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A GABLE CROSS (GOTHIC),

BY J. B. ROBINSON.

No. 87.—Vot. IV.] : [Two-PENC:.

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SaturpAay, |

@bservations on the Wresent and
Future Condition of Iwriz
lish Art.

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HE question,

| What will be the probable future condition of

| British Art—which possesses so much general
interest, and which by association, awakens a
feeling almost personal in its most favourable
solution—cannot, perhaps, be with more pro-
priety considered than at the commencement
of a New Year. It isthe period when in every
varied condition of life we review the past;
when our impressions of the space traversed
are the most vivid; when reason, disenthralled
eae momentary passions, is less partial; and
we trace the results of action, even as they who

| recal the memory of the dead, with feelings of

\pride chastened by regret, and of regret miti-
gated by hope. Now, the law which governs
men in their individual character is applicable
also to their social: we examine our own ca-
reer, we scrutinize national progress for the

THE DECORATOR’S

Ss
ASSISTANT, [JANUARY 6, 1849,

purpose is identical—moral good. In one case
observation is exercised towards the formation
of character; in the other it is directed towards
the general condition of mental pursuit; ‘in
both the design is to ensure advancement. So
great is the tendency of the mind, however, to
individualize its action, that in extensive views
of human life the process of inquiry becomes
inducted upon principles strictly analogous to
persons. Hence it is, that narrow, limited
zeal is engendered, which writes the history of
civilization with the spirit of party; and that
events are commented upon, not as the results
of general causes, but as particular incidents.

Apart, however, from these considerations, the|| -

knowledge of our comparative national condi-

tion, as regards intellectual qualities, com-||

peting power, commercial greatness, social
advantage or disparity, is, of all destined to
the public service, the most important. No
great state can exist without it: even China
has felt its influence, and we doubt not it has
power at Timbuctoo. But not to any nation
is this knowledge of so much importance as
our own. An insular people are apt too de-
voutly to worship that wisdom which never

goesabroad. Their government, their schools, | |
their arts, their modes of sale and barter, may |
be all good, they are inclined too fondly to re-|,
If wealthy, they pur-|
chase the excellence they want; if poor, they

vere them as the best.

despise it; if trading, they estimate it not ac-

cording to its intrinsic qualities, but their mar-! |
ket. Now, the evil consequences of this sys-|
Relying upon the excellence| |

tem we have felt.
of our institutions, we neglected education ;—
treating the productions of Art as simple
articles of commerce, we have left them like!
hay, straw, bricks, and cotton, to find a mar-
ket where they could; and, proud of mecha-
nical power, we have used it like a brute force,
separated from invention, unconnected with

design. Thus, like Frankenstein, we have
been punished by the demon of our own cre-
ation. To place this subject more clearly
before our readers, we have in former numbers
sketched the progress of British Art, and shall
now consider its present condition, and possi-
ble future state.

The progress of Art upon the continent, and
in England, is the result of very different

same end—the means may be different, but the| causes. Christian Art arose in Italy from the

102

religion which placed that favoured land at the
head of modern civilisation. As that religion
spread, Art- was honoured, kings were its pa-
trons, mighty -princes its protectors. With
the people it became a religious feeling. Not
dissimilar was its condition in Germany and
France. But in England, Art, at least “for
the million,” was ever an alien. Religion
‘withdrew its support, the State never gave it;
and from the Heptarchy to George IV., only
three kings owned its influence. For centuries
it was but the pride and the property of the
court and the nobility. To what cause, then,
are we to ascribe its recent importance? Not
as some would induce us to believe, to the in-
crease of luxury, but the extension of edu-
cation. Art is a property now inherited by
the rich, and worked for by the poor; appre-
ciated as a source of recreation, and acknow-
ledged as a power of commercial prosperity.
Still we cannot regard its present condition
with unmixed satisfaction. It bears the fruit
of rapid and peculiar culture, and shows the
consequence of its neglect by religion and the
State. Let us consider it under two great
divisions—sthetic, or the Fine Arts; and Art
Decorative and Ornamental. And, first, as to
History and Portraits.

Historica Parnrine in England is a me-
lancholy subject to consider. One would na-
turally suppose that, among an educated and
refined class, the higher branches of Art would
be cherished. Yet it isnot so. Whether this
may [be ascribed to the increasing energy of
theological discussion, to the keen excitement
of politics, or the all-absorbing worship of
Fashion, we know not; but this much is evi-
dent—the public are too much occupied to
spare one moment for the more serious and
jimportant branches of Art. Were it other-
wise, there can exist no doubt but that talent
could be found to meet the demand. The
Exhibition of last year proves this. The pic-
tures of ‘‘ Rienzi Haranguing,” and ‘Luther
Listening to one of his Hymns,” with others,
might be cited to refute opinions uttered not
from knowledge, but hazarded to put a gloss
upon neglect. But how, after the efforts un-
successfully made to produce and establish
historic painting, can we expect their continu-
ance whilst Memory recalls Hilton perishing
from disappointment, and when we can now see

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

five pictures by a living artist rescued :fronithe| |
neglect of England by the zeal of the, Scottish|}
Academy—pictures which would do honour to}}
any ‘age, and which now grace the walls of

the Edinburgh Royal Institution?

Portrait PAINTING, once so pre-eminent,
is now failing in its importance. Rising
artists too often paint portraits, but not pic-
tures; since no portrait can be considered as a
valuable tribute to Art, unless, without any
reference to resemblance, it is in itself a fine
transcript of human nature. Since the days
of Sir Joshua, England has been unapproached
in pictures of this description, combining that
which is endeared unto friends, and most valu-
able to every mind to which the Fine Arts are
a feeling, Few things, indeed, can be more
important in Art than the development of men-
tal expression; and still fewer are those ob-
jects upon which the mind so willingly lingers
as upon those breathing representations of men
whose attainments have improved, gratified, or
enriched mankind. Yet, if regression be mani-
fest here, is the artist only to be blamed? We
think not. He is, like all other men, subject
to the humour of the times; and now, as every
one will have a likeness, and one to order, and
at as cheap a rate as possible, and with the
least possible delay, can it be matter of sur-
prise that, thus cabbined and cribbed and left
without a choice, the painter should be slight,
rapid, and dexterous?

LanpscaPe Painring, in oil and water, has}
been ‘long eminent iv England, both for its)
truth and poetic merit; and there are examples
of the latter which probably are equal to any)
ever produced at any period of Art. Nor is
theirs a limited expression; the sublime, the
terrific, the enchanting aspect of nature, the,
solitude of waste, and each domestic rural)
scene, are all reproduced with a refined success.
Their technical treatment is equal to their con-|
ceptive feeling; their chiaro’scuro is unrivalled; |
for these works require only to be seen, thro’
the medium of engravings taken from them, to
prove how perfect they are by thus rendering
the effect in black and white. We refer parti-
cularly to Turner, whose greater works have
connected the English school with the storied,
honours of the past,—evincing as these do the
fidelity which recalls, the postic spirit which
enhances, local scenery, combined with that

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

historic and natural interest which gives a pic-
ture a place at once in refined enjoyments and
in human life. Whatever, however, the ability
of the artist, it must, more or less, be affected
by the condition of public taste. Actuated by
this, if not derived, painting should give a sti-
mulus ‘to moral, ‘religious, and political im-
provement, and tend to promote the virtues by
consecrating the great examples of mankind.

‘

(To be continued.)

Novel Contrivance for Brebenting the
Burning of Steam Pessels.

Mr. Maurice Johnson, engineer of the Fire-
brand steam vessel, who recommended the appli-
cation of Kingston’s valves to the bottoms of
vessels, to aid in extingnishing fires arising from
spontaneous combustion or other causes, has, in
obedience to the Lords Commissioners of the Ad-
miralty, forwarded drawings of the plan he has
suggested for their lordships’ inspection. The plan
he proposes is very simple, being merely to admit
the water through one of Kingston’s valves, which
can be regulated with the greatest nicety to any
quantity, and conducted round both sides of the
vessel in pipes, perforated on the upper side, and
running parallel a short distance below the water
line. On the valve being opened on an emergency,
the water would escape from the perforated pipes,
and run down'the sides of the vessel to keep the
itimbers cool, and extinguish fire below the water
‘line. The water can afterwards be easily pumped
\out in the same manner as bilge water, on the valve
being shut. As a proof of the advantage of ad-
mitting water into vessels by Kingston’s valves, for
the purpose of rendering them healthy, it may be
mentioned that Mr. Johnson, previous to leaving
‘England as engineer in the Blazer, then under
orders for the West Indian station, admitted about
two tons of water at a time, pumping it out as it
mixed with the bilge water, until it was pumped
out nearly pure.} a

—_——

THE Delhi Gazette says that the famous dia-
mond, the Koh-i-noor (the largest and most pre-
cious in the world), forfeited by the treachery of
the Sovereign at Lahore, and now under the secu-
rity of British bayonets, at the fortress of Go-
vindghur, is likely. ere long to be brought ‘to Eng--
land, and added to the Crown jewels.

103} |

Ancient Monumental Iwrasses.

To the Editor of the “ Decorator’s Assistant.”

Srr,—In No. 82 of your very useful work, ap-
peared a talented article from the pen of Mr. F. W.
Fairholt, on the propriety of reviving the ancient
custom of dedicating engraved brasses to the me-
mory of the dead, and giving a deseription of a

| new process for their decorative enrichment lately
discovered or improved upon by Mr. Archer.

Many of those who have seen the fine old brasses
so profusely dispersed among our cathedrals, min-
sters, and older churches, more especially those of
the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, will readily

|joim in his praises of their beauty and effect, and,

prefer them to the efforts of a Canova, a Flaxman,
ora Chantry. Still there is something to my ideas
more appropriate to such purposes in the “ storied
urn—the animated bust,” than in the quaint,
clever, but easily tarnished contrivance of our an-
cestors. I must also beg to differ from Mr. Fair-
holt in his opinion that the armour, clerical and
other vestments, &c. were strictly. indicative of the
customs or habits in use at the time of sepulture,
as instances have been known of knights, dying at
from eighty to ninety years of age, being repre-
sented in the armour worn by them on first win-
ning their spurs ;-they from circumstances, such as
a long peace, ‘retirement into private life, severe
wounds, loss of limbs, &c., not having further
opportunities for its use, but in accordance with the
usage of the times, were pourtrayed as wearing it
on their monumental brasses; and when we consi-
der how frequent were the improvements—or, at
least alterations—made in armour in the course of
half a century, we must admitthat many anachron-
isms might creep in. Besides, there is much reason
to believe that “‘ye workyre in brasse” was very
frequently left to indulge his own faney, or resort
to his individual ideas on the subject of costume,
which is clearly evinced by the varied style of dress
adopted in brasses of the same period in the adorn-
ment of persons of similar rank and age.

If properly regulated, however, with a strict ob-
servance of chronology and costume,-there is no
doubt that these memorials would form a valuable
historical record, often more valuable for reference
than the party statements and wilful perversions
of some of our best historians, and I therefore con-
sider that as an adjunct to the noble art of sculp-
ture, brasses would be most valuable as a monu-
mental decorative record ; but that standing alone
in that capacity, they would present too much
sameness and flatness in appearance, and without
much trouble and attention in the cleansing would
soon appear more sombre and meaningless than
even the desecrating and eye-grieving whitewash.
Used as an entablature, however, in conjunction
with those admirable efforts of the chisel the eye is
now so highly gratified with, I must subscribe to
their usefulness and effect, and hope to see them
generally adopted,-—but not in a manner to exclude
the beautiful and soul-inspiring efforts of those
eminent sculptors of whom our ceuntry has such
just reason to be proud. Sir, yours obedtly.,

NED Rvs.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A CORNER AND END PIECE.—(GOTUIC.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 109!

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SS CES

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2 ———— 7

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CANDELABRA, NOW IN THE MUSEUM OF NAPLES, AND PREVIOUSLY IN THE FARNESE
,

COLLECTION.

£06 THE “DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Winckelmann, in his ‘‘ History of Art,’? observes
that the fine style in statuary was introduced by
| Praxiteles) and Lysippus, and that the manner of
managing ‘draperies in sculpture, previously, was
extremely simple. This opinion is, however, to be
received with great cantion. If the art of sculp-
ture received from Praxiteles the germ of any no-
| vel fascinations, they probably resided rather in
| the refinements of the graceful than in that which
is properly called the fine or beautiful style. He
may have given to the heads of his figures (espe-
cially those of his women) an air of greater deli-
cacy or voluptuousness; but we suspect it must be
admitted, from a candid and thoughtful exami-
nation of the Elgin marbles, that the art of the
statuary had attained the limits of its pefection in
the age of Pericles and Phidias. ‘Nothing is
more perfect,” observes Cicero, “ than the statues
of Phidias, (Orat. sec. 2.). A connoisseur, used
to examining the masterpieces of antiquity, will
readily discover, in the detached sculptures of the
Parthenon (and more especially in the parts of
those statues which have suffered least injury from
time), the grand and learned style of the Laocoon,
the Torso, and the Gladiator ; the same skill in the
expression of the skin, the same life inspired, as it
were, into the senseless stone, the same harmony
of proportion, the same general perfectness. In
the statues of females, again, the dignity and grace]|
of posture, and the richness of drapery, whose
folds are adjusted with such singnlar adroitness, if
they do not surpass, certainly do not fall beneath
the most complete works of the kind, the preser-
vation of which enables us to form a comparison.

In the modern practice of the art of sculpture,
the greatest name is, perhaps, that of Michel An
giolo. ‘‘ Michel Angiolo,” says his English bio
graper, Mr. Duppa, “considered sculpture as h’
profession, and his studies throughout his who
life were more particularly directed to it, than
painting or to architecture. His first work of ce]
lebrity was a group of a Madonna with a de
Christ, called in Italian la Pieta. The subject
its nature is impressive, and the composition is ¢
with appropriate simplicity ; and of all his wo,
it is that which seems to have cost him the st
laborious attention.

“¢ With Michel Angiolo expression and charer
were a primary consideration ; and although set
the antique sculpture before him as an exPple
and a guide, this marked distinction is to beken
between his view of the subject, and that the
ancients. He made ideal beauty and form?S€r~
vient to expression ; they, on the contrarnade }
expression and animation subservient to fe

‘Wistory of Sculpture

(Continued from page 29.)

A VARIETY of circumstances combined to ren-
der the models of beauty subservient to the culti-
vation of the fine arts. There were no absurd
prescriptions, as in Egypt, to encumber the free
spirit of the artist. He had the finest opportunities
for study in the public places, where the Grecian
youth, requiring no other veil than innocence and
purity of manners, went through their various
exercises, gymnastic or otherwise, naked. The
Greeks preferring generally natnral accomplish-
ments to artificial ones, the first honours and re-~
wards were often decreed to such as excelled in
corporeal agility and strength. Statues were somie-
times raised to wrestlers, and the statuary was
stimulated to excellence, since the work of his
hands was considered as the highest token of honor
which merit could aspire to. The number of sta-
tues erected on various occasions was consequently
prodigious ; and, of course, the number of artists
must have been great, their c1aulation ardent, and
their progress rapid.

It was under the government of Perielés that
Grecian art may be said to have reached altogether
its highest point of perfection. At this epoch
flourished the illustrious sculptor, Phidias. From
the matchless works of this artist has arisen the
| phrase signum Phidic, to denote any piece of
|sculpture of a decidedly high order. He employed
his transcendent talent principally to illustrate
ideal beauty, and, above all, to represent grand
and heroic subjects, or figures of gods and god-
|desses. His two colossal statues of Jupiter at
|Olympus, and Minerva at the Parthenon, ‘were
above all praise.

In contemplating the Elgin marbles, the ama-|
jteur or student may feel confident that he has
before him a variety of those iuestimable perform-
‘ances which, having been directed and imagined by
Phidias (indeed, partly executed by his chisel), were
for upwards of seven centuries the wonder of the
ancients; having been, according to Plutarch, who
| wrote in the reign of Trajan, considered inimitable
for beauty, dignity, and grace. “Plutarch’s testi-
mony, in fact, puts it beyond -question that the
sculptures adorning the Parthenon were the actual
productions of this “mighty master,” who had
been engaged by the munificent Pericles in the
execution of these majestic works, and under
whom several other of the most eminent artists
‘were employed.

(To be continued.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

107;

Diagram,

|METHOD OF STRIKING THE GRECIAN VOLUTE,
PAGE 94, No. 86.

First describe a circle, then divide into six
equal parts, forming the hexagon; divide each side
of the top and bottom angles into four equal parts ;
afterwards draw the diagonal lines from 1 to 3,
and from 2 to 4. Place the leg of the compasses
on the point marked 1, and strike the outer arc,

stopping it at the longest dotted line (shown in
volute), then from the point 2, extend the compass
to the point touching the dotted line, and strike
the second arc; then from 3 to the next dotted
line, and so on, working round till the volute is
complete. -

Mbservations on the Wolyehromatiec
Mecorvation of the Mirdole Ages,

(Continued from page 97.)

THE art of Polvchromy, or practice of painting
in positive colours, either on flat surfaces or sculp-
tured forms, has been referred for its origin to
other than esthetic motives; certain existing co-
incidences in the application of colour, haye led to
the inference, that teints when applied to sacred
subjects, acquired a peculiar expression; hence
the theory of symbolism of colours. Of the few
facts on which this system is based, there can be
no dispute; but it is very questionable whether
any such principles were kept in view in later ages,
and under the more perfect forms of the decorative
art, and highly improbable that the same symbols
could, otherwise than by the most casual accident,
|be expressive of similar ideas at different times,
jand under religious systems capable of being re-
ferred to no common origin.

The object of Polychromy is to heighten the ef-
jfect of architectural decorations, either by causing
|a more just subordination of the various parts than

can be obtained by mere chiar’oscuro, or in sup-
plying deficiencies that could not be so well filled
up by any other means.

When the details of enrichment are minute, or
greatly removed from the eye, the use of strongly
contrasting colours is necessary to mark the various
details and sub-divisions which would otherwise be
lost, or to connect more elaborate with plainer por-
tions of the same work. It is often also used to
attract the eye to the more important portions of a
building; and the beautiful effect of the brilliant
lines, gilded prominences, and rich surfaces, har~
moniously toned with diaper, is known to every
admirer of medizeval architecture.

It is probable that in the practice of classic an-
tiquity the ornamented colouring on walls and
ceilings, and perhaps, in general, even the detail of
arabesques, was left to the skill and fancy of the
workmen. The style of execution in such in-
stances as remain to us, exhibits great facility of
production, accompanied by characteristics that
distinguished them in a marked manner from the
work of an artist. Yet, in most cases, there exists
a certain concordance of parts, and unity of effect,
that uneducated taste would be unable to attain.
Perhaps we should be correct in viewing the vari-
ous specimens as diversified reproductions of a few
types in fashion at the time, with which the work-
men would necessarily be familiar, and capable’ of
applying without further assistance than the gene-
ral direction of the superior artist by whom the
higher class of subjects were executed.

The same observations may be understood in a
limited sense, of Gothic Polychromy. The scien-
tific architects of the middle ages appear to have
employed not only the hand, but the genius of the
craftsman, in the diversified modes of ornament
that so peculiarly distinguish Gothic architecture.

In the ‘structure, furniture and enrichments of a}

great church, we see the aggregate of varying taste
and genius. Its decorative paintings, its heraldries,
its stained glass, its metal work, and even the dif-
ferent carvings, exhibit, each in its own depart-

_| ment, and in some eases in almost every article, the

impress of a distinct mind; yet all bent to one

harmonious result by the influence of their subject,
and the fashion of the time.

At the revival of the arts, decorative painting,
both pictorial, and as consisting in the application
of positive colour to objects whose projections and
outlines were previously defined by the carver, was
found universally subsisting throughout Europe.
It does not appear, however, that Polychromy and
fizure painting were anywhere cultivated as dis-
tinct branches of the art. While Polychromie de-
corations required for their execution an artizan of
superior skill, the general treatment of pictorial
representations, the colours employed, the mode of
their application, and the very intimate relation
found to exist in works of both branches, induce
us to believe them to be the work of craftsmen of
the same class, and, when found in juxta-position,
of the same hand. Every degree of merit is found
in the works of the middle ages, from the bad
copyist of an imperfect school, to the. most refined
taste in decoration, and intense feeling and truth-
fulness, if not easy treatment, in pictorial repre-
sentations.

6 108

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Perspecttye.

(Continued from page 99.)

Actual and Apparent Directions of Lines not
always the sume.

PURSUING our inquiries with reference to the
\course of the rays of light as they proceed to the

| eye, we next find that the actual and the apparent

direction of lines are not always the same.

If an observer stand in the middle of a Jong,
straight, and level street, and look down the middle
of the street, the upper lines of the houses will
|appear, as their distance from the eye increases, to
tend downwards towards a point on the level of
ithe eye. The lines of the houses on each side will
appear, as their distance from the eye increases, to
tend inwards towards the same point. Lastly, the
street itself, or roadway, will appear, as the distance
from the eye increases, to tend upwards towards
the same spot.

In the same manner, if an observer stand at one
extreme end of a vast edifice, a cathedral, for ex-
ample, and look down the middle of its spacious
nave he will notice that the higher lines of the
edifice seem to tend downwards as their distance
from the eye increases ; that the side aisles seem to
tend inwards as their distance from the eye in-
creases; and lastly, that the floor seems to tend
upwords as the distance from the eye increascs.

These appearances are so striking on a large scale,
that all who have their attention directed to the
fact, cannot fail to observe them: the same causes
however, produce similar results with shorter lines,
and we shall investigate the causes by considering
as before, a simple straight line.

If a straight line is fixed in a vertical position,
the lower extremity of the line appears below its
higher extremity, and vice versa. This is self-
evident; there cannot be with any one a shadow
of a doubt on this head: but as other positions
may be given to the line, in which the relative
apparent elevation of its extremities is not so self-
evident at the first glance, let us examine why the
lower extremity of this upright or vertical line ap-
pears below its higher extremity.

By referring to the illustration of the course of
the rays of light, we see that the ray of light
which conveys to the eye the image of the lower
extremity is lower in its course towards the eye
than the ray of light which conveys the image to

of the upper lines of the houses, in the example

the higher extremity ; and as it is only by means

of the rays of light that the eye receives the image

HICHER
POINT

of the line, the lower extremity of the line ap-
pears lower than its higher extremity.

If the position of the line be now changed,
placing it at a higher elevation than the eye, with)’
its extremities on the same level, but unequally
distant from the eye, we find that the ray of light
which conveys to the eye the image of the distant
extremity is dower in its course towards the eye,
than the ray of light which conveys the image of

the near extremity ; the distant extremity appears
therefore lower than the near extremity: or, as it
may be expressed in other words, the line as it re-
cedes from the eye appears to tend downwards from
the nearest point.

Comparing this effect with that of the apparent,
downwards tendency, as the distance is increased,

before referred to, we perceive that the same reason
accounts for the appearance observed, namely,|'
that the rays of light proceeding from the distant
points towards the eye are lower in their course
than the rays of light passing from the nearer||
points.

Next placing the line at a lower elevation than
the eye, and with its extremities on the same level
and unequally distant from the eye, we shall find
that the ray of light which conveys to the eye the
image of the distant extremity is higher in its
course towards the eye, than the ray of light which

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

conveys the image of its near extremity; the dis-

‘tant extremity appears, thercfore, higher than the

near extremity, or, as it may be expressed in other
words, the line as it recedes from the eye appears

to tend upwards from the nearest point. Com-
\paring this effect with that of the apparent upward
\tendency, as the distance is increased, of the street
on whieh the spectator is supposed to stand in the
example before referred to, we perceive that the
same reason accounts for the appearance observed,
mamely, that the rays of light proceeding from the
distant points towards the eye are higher in their
course than the rays of light proceeding from the

nearer points.
(Zo be continued.)

Becorations ef Wlaces of Public
Amusement.

————-

Last week we had a private view of the music
hall which has just been fitted up in some of the
‘apartments of the Collosseum in the Regent’s-park
'—for the new exhibition called The Cyclorama.
‘The hall is handsomely arranted in the style of a
small theatre :—The Cyclorama is an exhibition of
/Moveable Paintings. Amongst the decorations of
the rooms—executed in excellent taste by Mr.
‘Horner—are copies from three of the pictures in
the Stanze of the Vatican—‘The Parnassus,’ ‘The
‘School of Athens,’ and ‘The Inaugtiration of Con-
stantine.’ The present subject selected for the
(Cyclorama—a series of views descriptive of the
\City ot Lisbon before and after the Earthquake of
1755—is well adapted to show the resources both
of the scene- painter and the machinist. In the
former department, Mr. Danson and his son have
here added to their reputation. Buildings, land-
seape, water, and vessels are all admirably delinea-
ted. The Grand Square, however, with its fine
perspective delineation must be particularly noticed
as one of the most complete realizations met with
in our experience. It is bold and novel. The
‘effects of the storm with the obscured sky and the
tossing water are pourtrayed with great effect.
The painter has been powerfully aided by the
knowledge and mechanical skill of Mr. W. Brad=
well ; who has here effected one of the most dra~
matic exhibitions of scenery in a moving series
that we know of. The present subject, doubtless,
opens better opportunities for the display of variety
of effect than the Eidophusikon, in which Louther-

_| movable pictures, to form an idea of some of the
‘| services he rendered to his country in the re-con-

‘| hibitions.

199
bourg, is said to have been almost the first to make
the attempt at heightening the charms of land-
scape transcription by, accompaying imitation of
the changes and other phenomena of the elements.
—This exhibition is sure to prove attractive at a
season of holiday sight~seers : and they who have

read Mr. Smith’s aecount of the Marquis de Pom-
bal will be enabled, by means of this series of

struction of so much of the city into the condition

in which we now behold it.

the ordinary gratification derivable from such ex-
All the principal points of this most
interesting of cities—of which it has been said
Vesuvius was rather the preserver than the des-
troyer—are given with a fidelity, yet masterly
feeling, that surpasses all this artist’s former efforts.
—We. looked for the baker’s shop into which we
had ourselves wandered some seven years ago—
and found it, with its neighbouring fountain, as
perfect a representation as if the painter had hhad
to give it on the scale of a cabinet picture. All
the. other favoured localities—the Poet’s House, the
Forum, the Basilica, are equally true. The present
panorama presents some point of view which re-
cent discovery only has revealed—new streets and
additional edifices ; and the picture has gained in
interest from the artist being enabled to give a good
prospect of the situation of Stabia, where the elder
Pliny perished. The course which he followed
from Misenum, when he saw indications of the ap-
proaching eruption, may be readily traced in’ the
extended view of the Bay which this picture exhi-
bits. The groups of figures judiciously introduced
by Mr. Selous—buoyant in attitudes, and gay in
costume—aid the picture greatly by their contrast

with the still, sepulchral-looking forms of the;

building. The scenery painted by Mr. Beverly,

at the Lyceum Theatre, for Mr. Planche’s Christ-| |

mas extravaganza is of the most splendid descrip-
tion. The Chateau dela Beaute is remarkable for
its atmoshperic effect. The last scene as a produc-

tion of beautiful combinations of form and colour) |

has never been surpassed. Mr. Phillips has also

exhibited his usual ability in the scenery of the!|

new Christmas piece at the Haymarket Theatre.

The Chronotyptst.

A SPECIMEN of glass labelling in Liverpool was
placed last week over a shop front in Seatland-road.
The present operation consists in applying gold or
silver leaf to the back part of plate or sheet glass
with a glutinous substance, which does not affect
the prilliancy of the gold; and after the gold is
burnished by the application of heat, the writing
or etching is then secured by a varnish, and the
surplus gold removed; the ground is then laid as
on wood, or any other surface, and the work is
finished. A new Justice-room at the Mansion-

A visit to Mr. Bur-| |
_|ford’s new Panorama in ‘Leicester Sqnare, repre-
‘| senting the ruins of Pompeii will afford more than

house, London, is to be built forthwith_——A pre-
mium of 501. is offered for the approved design of
an ornamental building to be erected at Dundee
Harbour, in commemoration of the landing of her

}/animals,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Majesty there in 1844.—From the calculations
\of the persons appointed, 11,819 persons are known

||to have visited the British Museum on Tuesday

and Wednesday; upwards of 2,000 umbrellas
passed through the hands of the officers during: the
first day. The National Gallery had 6,910 visitors.
The United Service Museum, Whitehall-yard, 2100.

An LWustrated Glossary of Technical
Cerms used tn Architectural and
Entervior Mecoration, &e,

(Continued , from page 98.)

HatcH. A slight erection of boards and slips
of wood, for corn and other’ agricultural produce;
also a hollow trap to catch weasels and other ani-
mals; or, a hatch is app:opriated to feeding of
In ships, hatches are a kind of, trap-
‘doors between the mainmast and foremast, leading

| from one deck to another, and the place they occu-

py is called the hatchway. Flood-gates in rivers
and canals are sometimes called hatches.

HepraGcon. See Geometry.

Heuican Linz or Hanp-Ratt. The line, or
spiral line, twisting round the cylinder, representing
the form of the hand-rail before it is moulded.

HeE.iotrorium. The name given hy the Greeks
to their dials or solar quadrants, which were also

||termed gnomons.

Hem. See Volute, page 94, No. 86.

Hert oy a Rarwer. The end or foot that rests

: upon the wall-plate.

Heavers. (In Masonry.) Stones extending
over the thickness of a wall; and in bricklaying,
the bricks are called headers, which are laid length-

way across the thickness of the wall.

Heapine Courses. (In brieklaying.) Those
courses in which the length of the brick is across
the thickness of the wall, are called heading-
courses.

Hrap-way. The clear distance measured from
a given landing-place or stair to the ceiling, allew-
ing for the thickness of the steps.

Hrxacon. See Geometry.

HratHer-Roor. A covering to wooden buildings

j\used in Scotland, especially in Argyleshire; recom-

mended as superior to straw-thatch.

Hoarpina. The timber enclosure about a build-
ing when erecting or repairing.
(To be continued.)

To Correspondents, &c.

Write legibly and sensibly, so that both thy
words and their meaning may be readily decy-
phered by the recipient of thy communication.

“ An Old Brass Hunter.—The church at Har-
row-on-the-Hiil, is the depository of many fine
specimens of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.

“G..Telbyn.”—Forward the Essay to our pub.
lishing office. Part I. is re-printed.

Ry Alpha.” —Forwarded as desired.
“V. H.’—Neat week.

QUERIES.

How to produce coloured letiers in plain and
ground glass as used for gas-lamps, &c.

The method of embossing glass for ornamental
windows. — .

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “‘the Editor
of the DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.” —We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial)
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, &c.

——=

Cases for Vols. I. II. and IIL. are now ready,
price 1s. 8d. each; or the Publisher will under-
take to get them bound for 2s. each, if gilt, or
marbled, 6d. extra.

*.*Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS Of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 21 is now ready, Price 10d.

———=

*..* Part I, is also re-printed, and will in future be
charged at 10d. each.

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR AN INSCRIPTION*TABLET.

No, 88.—Vo1. IV.]
ee

[Two-PENCE.

ts a

|| Sarurpay,]

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT. [JANUARY 13, 1849,

@bserbations on the Present and
Future Condition of wWriz
lish Art.

——=

(Continued from page 103.)

(edi AN ig
iN a

ANN
WAU)

UT is this its

destiny? Has it been so? Do we not too

if the objects be presented to the eye but
in a tolerably faithful degree, the spectator
rarely inquires further. High distinction is
attainable in this style, although it never can
be the first; and even that must be purchased
by effort pushed to the utmost and a great out-
lay of time. And will the public, as it thinks
now, repay the artist for such long and labo-
rious exertion; In the saddest spirit of truth
we reply, we believe not. Nevertheless, that
Art at the present time is degenerating, we de-
ny; its tendency is to a familiar, lowering
style, in which the dexterity for painting me-
chanical objects is held of more value than the
precious results obtained by highly-cultivated
mental intelligence. This we think may be
received as a just view of the present condition
of Art in its higher branches; the possible
future advance we shall consider hereafter, and
now proceed to examine its state and prospects
as applied to Decorative and ORNAMENTAL
purposes.

One would naturally suppose that a people
so devoutly commercial as the English would
seek not alone its extension, would desire not
only to create a market in every spot inhabited
by man, but to hold the command of that
market by every means within their power.
This gratifying fact, however, is disproved by
every document. Our commerce, indeed, seems
to ebb from civilization, and to flow with
greater force the more it streams towards sa-
vage life. In European countries it declines ;
with the swarth African, the Chinese, and
Hindoo, it increases. This applies chiefly to
articles of clothing. For notwithstanding our
resources, the enormous capital employed, our

often find a well-painted cabinet, a piece of| great power in machinery, the enterprise of

china, or achair, call forth more admiration
than subjects important to social welfare? It
is not that this class of Art is bad: on the
contrary, it has great merit; and if perfect
execution be carried throughout a work, with
fine ‘colour. expression, and true perspective,
the result must be valuable. Here, however,
the failure unfortunately generally is, that
everything is painted better than the figures
and the flesh, so that the manual often com-
pletely supersedes the intellectual. Light pic-
||tures are also too much esteemed for their
||mere quality of whiteness, without any consi-
||deration of tone, colour, or general effect; for,

our merchants. the skill and unceasing indus-
try of our artisans, it was urgently asserted
that our manufactures were excluded from the
Continent by their inferiority in the arts of
design, and overborne by the pressure of fo-
reign goods, introduced into the United King-
dom solely from that cause. This created
alarm, the Board of Trade became excited,
even Downing-street was moved. A committee
of the House of Commons was appointed in
1836, which amply justified whatever a frigh-
tened interest expressed. Mr. Martin, the
celebrated painter, complained of the want of
correct design in the china trade; Mr. Pap-

a |

—_————

112

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘worth, of its absence in the interior decorative
architecture of houses, and in furniture; and
Mr. Cockerell, of the adoption of bad styles of
architecture arising from a similar want of
educated information. Nor was this all. It
was shown that all ideas of originality were
abandoned by our manufacturers ; that, what-
ever the article of trade, its design was either
a direct piracy, or to be pirated at the shortest
noticc; that to blend, imitate, or distort the
productions of others, was a prevailing rule.
Tt was their bread, of which they buttered both
sides, Nor can it be said they were entirely
to blame. Whatever.the manufacture, however
liberal the manufacturer’s expenditure for de-
signs from the best artists (of which, excepting
in the higher branches of trade, as goldsmiths,
&c., there were but few), they had no protec-
tion for capital thus employed. If Rundell
and Bridge engaged Flaxman, Baily, Howard,
or Stothard, at an outlay of £1000 per annum,
within one month the design was copied, with
but slight alterations, by the meanest competi-
tor. In decorative iron work; in all branches
|lof the silk trade; calico-printing, paper-hang-
ing, the practice was the same. Thus no man
felt disposed to secure talent the profit upon
which he could never call his own. And such
was the state of the law then—that it recog-=
nised no property in design! This was, per-
haps, natural, the State never having consi-
dered the Arts of Design worth a statesman’s
notice. But if was not less ruinous. There
were also other reasons. Except in cases where
the first artists were employed, none existed
who could supply the manufacturers with ori-
ginal patterns. Such as were produced were
generally those of men employed on the pre-
mises, or half-raw boys, the sons of some fore-
man engaged, unacquainted with all but the
merest elements of drawing, devoid of all edu-
cated taste, uninstructed by any examples but
those common in the trade; ignorant of pro-
portion, perspective, form, and continuity of
outline, beauty of colour, and unblessed with
any, even the slightest knowledge of it as a
question of science. At the best, the designer
was left to grope on unassisted, and his work
was the mere result of talent unguided by
knowledge.

With respect to |the state of trade, nothing
could be worse. One artist of great eminence

showed that chasing was at quite as low an ebb
as it was some twenty years ago; another stated
upon complaining that a design by Stothard
was spoiled by the artisan, he was answered,—
‘Sir, in this country we can never get beyond
a tea-pot!”’ while in the case of drawings
from such works as the Elgin marbles, to be
afterwards executed as a frieze on paper, Mr.
Crabb, a decorator, excellently explained the
difficulties in his way, and proved the great su-
periority of the French in all details of this
business, and his requisite reliance upon them.
It signified very little who was examined, the
evidence was throughout the same. We could
manufacture, but we could not design. The
east and west of London. Spitalfields, Coventry,
Manchester, Birmingham, all were represented,
and this truth was manifest, that although we}|
might compete, and did, with the French in
material, in particular colours, and other details,
yet that our goods, particularly silk, and fancy
articles of commerce, were either universally) |
copied from the French, or were otherwise
avowedly inferior.

Thus the spectacle was exhibited of a nation ||
enabled to produce a better article as regards
material, yet unable to compete, and even ex-
cluded from competition, with the foreign
artist, and that upon their own land, by a want
of knowledge in design! Nay, more: it was
the patron of that artist, to the acknowledged
detriment of its owntrade. Indeed, the whole
affair was a scramble; patterns imported from
France were manufactured off hand; the sole
desire was to get possession of the market,
even for one day, and to sell at the cheapest
rate, at the lowest expenditure. Every one
admitted the evil; all, even to the humblest
workman, felt its deplorable effects. Now,
what was the cause?—The want of a ScHoon
oF Design. We were as men endowed with||
every attribute of physical power, yet unen-
dowed with reason to give that power effect:—
like the barbaric chiefs of old, in whose do-
mains the precious metals abounded, but who
suffered them to pass into the possession of
every trader, from inability to use them pro-
perly themselves. This evil was so clearly es-|
tablished, not only by the Report of the Com-
mittee of Arts and Manufactures, by one}
subsequently made to the Board of Trade by/
Mr. Dyce, and the concurrent testimony of the;

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘best informed men, that the Government re-
solved upon the foundation of a permanent
school for the education of men, principally for
the application of Art to manufactures and the
higher branches of trade and professions.

The importance of the connexion between
Manufactures and Arts has always been ad-
mitted. In Greece great artists arose from the
manufacturing districts; itis apparent from all
their works that those artists who had failed in
the higher branches applied themselves to the
lower; and we have admirable works of a
minute and minor kind, which were executed
by men who had been employed upon a much
larger scale, and attempted higher things.—
Schools of Design were first introduced into
France by Colbert, under the auspices of Louis
XIV.; and from that period have been widely
diffused. In Germany and Bavaria similar
establishments have been formed, the efficacy
of which has been greatly increased by their
several “‘Industrial Associations.”” Yet for us
—a peculiarly manufacturing nation. to whom
the connexion between Art and Manufactures
is most important, and whom it behoves, were
it only from motives of mercantile interest to
encourage Art for the protection and the pro-
motion of commercial industry—no such insti-
tution had existed.

(To be continued.)

Society of Antiquartes.

uni

AT a meeting held December [4th, the Treasurer
in the chair, a number of interesting relics, sent
by members and by strangers interested. in anti-
||quities, were exhibited, including a curious fibula
found, we believe, near Silchester,—and an: orna-
ment bearing the appearance of an eagle, picked
up in a ploughed field in the same vicinity. The
first was supposed to be of Saxon, and. the last of
Roman manufacture. We confess our doubts as to
the eagle; but the fibula was remarkable, and por-
};tions of the ancient enamel were visible,—Mr.
Arthur Taylor’s paper on Roman London was then
continued ; but a want was felt and generally ex-
pressed that the dissertation was not accompanied
by any map or plan to illustrate the several new
|positions on this important question taken up by
the author. One of thesé (and it seemed very

startling) was that no part of London, in the time

113)

of the Romans, was on the south side of the
Thames,—and that the ground on which the bo-
rough of Southwark stands was then little better
than a morass. This point seems hardly tenable if
we call to mind, as many present did, the Roman
remains from time to time found even so far south
as St. George’s Church. However, we do not feel
well qualified to dispute what Mr. Taylor advanced
and supported with so much learning.—The second
great position was, that no part of London was
west of Walbrook ; and he adduced in confirmation
the fact, that the burial-place was unquestionably
between Walbrook and St. Paul’s, and that the
Romans never interred their dead within the boun-
daries of their cities. Sir Christopher Wren, it is

| true, was of a contrary opinion,—and there can be

no doubt that after the fire of London he had good
means of information; but antiquarian research

and science since his time have made such rapid):

and important advances, as to overturn some of
the best founded theories upon this and other sub-
jects. In the explanation and enforcement of this
part of the question Mr. Taylor evinced great
knowledge and acuteness; and though they mili-
tate against the notion that St. Paul’s in the time
of the Romans was a Pagan temple, we much
doubt whether his views can be satisfactorily con=
troverted. After the paper had been concluded a
discussion arose upon an incidental question—the
word Cole or Cold-harbour ; some contending that

if meant a deposit for coal,—others that it was so t

called on account of its coldness and sterility, not
a few poor, barren lands bearing the denomination
of Coldharbour,—while a third, but less numerous
body, maintained that the word in its first syllable

had the same etymology as Colewort, and that})|

Cole or Kale had been once grown in large quan-
tities on the Coldharbour lands. One gentleman
adduced a decisive passage from Pepys’s ‘ Diary’

to show that it sometimes, in the reign of Charles||

IT., meant only a coal-cellar. The truth, no doubt,

is, that this word, like some others, has two or|

three etymologies and applications; one of them,
perhaps, being the Latin coluber,—which might
carry back Coleharbour to a period even antece-
dent to the occupation of England by the Romans.

Spar.—In England ornamental masonry appears
to have been carried on longest in Derbyshire, which
is singularly rich in minerals. The objects origi-
nally made of spar were urns, vases, columns, and
obelisks ; but generally they were solid lumps of
stone, and from their great weight most inconve-
nient to move. But later works, besides being
copies of the most approved forms of the antique,

are manufactured very thin and light, so that al)

taper placed within displays the most extraordinary
and. richest colours in the mineral world.

b»

\ EN" ELAS

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THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

A DESIGN FOR A BRACKET.—(FLEMISH STYLE)

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FIGURES OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY,

{16

‘and when the brick-earth

fashion with its wearer ?
‘indispensable appendage to the comfort of life; the

HAovern Town Wouses.
BY FRANCIS CROSS.

THE great increase of dwellings and fashionable
residences that have been erected in or about Lon-
don of late years, has not a little astonished and

affords nota little astonishment to-our “ country

cousins,” on their oceasional visits to notice the

great alterations, termed “improvements,” that a
few months prodteé in our great metropolis. The
“green lanes” have disappeared ; even those spots

|known as the public: fields and commons for

years, have-been suddenly enclosed, and changed
to wncommon good property.. Fields! where are
they? What will or has become of the Britannia

‘fields, London fields, and others—the resort of the

industrious on a holiday, enclosed for brick-making
becomes exhausted, the
ground Y

“Soon covered *t will be with streets, crescents,
and squares,
Though the houses a breath down could shake’em;
Just see! how the builders on earth rum up theirs,
And yet gulls they find plenty to take ’em.”

Who are they who have done this? A class of

‘speculative men calling themselves builders, whose
‘stock in trade is ready-made houses.

They can
‘give you almost as great and varied a choice of

their goods as the linendraper; all, however, ac-
cording to the length of your purse, from the small
ifourth-rate tenement, to the fashionable and de-

.strable family residence; but is the home or dwel-
ling a thing to be used only while in favour or
No! it is a necessary and

more, therefore, is it necessary that these homes
‘should in all respects ‘be sound, durable, and con-
‘venient. But in the present economical times,
cheapness is the ruling genius, and every one is

anxious to get as much as possible to look at for

his money. The call for new houses and new
| neighbourhoods has ‘produced dishonest builders;
| ho are the perpetrators of vile productions of
| condemned bricks and unseasoned timber.

“Of building they’ll never tire,
Each end of town’s run wild,
And the rents like the houses grow higher,
Which are mortgaged betore they are tiled.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

|the present, not for the future.
‘of the population that are so ready to become
‘tenants watch the manufacture of these London

frightened those who had regarded the purchase of |
house property asa desirable investment; and it |
and Jeave in good aud tenantable repair the

beauties can be known.
| building ought to receive a decided check: let the

| surely nothing can be more deserving of your care

But though they get tenants for all,
The knowing ones wink their eye,

For they fancy the rents must fall
With the houses themselves bye and bye.”

In building for immediate sale, what need these
builders care about construction ?—they erect for
Let but one-half

houses, and they would feel some hesitation before
they trusted their signature to an agreement to
“* uphold, sustain, and maintain” for seven years,

property,—however neat and clean an appearance
it carried to the eye,—and would pause before they

|became the purchasers or tenants of crazy and
‘faulty tenements that are only kept upright by one

supporting another. Let every one consider this
subject in order that he may not find out that it is
necessary to reside in a house before its faults or
The present system of

public be no Jonger content to encourage the erec-
tion of shattered brick walls and miserably be-
daubed compo coverings, rather let them build,—
let them consider what is requisite for the conve-
nience of their families, and that every department
be in its proper situation, and suitable to their
wants, and that the building should want nothing
which it has not, in order that the home may pro-
duce “‘ health and pleasure to you and yours, and

than a good, substantial habitation for yourself and
family.” An able writer in the New Monthly,
some time ago, when speaking of the ‘‘ Modern
Town Houses,” gave a clever sketch of the miseries
he endured by becoming the tenant of a crack,
house. He says,—

“¢The house in question was one in a row, build-
ing or built, whitened outside in imitation of stone.
It was No. 2,-—No 1 was not quite finished, for the
windows were still stained with whitewash and co-
louring. No. 2, the one in question, was complete,
and the builder asserted was ready for immediate
occupation. No 3 was not advanced so far as the
others—they were but carcasess. ‘ Why,’ said I,
‘we shall be smothered by the dust-lime and lime
for the next two years.’ * Don’t be alarmed,’ said
the builder, ‘ every house will be finished this win-
ter.’ ‘Is the entrance handsome?’ observed my
wife, ‘and neat and clean?’ ‘To thisI had no reply
to make, as it certainly looked neat and clean.
We went over the house, examined the rooms,
which were all allotted by my wife, and of which
the builder tock good note; finally, we looked at
the kitchen, which was admired, as also the coal
cellar, pantry, scullery, and dust-hole,—all was
declared so compact and nice. ‘Don’t you think
it charming? said my wife. ‘It seems to do very

FUE use

well, but requires consideration,’ I observed. ‘I

a a SS Ee
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THE DECORATOR’S ‘ASSISTANT.

can’t give you long,’ observed the builder, ‘two
other parties are after it.’ ‘Take it,’ said my wife,
so ‘chimed in my daughters. ‘What is the rent,
then? ‘Two hundred guineasa year.’ ‘And the
taxes? ‘A mere trifle.’ ‘ What term do you let
for? ‘Seven, fourteen, or twenty-one years, at the
option of either party,’ the builder answered. ‘I
will take it for three years,’ I said, and the builder
seeing he would not be able to make me take it for
a longer term, assented. We commenced moving,
and shortly afterwards I noticed sundry indications
that betokened that my wife thought of giving a
house-warming, or as she called it, ‘ a little dance.’
Well, the evening came, the ball commenced,—the
house warming ended in house breaking! When
the four-and.-twenty couple were going the grand
ronnd, a great noise took place below. ‘What is
the matter?’ said my wife. ‘Ma’am,’ said Mr.
Gunter’s man, ‘the ceiling of the dining-room has
fallen down and spoilt the supper table.’ Here was
a catastrophe,—we went down stairs, and sure
enough, as he said, the mortar had broken the
jellies, paties, cold meats, creams, trifle, all into
one mass of ruin, mixed with lime and hair. It
presented all the appearance of a Swiss avalanche
||in miniature. ‘These new houses won’t bear
dancing in,’ said Mr. Gunter’s man.’ The next
day I sent for the builder, and showed him what
had taken place. ‘ Dear me! Iam very sorry, but
you had too many people overhead, that’s very
clear.’ ‘Very clear!—why, we had a ball,’ I said.
© No wonder, then,’ observed the builder. ‘ What,
then, are we to give no balls? I asked.’ ‘ Why, sir,
vou see, we don’t build private houses, now-a-days,
as ball-rooms;—we could not, sir—the price of
timber is so ruinous, and the additional strength
would never pay us.’ Mr. Builder, I expeet you
to make the ceiling good.’ ‘Much obliged for the
preference ; I will do it as reasonable as any one,’
replied he, bowing; ‘1 will{send in the men di-
reetly.’

‘At the end of a monthI had to pay a bill—
more than the ball and supper cost. Shortly after-
wards I thought I would have paintings hung, so I
sent for the carpenter. I pointed out a place to
the man on the steps, ‘ But’ answered he, tapping
with his hammer, “ can’t find wood,sir. No, there
is nothing to nail to, sir; but there never is wood
\in these new houses.’ Confound your new houses,
ithoughtI. ‘ What’s the house built of, then?’ said
I. ‘Lath and plaster,’ said the man, tapping
right and left. The next annoyance was bad smell
from the drains, The bricklayer was sent for; he
came, and pronounced them choked, and added,
‘they make the drains in these new honses so small,
sir.” Well, the whole of the basement was taken
up,’and 40/7, expense incurred before the nuisance
was abated. I hoped now all was right, for I heard
a conversation between my wife and eldest daugh-
ter which gave me some satisfaction. ‘ It is really
very aukward, one don’t kuow where to put any-
thing ; there is not a cupboard or stow-hole in the
whole house.’ Well, then came some gales'of wind
and heavy showers of rain; slates blew off, and
rattled up and down all night, complaints came
from. the attics. One had the bed wetted quite
through from the water dripping through the ceil-
'||ing ;—another had put a bason to catch the leak—
all declared the roof asieve. I sent again for the
builder, who told me I must expect the slates would
move a little after such heavy gales, as they were

so light, and the wind got under them. ‘You
know, sir,’ continued the builder, ‘we can’t put a
heavy roof on brick-and-a-half walls.’ ‘ Brick-
and-a-half walls!’ said I, ‘why, that is not
surely safe, sir?’ ‘Not quite, sir, if this was a
single house; but then in a row, one supports
the other.’ Thank Heaven! I took it but for three
years,—and six months are gone. I thought of
my old house I had left to meet the fashionable
wishes of my wife, and sighed to become its inmat

once more.” :

(To be continued.)

’

HActhoy of Watnting Bapan-=work. -

In No. 61, page 103," vol. III, we gave a des-|
cription of the colours used in painting Japan-
work. We now give the method of laying the
colours on. Japan-work ought properly to be
painted with colours in varnish; though for the
greater dispatch and in some very small works, for,
the freer use of the pencil, the colours are some~ |}
times tempered in oil, which should previously | |
have a fourth part of its weight of gum animi dis- ;
solved in it; or, in default of that, gum sandarach: |’
or gum mastich. When the oil is thus used, it | -
should be well diluted with oil of turpentine, that
the colours may lay more evenly and thin, by which
means fewer of the polishing or upper coats of
varnishing will be necessary. In some instances,
water colours are laid on grounds of gold, in the.
manner of other paintings, and are best when so
nsed in their proper appearance, without’ any var-
nish over them; and they are also sometimes
so managed as to have the effect of embossed
work. The colours employed in this way, for
painting, are best prepared by means of isinglass
size, corrected. by honey or sugar candy. The,
body of which the embossed work is raised, need.
not, however, be tinged with the exterior colour,
but may be best formed of very strong gum water,
thickened to a proper consistence by bole armenian
and whiting in equal parts, which being laid on
the proper figure, and repaired when dry, may be
then painted the proper colours, tempered with the,
isinglass size, or in the usual manner, with shell-lac
varnish,

Roman Pavement.—The remains of a pavement
considered to be Roman, were a few days ago dis-
covered a little below the surface of the ground,at
Eastbourne, by the workmen employed in con=;
structing the sea-wall, between the Wash and the’
Sea-houses. The spot appears to have been paved.
in small squares, and at one part the work has been
damaged, probably by the operation of the plough
It has been visited by a great number of persons. '

Werspectibe.

(Continued from page 109.)

Ti annexed illustration shows the effect of the
sides of the street appearing, as the distance is
increased, to tend inwards when the spectator
||stands in the middle of the street.

In this illustration, the rays of light proceeding
from the remote extremities are inside of the rays
proceeding from the near extremities; the lines
as their distance increases would therefore seem to
tend inwards to an eye placed in the position of the

fixed point. This is an effect precisely similar to

j|that observed by a spectator standing in the
middle of the street, and to whom the sides of the
street ‘appear to tend inwards as the distance is
inereased.

If the observer change his position, and,
standing in the middle ofthe footway on the
tight of the cut, look down the footway, he will
find that, for example, the row of lamps on each
side of the street will, in this new position, both
seem to tend towards the right as the distance
increases; and were he then to change toa similar
position on the left of the cut, they would then
.4{seem to him to tend towards the left, as the dis-
tance increased.

(To be continued.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

An Wlustratey Glossary of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
Enterior Mecoration, &e.

——=

(Continued from page 110.)

HIEROGLYPHIcS. (In archeology.) The ap-
pellation given to those sacred characters with
which the Egyptians decorated the greater part of;

their monuments, forming a species of writing
understood only by the priests. Inthe Egyptian
paintings, the soul is represented as a bird, with
human head and arms.

HypRAULos. A pneumatic engine, mentioned
by Vitruvius and other ancient authors, the use
and form of which are not well known.

Hyprrsonic Crzinproip. A solid formed
by the revolution of ,the hyperbola about its con-
jugate axis.

HYPERTHYRUM. In ancient buildings, the
ornament which extends over the aperture of the
doorway.

HypomocHiion, the fulerum or prop of a
lever, which, when heavy bodies are raised by
that instrument, bears all the incumbent weight ;
it is applied also to the roller placed under pieces
of timber or stones, to facilitate their removal.

Hyporopium. A footstool used in the ancient

baths, &c.

Hyposcenium. A term applied by Pollux to
the wall before the scene which faced the or-
chestra.

HYPoTRACHELIUM. <A term given by Vitru-
vius to the slenderest part of the shaft of a column
where it joins the capital. It signifies the part
under the neck.

(To be continued.)

ee eee aw

of the Mlississippt and Milis=
sourt Mtbers.

THE interest that this gigantic and extraordinary
work is exciting is a sufficient guarantee of the
estimation in which its performance i is held by the
(public. On the occasion of our visit last week the
room devoted to the purpose of its exhibition
jwas very much crowded. This may truly be
termed an extraordinary work, and one that only
an enthusiastie lover of his subject could ever have
found patience and energy to accomplish, being,
according to the painter, the largest picture in the
world; and we can readily imagine itto beso, as
it extends over three miles of canvas, and embraces

Ganbard’s Ceogtaphical Wanorama |

the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. The panorama
is exhibited as a moving panorama, turning upon
large cylinders, and displaying to the spectator the
extent of a very large-sized picture, a sort of pro-
scenium being before it; it thus extends its vast
length, and the eye takes in the whole range of
the rivers, from their sources to their terminations.
In so comprehensive a picture, which took the
artist four hundred days to make the preliminary
sketches, it can scarcely be imagined the painter
aims at artistic effect. To use his own words, “‘ he

||does not exhibit it as a work of art, but as a correct

representation of the country it portrays; its high
reputation is based upon its accuracy.” It is one

|of, those peculiar exhibitions that a single visit
‘\scarcely suffices to make us acquainted with. its

various points of interest ; there are several bits of
scenery that, in their vast sweep of wood and dale,

jare truly beautiful, their deep solitude seeming to

|render them like regions where only the Indian has
yet wandered, and recals forcibly to the mind the
history and legends of the Indians in their original
state. The legend of the White Fawn, which
|Banyard has thrown into creditable verse, and
delivers with much feeling, enhances the interest
of the bluffs he illustrates; whilst the various
(points of ‘civilised scenery are given with graphic
effect. There are some peculiar features about the
‘Rivers that are wildly picturesque—the extra-
ordinary Domes, that seem as if fashioned by the
most skilful architect, and which we ean scarcely
imagine to be only.formed by the wind and rain—
‘the brilliant colouring of the Brick Kilns, looking
like vast antiquated towers frowning over a wilder-
ness of solitude—the Prairie, one of nature’s most
extraordinary sights, and the glowing of the fire
raging in the distance over its vast extent. The
‘panorama commences at a plaee called the Yellow
Stone Bluffs, and then pursues its course through
the Indian encampments,, the Plains, with the
Sioux in their wild state; ; passing Rush Island,
Herculaneum, Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, the
mouth of the Ohio, Cairo, the Indian Mounds,
‘Plumb Point, Vicksburg, Natchez, Baton Rouge,
New Orleans, &e. &e. The scenery embraces the
‘most grand and beautiful of any of the American
rivers, and seyeral of the views, are remarkably
\peautiful, giving au idea of scenery and customs

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

in its details no less than three thousand miles of |

119)

with which the spectator in this country is not
familiar; and not the least curious amongst the
accessories are the American steam-boats, that.
seem like large floating cities, rather than mere
vessels of passage. Mr. Banvard himself explaius)
with much spirit the principal topics of interest,
connected with the various remarkable scenes and
places; in addition to which, a smali volume is|
given by him to the spectator, and really constitutes |
by no means the least interesting feature of the
exhibition. The whole is replete with information,
and during the two hours the panorama is passing
before us, we learn more of America, its resources
and customs, than we should gain in the perusal of
a dozen volumes of travels. To those of our
readers who have not already visited the exhibition
at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, we earnestly
entreat them to do so, feeling assured that they
will be intellectually gratified at the result,

—

Among the many curious and interesting appli-
cations of science which constantly greet us, the
application of the destructive gun-cotton to the
alleviation of suffering humanity is not the least
interesting, Gun-cotton dissolved in ether has for
some time been very successfully employed as an
application to incised wounds. When washed over|
the surface, the ether rapidly evaporating leaves
behind a film which is impervious to air; and thus
the wound, protected from atmospheric influences,
heals by the first intention. But uow we find’ this
eurious compound employed successfully in the
eure of the tooth-ache. The cavity of the tooth
being cleaned out, a little asbestos saturated with
collodion, as it is called, to which a little morphia
is added, is placed in it. All soon becomes solid ;
and thus an excellent stopping and a,,powerful
anodyne are applied at the same time.

A process of much mechanical ingenuity for the
purpose of preventing the forgery of bank notes has
lately been attracting great attentionin Paris. It
is now brought forward by M. Seguier as a
novelty; but from the communication made to the
Academy of Sciences, it appears to us to be but a
slightly modified form of compound plate-printing
patented many years since by Mr. Whiting,
Beaufort House, Strand.

Portrait Painting in Portugal.—We may
mention that as regards portrait painting (which
generally flourishes even in countries where the}
Fine Arts have taken no deep root), there is no
artist who appears capable of painting a head.
Some adventurer of the lowest order came from
Madrid a short time since, and painted the whole
of those who wished to perpetuate their likenesses,
at about £2 10s. per head. The drawing-master
of the Orphans’ Hospital at Belem painted a por.-!
trait of the present Queen, her father, and his
second wife: we do not think even the Vicar of
Wakefield would have patronised sucha painter.|,
Tf, as must be the case in every civilised country||
at some time or another, the Arts should flourish
here, this work will be preserved in one of the
finest buildings, as a curious specimen of what was||
the state of native art patronised by: royalty in
Portugal in the nineteenth century.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The Chronotyyptst.

THE Baths and Wash-houses in St. Martin’s in
the Fields were opened a few days since, under the
presidency of Sir H. Dukinfield, late Vicar.
The Durham papers state that the excavation of
j|the interesting caverns at Kepshead will shortly
take place. The investigation cannot fail to be
most important to the science of geology. Mr.
Burnard, a Devonshire Artist has been authorised
to execute a statue of Mr. Richard Lander, the en-
||terprising traveller in Africa, who was a native of
Truro. The figure will be placed on the Lander
column, in Lemon Street, Truro; its height will be
about 8 feet, and its material will be stone, either
Portland or Magnesian limestone. The design will
be as simple and effective as possible-——Llandillo
{| Bridge, Carmarthenshire, a noble structure, is just
completed. Itis nearly 150 feet span, and built,
1|principally of black marble, at an expense of about
£18,000.——The building of the new Colleges in
||Galway, Cork, Belfast and Maynooth, is proceed-
ing towards completion. That.at Belfast, is the
most forward. The sites for each is about 10 acres,
and the style of architecture Gothic; the Cork
||College occupies three sides of a quadrangle. The
{\extent of the north or entrance front, is 290 feet,
9 inches; east front, 282 feet ; and west front, 191
feet. The library is 56 feet by 28 feet. The main
quadrangle is 215 feet, 9 inches, by 161 feet.
The £600 a year, to be given by Messrs. Longman’s
for ten years to Mr. Macaulay, for ten years’ copy-
right of the first two volumes of his‘ History of
England,’ is perhaps the largest sum ever given for
a work, in two volumes.—The largest sums here-
tofore known to have been paid, are—4,000 guineas
to Washington Irving for his ‘ Life of Columbus,’
in four volumes, octavo, —2,000 guineas to Moore
for his ‘ Life of Byron,’ in two volumes, quarto,—
and £4,500 for ten years to the present Bishop of
Oxford and his brother for the “‘ Life of Wilber-
force,” in five volumes, octavo. Mr. Roberts is
said to have received 3,000 guineas from his “ Life
of Hannah More,’ in five volumes, octavo; Mr.
Twiss 2,000 guineas from his “Life of Lord
Eldon ;” and Mr. Stanley something like 1,500
-}|guineas from his“ Life of Dr. Arnold :” but these
were receipts upon the sale, not specific sums
given by way of speculation, like the payments to
Moore, Irving, Wilberforce, and Macaulay. The
4jlargest sum ever realised by any one work whilst it
J\continued to be called a. new. publication, was
1|£18,000, the proceeds of Sir Walter Scott’s “ Life
‘lof Napoleon,” the work of twelvé months, and

published in nine volumes, octavo, in 1827.——
The Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral
have thankfully accepted the offer of various
subscribers to provide a stained glass window for
the cathedral——tThe pinnacle of Pelynt Church
spire, says an Exeter paper, was lately struck by
lightning, which scattered its granite masses in
every direction, and ran through the building,
doing some other damage, and boring a hole
through a wall like a bullet hole.

To Corresponvents, Ke.

Write legibly and sensibly, so that both thy
words and their meaning may be readily decy-~
phered by the recipient of thy communication,

“ J. R. J.” —The article is piaced in a groove
cut in @ piece of charcoal, and the breath forced
through the flame by means of a blow-pipe, forms
a hot-blast which melts the solder. Varnishes of
all descriptions are difficult, expensive, and even
dangerous to manufacture on a small scale. You:
had much better procure it of the manufacturer
Live and let live.

“ B. S.’—There were some very fine specimens
of the kind at Hatfield House, Herts.

Other Correspondents next week

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to “‘the Editor
of the DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.” —We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c.

* *Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Part 21 ts now ready, Price 10d.

*.* Part I, is also re-printed, and will in future be
charged at 10d. each.

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AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS.

No. 89.—Vo.. IV.] [Two-PENCE.

Tienes at

abate

—

Sarurpay,]

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT. [JANUARY 20, 1849.

Mdservations on the Wresent and
Future Condition of wri
ish Art.

(Continued from page 118.)

HE School of

Design at Somerset-house was consequently
opened ; ‘and, considering its great importance,
we shall now detail the objects it has in view.
First, it proceeds upon a principle well estab-
lished in relation to every direction of the mind
—that to elicit genius, or make it the power it
{may become, you must educate it. The rule
applicable to law, to medical science, from the
commonest to the lowest pursuits, is still as
||stringently applicable to Art, very great
|lartist of the past went through a rigid course
of study; every book upon the subject proves
this; every aberration from the system attests
its necessity, Who designed in the middle
jjages? Raffaelle. From whom sprung even

the debased system called the style of Louis | be reared; but this School can, nay, does rear

‘}cuted by the Grecians, Romans, and Italians, |

style, with a more sumptuous expression,

in the loom, in silver, bronze, iron, and wood,

XIV.—more correctly that of his successor?
From the examples of Ornamental Art, exe-

long accredited as the offspring of high and
cultivated taste, as practised by Michel Angiolo|
and Cellini, as designed by Le Pautre, and
given in valuable documents by Piranesi, The
style of Louis the Fourteenth was the Roman,

|
It was by such men, then, that of old the
ornaments of palaces, the works to be produced

were designed. It is to raise up men, if pos~/
sible such men—at all events men trained in
the discipline of such examples—that the Di-
rectors of these Schools labour. A rigid course
of instruction is adopted; the pupils are taught
to draw ornament and the figure; the best)
works, and the purest models, are supplied ;
the classic style is adopted as the best ; only |
the most beautiful forms are placed before
them; the power of light and shade, the use of
chalk, the laws of chiaroscuro, and of colour
in all its details, are made a daily study, and
the most assiduous practice. The education of
all is essentially the same, but as they acquire
a knowledge of drawing they have copies
placed before them, and their attention is di-
rected to the class of ornament and its appli-||
cation most likely to be conducive to their);
several future occupations. What that occu-
pation may be, is not, however, incumbent on
the School to decide. Their mission is the
cultivation of taste, the communication of
knowledge, the training of the mind by the
discipline of great examples. It is the genius
of the pupil, and the wants of the manufac-
turer, that must determine the employment of
the knowledge here obtained. This is well
known; and not to derive the advantages
this School affords to the capitalist, because it
does not supply the practised workman, is not
only in the way of all improvement, but of all
sane reasoning. |

In France, where many artists are employed, |
it happens, particularly with reference to the
loom, that they also are generally the metteurs
en carte, but this has never been the case here;
and whatever advantage may be derived from
this practice, time doubtless will secure. Still
less can it be expected that artists can at once

—.

122

excellent workmen as ornamentists, and num-
bers of practical designers have-derived great
advantage from their study of Art within its
walls. The Queen's summer-house has been
already partly painted by one pupil in a style
far exceeding the work of any foreign artist
employed in this country; others are engaged
‘rapidly as ornamentists, or as teachers in local
schools, where the head masters are always,
where it is possible, artists of the higher class.

upon the formation of public taste there can
ibe no doubt. Fashion may counteract its effi-
cacy, and will; but ‘fa breath can make this,
jas a breath has made.’’ The generation for
whose dresses Kent designed the five orders of
architecture, we have not the least doubt, has
been succeeded by another whose silks.and cot-
tons may be made far more attractive by de-
signs from Somerset-house, of a more becoming
—more artistic, and less ambitious character.
Let not, therefore, those who make, or those
who sell, lay the flattering unction to their
souls, that the public has no taste, and that
there is no wisdom in the manufacture of any
article of design, and that the old pattern, the
time-worn system—is the best.

Such opinions may suit the warehouse or
the counter,—are in accordance with the limited
capacity of those to whom the present gain is
the be-all and the end-all here; but, eppure si

\muove, opinion advances; and such men will
be found, in the dim and dusty waste of their
own ‘silent. desolate premises, the becoming
|/memorials of a system they had not the genius
j\to break through, and hardly the cunning to
jmake profitable to their own ends.

Turn we now to the Future of British Art.
Like every human prospect, it is one of mingled
hopes and fears. Yet assuredly it has more of
hope. ‘The gloom that has hung over and ac-
companied the course of British Art, like mists
which gather round the sun, and which seldom
fail as it advances to make more palpable the
beauty of that luminary whose glory they ean-
not wholly hide, is now far spent. Religion
||has become more tolerant of her productions,
the ‘state more anxious to promote and to pro-
tect them, the people more impressed by their
humanising influence, more anxious to extend
{\it, to make Art a companion of their pleasure,
ithe ‘enlivener of their homes, and an additional

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Of the silent, gradual influence of this system

power for the furtherance of honourable am-
bition. Our artists have proved they are equal
to national undertakings, and anxious to re-
deem the past. The schools of France and
England seem to evince more original talent
than other countries, more novelty in style and|
conception, although not always equal in exe-
cution. The schools in the other parts of Ku-
rope fluctuate between Albert Durer and Raf-
faelle, without the originality of the one, or
the beauty and completeness of the other. The
evil consequent upon the present \state of opi-
nion, the Future of British Art will assuredly
correct. The demand for works of small value,
and at a very low price, the besetting public
sin of the present day, will become exhausted
from the higher calls for monumental "works
which we think’await thesartist ; for, as ripple
expands into ripple, so from circle to circle
does the influence of example, and from the
throne to the cottage we are convinced there is
now a higher conception anda more generous
appreciation of the object and purposes of Art
than have ever heretofore existed. Of the ad-
vantage of combining industry with education
in the Mechanical Arts, as now so ably con-
ducted at the School of Design, none can
doubt: it must produce refinements the most
liberal; nor can one be carried to perfection
without being accompanied in a great degree
by the other. The spirit of the age, says Beat-
tie, affects all the Arts; and the minds of men
being once roused fr their lethargy, and put
into a fermentation, turn themselves on all
sides, and carry improvements throughout all
branches of mental pursuit, The more the
Arts advance, the more sociable do men become.
As they extend, the political condition of a
people becomes more assured, factions are less
inveterate, controversy Jess hateful, revolutions
less tragical, authoritp less severe, and sedi-
tions less frequent.

“A taste for the Fine Arts,” says Lord
Kames, ‘goes hand in hand with the moral
sense, to which, indeed, it is nearly allied:
both of them discover what is right, and what
is wrong; fashion, temper, and education may
vitiate both, or preserve them pure and ‘un-
tainted; neither of them are arbitrary or local,
being peck in human nature, and common’ to
all men.” A diligent study of the classics

might teach us that Rome was vitiated by her||

Arts, and not by her Asiatic luxuries; but a
diligent study of human nature will assure us
the Arts, created by the intellect, will advance
with the intellectual destiny of man. That
destiny is progress.
governed by fixed laws: the spiritual is an
effusion of light from perfection to perfection,
The mighty orbs of heaven still roll in the
|vastness of space, in the sphere designed by
the Eternal Wisdom, at whose word they arose;
|worlds themselves, to give light, and be a theme
of wonder and of praise to others. Beauty the
most exquisite—in outline the most varied; of
every hue and combination of colour; of form
the most diverse, clothed with every attribute
of gracefulness and strength—invests the earth.
In equal wisdom, with an unerring adaptation
of nature unto clime, every class of the animal
creation attests its Maker. But to these a
fixed law of life, an immutable destiny is given.
It is not so with man: endowed with the
‘highest powers, taught to aspire to the noblest
ends, his mind is free; he is a law unto him-
self; his destiny is the work of his own will.
To him the past is time, the future is eternity,
{his moral state of being is created coequal with
his progressive condition, and the soul, con-
scious of this law, bursts from the frame of
clay,
« Wrapt round its struggling powers.”

No age can transmit to its successors the he-
ritage of the human mind, in the condition it
was received. Thought, which creates opinion,
refines as it progresses; becomes more enlarged
in its conceptions, better founded, and more
diffused, From the social union of men, from
their daily habitual intercourse, a gradual pro-
gression of manners and opinions originates,
which nothing can retard. In the general his-
tory of civilization it will be found that it is
the silent, gradual succession of causes, rather
than the fear of powerful influences, which has
largely affected the condition of a people: If we
review the past, who can doubt.society has ad-
vanced ?—if we consider our own powers, who can
doubt we must continue to advance? We have
hope, we have confidence in the times to be: in
\\the future of social condition, of government, lite-

rature, science, and the FUTURE OF BRITISH
ART.

|. TuE British Museum is now open to the public.
The last vestige of Montagu-house is gone.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSITANT.

The material world is}

Mlethov of Varnishing PHapan-iwork.

are necessary, which is generally done with the
best common seed-lac varnish, which is thus
applied :—The work to be varnished should be
placed near a fire, and made perfectly dry; then
the varnish rubbed over, beginning in the middle
and passing to one end, again from the middle;
passing to the other, avoiding to go twice over the
same place in forming one coat ; when one coat is
dry, lay on another, till you have a sufficient
thickness to bear the polish, which must be done
by rubbing it with a rag dipped in tripoli, or
rotten-stone, finely powdered; but towards the
end of the rubbing, a little oil of any kind should
be used along with the powder; and when the}
work appears sufficiently bright and glossy, it
should be well rubbed with the oil alone to clear it
from the powder, and give it a still brighter lustre.
In case of white grounds, fine putty or whiting
must be used.

SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH.—On Wednesday
the 10th, successful experiments were made at
Folkstone Harbour, under the direction of Mr.
Walker, the superintendent of the South-Eastern
Company’s telegraphic system, preparatory to the
attempt to complete the telegraphic communica-
tion across the Straits of Dover. Upwards of two
miles of wire covered with vulcanised gutta percha
were carried out in a small boat and submerged in
the sea along the mouth of the harbour, and at the
sides of the pier. One end of the wire was con-
nected with a telegraphic instrument on the deck
of the Princess Mary steamer, and the other end
with the telegraph wire communicating with
London. A continued correspondence was then
kept up between the steamer and the stations of
London, Ashford, and Tunbridge, for three or four
hours with the most perfect success.

GOLD IN BRITAIN.—While the newspapers of
Europe and America proclaim the wonders of the
new gold region of California, which appears to
realize the dreams of poets,—it is not uninteresting
to know that some mineral lodes of this country
contain the precious metal. It is well known that
the Romans worked the mines of Cardiganshire
and Merionethshire for gold; and we learn that
East Cwmhesian Mine in the latter county has,
from a lead lode, recently yielded six or seven
pounds of gold, and that two hundred ounces are
now on the surface of the mine.

CoaL.—This invaluable substance has recently
been found in the Straits of Magellan, samples of
which have been transmitted to the Admiralty, and:
by that Board referred to scientific examination.

128]

THE finishing of japan-work lies in the laying |
on, and polishing the outer coats of varnish that|}

Hbanaclist,

St. Sohw the

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

<r \

Hit

i
Mh,

|
\
{
!
AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR a PENDANT LAMP.—(GOTHIC.)
BY J. B. ROBINSON.

126

@bservations on the Wolychromatic
Mecoration of the Middle Ages.

(Continued from page 107.)

In point of fact, decorative painting was
naturally subject to the same influence of the
same external cause that affected Art generally,
and in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries had
evolved for itself-a style essentially distinct both
from the classic and revived manner. In Italy,
the style thus formed not only appears from the
first to have had a looser hold, but was earlier
abandoned for a style in imitation of the antique 5
all the productions of that country subsequent to
ithe revival are conceived in a distinct spirit, and
executed in a manner rapidly deviating from the
practice of Northern Europe ; decorative painting,
in the hands of the Italian school, gradually ceased
to be Polychromy, and assumed a form subject to
all the laws of pictorial composition.

precise rules:

for the architect to understand the spirit, and will
serve alike as a guide for the restoration of old, or
ithe designing for new works.

In Gothic Polychromy, as in Gothic archi+
tecture, notwithstanding the fertility of detail: that

which the ancient architects have-imitated theme
selves ; continual repetition of the same:idea will
frequently be observable in particular: districts, or,
if differing at all, only in the degree: that: circum-
stances or individual taste may have:modified the
original standard. The skill of the designers was
exhibitedjin the reproduction of certain, set: forms,
and in suiting them to particular localities or-re=
quirements, rather than the thirst: for novelties:
which characterise the present day. Copies ofa;
few ceilings, strings, shafts, and canopies, with:
their mouldings and enrichments, and a few exam=4
ples of diaper, would form an alphabet of Poly~
chromy which would supply the knowledge of
ancient colour an antiquary could require. In
churches of almost the earliest date, traces of
colour may be found, generally applied in a very
rude manner, and frequently consisting of nothing
more than yellow wash and red or black _bands,
This observation holds true of almost all the deco-
rative painting that is supposed,to have been exer-

Sa eT
ig =

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

It would bea matter of great difficulty to reduce
the practice of Polychromatic decoration to any:
observations and comparison of
remaining examples, will, however, be sufficient

prevailed, there will be found, during the epoch of the mouldings. Inthe south transept, the date of
any particular style, a vast number-of instances, in | which is. early in the thirteenth century, a similar

Norman styles. Where any pattern has been

attempted, it may be immediately recognised by
the resemblance it bears to the sculptured enrich-
ments of the period_

there exists a singular relic of early painting. The
arches of early Norman date have their massive
masonry concealed beneath a coat of plaster, which
retains indications of colour. On the side of one

radiating lines that are drawn to represent the
arch-stones, in a blood-red colour, in each of which
are intersecting bands, forming a kind of cross
saltire, which bands are dotted with spots of a
deeper red. The opposite side of the arch is orna-
mented with a different design, but of the same
colour ; and a scroll pattern is also existing run-
ning round parallel tothe arch. A nearer approach
to the manner of a later age, is shown in Bishop
Gundulph’s work in the nave of Rochester Cathe-
dral, where the sculptured enrichments that fill
the spandril spaces between the double arches of
the triforia, and the large single arch within which
they are embraced, are picked out in different
colours. In some of these cases, the enrichments
resemble the flattened-tooth ornament, with which
ithe walls of Westminster Abbey are covered. The
whole of the Norman work in Rochester Cathedral
has been covered with colour. The stones of the
shaft and arches were painted alternately red,
green, and yellow, the whole face of the stone
being filled by the same colour, not distinguishing

system lias: been adopted, where the stones, and not
the mouldings, are distinguished. The labels only
are treated as distinct features. The tier of
windows at the south end have each stone of the

In the north transcept of Winchester Cathedral,|

of the arches that face eastwards, are a series of}

labels: marked inva contrasting colour to those of
the arches.’ Thus, if an arch-stone be green, that
portion.ef the label in contact with it will be red or
yellow; and’ vice versa. During the former part of
.what:is'ecommonly called the early English period,

‘made but little progress; and the extant specimens
‘exhibit a similar mode to that formerly in use-
‘Colours were used in masses, without distinction of
detail. A screen of about this date, against the
north and south walls of the Lady Chapel, at
Winchester, has the centre columns of its tripled
shafts painted alternately red and black, the
columns on either side of the centre being painted
in the contrasting colour. In this case, the colour
on the columns extends to the adjacent hollows
without any other reliefs than a double band of,

cised during the prevalence of the Saxon and

that is, from 1189 to 1216, decorative painting] ||

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘black encircling those columns that are red, at
about every foot in height. When painting was
only partially incroduced, as was the case in
simple works, sueh as ehurches in rural districts,
red was the favourite tint used in the capitals and
bases of the columns; [Two foliated capitals, of
early English workmanship, supposed to be part of
aformer chureh, were recently discovered at West
Wickham Church, Kent, built up in a part of the
;wall erected in the fourteenth century. They were
covered entirely with red ochre.] and often appear-
ing as a margin to the internal window-jamb, if
the jamb was without mouldings, of the breadth of
two or three inches, sometimes with a narrow black
line running beside it'on its outer edge. [A similar
mode of decorating window-jambs prevailed to a
very late date.]

(To be continued.)

HAoVern Town Wouses.
BY FRANCIS CROSS.

(Continued from page 117.)

WHEN the difference is considered between
4 \houses' built from sixty to one hundred years ago,
in ‘‘modern town houses,” we cannot help
thinking had the ery of the magician in ‘‘ Aladdin”
been “new houses,” instead of ‘* new lamps for
jold ones,” it would not have appeared so very
absurd.

CHAPTER II.

“We should be careful to undertake nothing above
our abilities, nor strive against nature. We
ought both to consider what we can do, and
what it is fit we should do, and in what place
it is that we are to build.”

In examining the model among the many points
to be considered, care must be taken that none of
the following are : forcotten : —

Not to undertake a thing which is above ‘the
power of man to do, and not to strive against the
nature of things—for nature, if forced, or wrested
out of her way, whatever strength you may do it
jwith, will yet in the end overcome and make
through all opposition and hindrance; and the
most ‘obstinate violence will at last be forced to
lyield to her continual perseverance, assisted by
length of time. How manyof the mightiest works
of men do we hear of, that have been destroyed by
no other cause than’ that they contended against
nature? What think yon will happen toa build-
ing built in any place, where you pretend to oppose
or repel the violence of the water, or enormous
weights of rocks tumbling on you in ruins? This
being considered, we ought never to undertake
anything that is not exactly agreeable to nature ;
and, moreover, we should take care not to enter

ne a NS

Repeeeme

127)

upon awork which may be so much wanting to
ourselves as to be forced to have it imperfect.
Besides, it is not amiss to consider not only what
you are able, but also what it is decent vou should
do; for no one can command a courtezan for
building herself a sepulchre at a large expense,
though she may by her calling have acquired the
riches of a queen, yet she is by no means worthy of
a royal sepulchre. But, on the other hand, she is’
not to be blamed who builds a large and stately
mausoleum to a beloved consort, though in all
things relating to such matters modesty is best.

CHAPTER III.

“¢ After giving great consideration to the diene
tion of the building in all the parts of the
model, we ought to take advice from prudent
‘men, and before we begin the work it will be
as well to know how we mean to raise the
money it will cost, and also to provide all
materials requisite for completing such an
undertaking.”’

Having weighed and consiiered these things,
you must proceed to ‘the examination of the rest,
whether each of them be perfectly contrived. and|
conveniently disposed in its proper place,—and to
do this effectively it will be necessary for you to
bear in mind that it will be a disgrace to you if,|
through want of proper consideration, you suffer
any other building erected at the same expense, or,
with the same advantages, t oO gain more praise and |
approbation than your own; nor should any one
be content to have the ‘building unnoticed, but
rather that it should be highly commended and
then imitated. Therefore, ‘he diligent, and subject
each particular point to severe scrutiny, so that
everything is excellent and elegant, and all things
mutually concur to render the whole handsome and
beautiful, insomuch that whatever you attempt to
add, retrench, or alter, should be for the worse, and
make a defect, and seek advice from prudent coun-
sellorr, whose approbation is founded on know-
ledge and sincerity, because by their skill and
direction you are most likely to attain perfection ;
and besides, the praise of good judges affords the
highest satisfaction. In fact, the opinion of no
one should be despised, for you may find advantage
in hearkening to everybody; for it sometimes
happens that persons of no skill make observations
by no means to be despised. When therefore you
have well weighed, reviewed, and examined the
model in all its parts, so that there is not the least
particular anywhere but that you have well con-
sidered aud reflected upon, and that you have
resolved to build in that manner, in every respect,
and can raise the money conyeniently to bear the
expense, then prepare all things necessary for the
execution of your work, so that when you have
begun nothing shall be wanting to prevent the,
structure being finished with all proper expe-
dition.

(To be continued.)

EXCELLENCE.—The true way to. excel in any
work is to propose the brightest and most-perfect
example for our imitation. We must improve by)
the attempt, even though we fall short of the full

share of perfection. re illotson.

a EE a

128

‘An Elustratey Glossary of Technical
Terms usey tr Architectural anv
Enteriov Mecoration, Kc.

(Continued from page 118.)

Hercues. (In the mythology of art.) One
of the most illustrious heroes of antiquity, and the
first of the Dit Minorum Gentium, or demigods.
‘He was descended from the kings of Argos; but in
the Pagan mythology, he is said to have been the
\'son of Jupiter by Alemena, the wife of Amphi-

uncertaln. Herodotus places it about the year
1282, before the commencement of the Christian
era; and in Blair’s “ Chronological Tables,” his
death is placed in the year [222, B.C. Hercules
was peculiarly honoured among the Greeks by
the epithet of Musagetes, the conductor of the

Muses ; and among the Romans by that of
Hercules Musarum. In reference to these titles,
he is represented, on medals, with a lyre in his
hand ; and the reverse is marked with the figures
of the nine Muses, with their appropriate symbols.
The chief attribute of this deity, however, or the
distinguishing character of his figure, is incom-
parable strength. Amongst the others are a lion’s

THE 'DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

. Echidna’s union with Typhon.
heads, according to Diodorus; but accounts vary|

tryon, King of Thebes. The period of his birth is.

skin, a club, anda bow. The lion’s skin:is some-

times so put:on, that the head and jaws’of the
beast appear over :the head of the hero. ‘The
accompanying illustration is taken from the
Hercules in the Farnese Palace.

Hypra. (Inarchaiology) A celebrated mon-
ster which infested the neighbourhood of the lake
Lerna in Peloponessus. It was the fruit .of
It had a hundred

much on this point, and no wonder, since, as.soon
as’ one of these heads was cut off, two immediately
grew up, unless the wound was stopped by fire. It
was one of the labours of Hercules to destroy this
monster, which he- easily effected with the assist-
ance of Iolas, who applied burning iron to the
wounds as soon as each head was cut off. The
ancient artists differ in their representations of
the hydra. Sometimes it is a serpent branched
out into several others; and sometimes has a
human head, with serpents upon it instead of hair,
and descending less and less in serpentine folds.

Hyproscopz. An instrument anciently used
for the mensuration of time. The hydroscope was
a kind of water-clock, consisting of a cylindrical
tube, conical at the bottom: the cylinder was
graduated, or marked with divisions; and as the
surface of the water, which trickled out at the
point of the cone, successively sank ‘to those
several divisions, it pointed out the hour.

Hypersoua. (In architecture.) A term for
one of the sections of a cone.
\
Hypocaustum. (In architecture.) Anarched
chamber in which a fire is kindled for the purpose
of giving heat to the rooms above it. The heat is
conducted from the hypocaustum by means of
tubes, which are carried through every chamber,

thus affording a pleasant and equalised warmth.
This method was first adopted in baths, and after-
wards became used in private houses. It does not
appear to have been known among the Romans
until, at least, the time of the Emperors.

Hypoe¢#um. A term applied among the
ancients to those parts of a building which were
below the Jevel of the ground, and more par-
ticularly to the vaults where they deposited the
remains of the dead. The hypogea in later. times
were often richly ornamented.

(To be continued.)

a a a I gg a RE A RR

THE DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT.

She Chranostyyptst. -

THE old butter-cross at Doncaster is being care-

| fully taken down, to be re-erected elsewhere. The
‘bell-turret came down with a crash while letting it

through the roof with ropes. In Ely Cathedral
the introduction of stained glass windows is rapidly
going on. The large north-east window under the
lantern—“ the especial glory of the church ”—has
just been fitted by Wailes, as far as the funds
raised by the undergraduates of Cambridge would
allow. The principal figures represent King
Edward, who was educated at Ely, and his Queen.
In‘addition to the five stained windows provided
iby the munificence of the Rev. EH. B. Sparke, four
others, it is said, arein hand, to be presented by
the Dean <of Ely ‘and others. The Fine-Art
Committee of the Society of Arts have, it is said»
not been daunted by the partial suecess attendant
\on their experiment in the case of the Mulready
‘Exhibition. They have made arrangements that
‘their roozas shall be re-opened during the ensuing
summer with an exhibition of the works of the
‘chief of modern colourists, Mr. Etty. The large
‘pictures by this artist which are so important a
feature in the Princes-street Institution, in Edin-
burgh, will, themselves alone, if secured, be worth
a visit. Each day’s experience inculcates the
lesson that political commotion is an influence un-
propitious to Art. Intelligence has just reached us
\that one of the most celebrated galleries in Europe
ison the eve of being dispersed. Venice is about
to lose one of her greatest glories. To supply
‘means for their struggle against Austrian rule, her
inhabitants are about, itis said, to dispose of the
‘great national collection in the rooms of the
‘Accademia delle Belle Arte—anciently the Con-
vento, della Carita.._—At the opening meeting of
the Institution of Civil Engineers, on January 9th,
‘Mr. Joshua Field, president, in the chair, the
paper read was ‘‘ A Deseription of the Improved
Forms of Water-wheels,” by Mr. William Fair-
i bairn. The Wicklow gold mines,- formerly
\worked by the Government, are now in the pos-
session of an independent company, and are likely
to be worked with advantage tu those engaged.
Four companies are already formed in London
for sharing in the riches discovered to lie in
;abundance in California. The Dundee Courier
states that a Mr. J.B. Lindsay has preferred a
claim to priority of discovery of the electric light.
The new. Cattle Market at Islington was
opened on Tuesday, the 9th iustant. The
||Branch Bank of England at Gloucester is about to

129

be merged into the one at Bristol——The second
tube at Conway was finally tested on the 5th
instant, prior to its being opened for traffic_—=—
Mr. John Major, formerly an eminent publisher in
Fleet-street, died on the 9th instant at his apart-
ment in the Charterhouse, aged 67. He was well
known as the editor of a splendid edition of
Walton’s “ Angler,” and of Ireland’s “ Hogarth,”
with notes.

A few days since, a quern, or
ancient corn-mill, in excellent preservation, «was
dug up near Blandford, Dorset, by some labourers,
in cultivating a portion of a large Roman encamp-
ment. The contract for the Birkenhead Docks
is now complete, and before the end of the month
they will be in full operation. The Earl of
Aberdeen has given orders for a first-rate baro-
meter, to be placed in a solid block of granite, and
fixed in a conspicuous and accessible place on the
coast, near Aberdeen, for the sole use of the fisher-.
men of that neighbourhood. The first anniver-
sary ball in aid of the funds of the Builders’
Benevolent Institution took place in the hall of the
Freemasons’ Tavern, Great Queen-street, on the
evening of the 9th instant, and was numerously
attended.

Che UAooren Chureh, Erveensted,
Pigssex.

In this church was enshrined the body of Ed
mund the Martyr. According to the paper read
by Mr. Burkitt, ata meeting of the British Archeo-|
logical Association, Mr. Letheuillier, in 1728, drew
up an account of this wooden church, which was)
published in the Vetusta Monumenta, at which'
time there existed nearly entire the series of split
trees which formed the four walls of the nave,
since which a considerable portion of the old edi-
fice has been removed. The east end opening into
the chancel was pulled down to connect the two
parts, as well as a large portion of the west end,
connecting it with the tower, which is used as the
vestry; the south side has also been broken into,
to form the modern entrance, leaving the north)
side the only fair specimen of the original building.
The entire length of the shrine was twenty-nine
feet nine inches, the breadth fourteen feet. The
sill rested on a low wall of brick, which formed
the groundwork; the upper part of the frame con-
sisted of rough-hewn timber, with a groove cut in
the under part, and the uprights forming the walls
being cut in the form of a wedge at the top, by
being inserted into the groove, were made fast by
wooden pins. The outer timbers were segments of
the tree, with a board about two inches thick, taken
from the middle, these boards probably serving for
the interior lining of the shrine. Neglect has been|}
the cause of decay from the ravages of the Ptinus
Pectinicoinis, the well-known enemy of timber and
books. Solutions shoula have been used.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

— *Perspecttye.

——

(Continued from page 118.)

THE following engravings show the observer
standing on the right and left sides of the street.
We have already described their appearance.
Waut of space prevented their insertion in our last
(See No. 88, page 118.)

number.

RIGHT.

LEFT,

The first anniversary of the Whittington Club
\was celebrated on Wednesday night, the 10th
‘instant. Fully 1,500 persons were present.

| words and their meaning may be readily decy-|

| to the reading-room of that Institution.

| connected. with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, &c.

fo Correspondents, Ke.

Write legibly and sensibly, so that both thy

phered by the recipient of thy communication.

“GB. $°—The article on ‘ plete will
be resumed next week.

“* H. Anderson.” —The numbers are procurable.
in town and country. Your bookseller must have
laboured under a mistake, or wilfully deceived |
you.

“J. C——n.”—Address a letter to Sir Henry,
Ellis, the Librarian of the British Museum, who,
we doubt not, will grant you a card of admission

“W. M.”—The numbers you enquire for are,
in print, and obtainable through any bookseller, or,
at our office.

“8S. H.’—Your communication has unfor-'
tunately been mislaid: we shali feel greatly
obliged by oe writing again.

“Andrew Simpson,” (Leeds.)—Try a weak
solution of nitric acid.

Other Correspondents next week.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our. provincial
readers as will favor us with local information

_—_—

* *Any of our Readers’ having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us

| by lending, or sending copies of them.

cea

Part 21 is now ready, Price 10d.

*,* Part I, is also re-printed, and will in future be
charged at 10d. each.

BET peur
Repack bal v0
Sea AT ie

SATURDAY, ]

On TEmitatton.

E say that a man
‘imitates when either his ideas or actions are
not properly of his own origin, but are reflected
from those of any other individual; and this
may take place in a variety of ways: the child
imitates those around him in manner, and lan-
guage, and way of thinking. His imitation,
in fact, reduces itself to mimicry, for he has
no power of reasoning on the strength or
weakness of the motives which lead to what he
isees done: no faculty of judgment by which
he may be enabled to discriminate between pro-
per, and improper modes of expression; no ex-
perience to teach him the danger of indulging
such or such modes of thought. He feels him-
self subjected to certain wants and desires, and

expressing them, in order that they may be

———_ — SeeSSSeSFSFSFSeSeSeSeSFSSSSSSSseFeFeFeFeeseFe
i a a ee

he is urged by these to acquire the method of|tation than that of mere imitation.

eae UT Uae =a MMR One Aa TAA) Halas PI A AT AIM RIA NII IG OG ee ee cee ’

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[JANUARY 27, 1849,

administered to; besides which, the strong
principle of emulation and thirst for knowledge
impel him almost blindly onward in the course
we have adverted to.

But as the child casts off his puerility, and
advances towards manhood—as his intellect
expands, and he acquires the faculty not only
of observation; but also of comparing and
analyzing that which he observes, the headlong
principle of imitation is thrown aside.as un-
worthy of athinking creature; and such things
only are adopted as appear to be so by the
weighing and reflecting power of reason.

“Thus of the child a boy, the boy a man,
Eager to run the race his fathers ran.”

It is, therefore, sufficiently obvious, that a ser-
vile copy of the actions or opinions of another
man—whether adopted blindly and without
being impressed with a sense of the wisdom,
virtue, and talent of the person copied; or, on
the other hand, whether the choice of a model
has proceeded from reflection, and a deep con-
viction of the worthiness of such individual,
but without having regard to difference of cir-
cumstance requiring various modifications—is
alike degrading to the judgment and ability of
the copyist.

There is, however, a species of imitation
which is praiseworthy and honourable—it is
that which is usually expressed by the word
free. In this case, the copyist selects and
adopts his model, but sets himself seriously to
discover in what points his own work deviates
from the naturevof that he has placed before
him; he exercises the same judgment, by aid
of which he had formed his selection, in dis-
carding such particulars as do not seem to har-
monise with the whole: if he is endeavouring
to imitate the benignity and virtue of some
good man, he weighs well his own means, to-
gether with the shades of difference, whether
constitutional or habitual, that discriminate
their characters: if he is following in the
course of some eminent artist, he is careful not
to be seduced into errors by the brilliancy of a
great name, nor to forfeit his own inherent
right of opinion and imagination. Thus a
work conducted on similar principles to any
preceding one, may deserve a far better repu
It may,
indeed, by a thoughtful and intelligent execu-||

See sarees eee er eee eee

THE: DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

\Ition of its different parts, almost merit the
||praise of originality. It wasthus that Plautus,
|land Terence imitated the Greek comedy.
|| Having made these general observations on,
the principles of imitation, we will in a few
words apply what has been said more espe-_
cially to the fine arts. According to some cri-
tics, all is here imitation. The imitation of
|{nature consists in their very essence, and they
\{please or offend but as this is true or untrue.:
In this opinion, there is much truth and some
| |error.
It is true, that the works of the painter or
||sculptor give pleasure by their lively resem-
||blance to what is natural and real ; but, as we.
||have observed before, it is true in a modified
sense. Were this otherwise, the performances
||of Gerard Dow, of Teniers, and other masters
of the Dutch school, would be far more excel-
lent and admirable than those of Raffaelle, of
Michel Angiolo, and the other great names
that throw lustre over the history of Italian
art: but, in point of fact, it is the splendour
of imagination, the creative, and not the mere
imitative power, that has affixed to these im-
mortal works the surpassing fame which they
have, and will still continue to possess.

If the painter or the sculptor should employ
himself only in making close copies of the dif-
ferent objects of a pleasing kind which sur-
round him in nature, and if his success were
to be estimated simply in proportion as these
resemblances were eXact, he would be degraded
into the character of a mere draftsman. There
are a multiplicity of objects agreeable in nature
which are not at all calculated for introduction
into a work of art, in the same way as many
colloquial phrases, quite proper, and even hap-
py in conversation, are unfitted to the graceful-
ness of poetry, or dignity of eloquence. It is
the.selection—the combination—the fancy dis-
played; it is these things, added to a just eye
for verisimilitude, that constitute the artist’s
greatest success, and characterises his highest
achievements.’

Let not the young artist hesitate to mould
his style on that of some eminent predecessor ;
jor rather let him strive to collect from the
works of each of the great masters in art, the
|peculiar charm by which he was rendered con-
|/spicuous,-and blend them, so far as may be
|{consistent and harmonious, in his own compo

sition. Let him remember that this kind of
imitation has been recommended and adopted

by the most illustrious names; and that even
| Raffaelle himself was indebted, for the main
| design of his two majestic figures of St. Paul,

—namely, the one preaching at Athens, and
the other punishing Elymas, the magician, to
Massaccio, a preceding painter.

Lecture on Weraldryp.

Mr. W. Parrripce has recently delivered
some lectures on heraldry at various institu-
tions, with the view, chiefly, of shewing that a
knowledge of armorial ensigns is not solely
the province of the antiquary or archeologist,
but is important as a-branch of general know-
ledge, and has a direct bearing on accuracy of
taste in many of the arts and manufactures.

After noticing the discordant opinions re-
specting the origin of heraldry, some seeing
the origin of it in the Phonetic alphabets of
ancient India, others in the old Mexican sculp-
tures, or in the double shields of Egypt, while
others allow it to be not older than the Cru-
sades. he traced it to the necessity for modes of,
distinction in the early stages of society, for
the sake of order and discipline. ‘He then
took the two prominent features of heraldry,
viz., shields and banners; the shield from its
first and simplest construction among the early
Greeks, its various shapes, sizes, and materials,|
from the fabulous. but magnificent shield of
Achilles, by Homer,

“The immense and solid shield,
Rich, various artifice emblazed the field,”

down through the historic periods of Greece
and Rome to the middle ages, showing the sub-
ject to be closely blended with the state of the
arts and mauufactures in all these ages and
countries, ‘and alluding to the superb shield
made recently as a present from the King of
Prussia to the Prince of Wales.

The banners of various ages, Pagan and|
Christian, the several abbeys, the crusades,|
rival roses, tournaments, chivalry, and the im-
portant uses of heraldry in war, in property,
asa key. to architecture, history, and poetry |
are intimately mixed up with the progress of

levery age, shewing the importance of accuracy
in all works, and the want of such knowledge

‘lin some glaring instances in architecture and

}painting. In some of the latter, the period of
‘history intended was falsified, and in the for-
mer the effect of the edifice often injured by
‘\the heraldic devices being both ill designed and
incorrect in themselves; making the importance
of the subject: even to practical men apparent.

Grn Isurial.

An interesting group, consisting of a large
cinerary urn of hard red earth, a bronze lamp,
open earthenware lamp, and two earthen bot-
tles, have been recently dug up ina garden in
Lexden-road, Essex. They were about three
feet from the surface; the bottles were broken,
but the other vessels were perfectly whole.—
Since our former notice of Urns, &c., found
in the grounds at West Lodge, (No. 80, page
33,) a large number of urns, earthen bottles,
lamps, lacrymatories, patellas, &c., have been
found, generally about eighteen inches from
the surface, resting on the gravelly subsoil.
Many of these have been broken by the spade,
or too much injured by the dampness and va-
riations of the soil, during the many centuries
they have lain there, to be restored. About
seventy vessels are nearly ready for the Col-
chester Museum. Last week a group of five
vessels were discovered. It consisted of two sepul-
chral urns, a bottle of brown earth, and two pa-
tellee, one of black, and one of plain Samian ware:
the two last named perfect. Also an urn more
than half filled with incinerated bones, the mouth
of which was oecupied by a bottle of red earth._—
In an urn recently discovered, mingled with bones
and earth, its contents, were the fragments of a
mirror of polished metal, with the exception of
tome slight corrosion, retaining its original polish
almost unimpaired. The greater part of a bronze
fibula was found in the same urn.

Ghmese BWaints.

. Tue peculiar beauty of Chinese drawings is

glue or size, instead of gum-water, as is the com-

;

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. -

the fineness of its particles, the finest being always

ing being cleaned by means of a wet sponge.
owing, not to the particular nature of the colouring |

substances, but merely to their being mixed with

the beauty depends in a very great measure, upon

the mostbeautiful. A Chinese painter employs a

man for three or four days to grind a small quan-||
tity of vermilion in a porcelain mortar, and it is
from this they derive their fine reds. Secondly, it
must be considered, that most mineral colours are
prepared with acids, alkalies, or other salts, and
that a small superabundance oi those saline sub-
stances generally remains with them, which, after
a longer or shorter time, produces considerable
alteration in their brilliancy, and often entirely
changes their colour; In order to obviate ‘this
inconvenience, the paint, after having been levi-
gated, must be repeatedly washed in clean water:
distilled water is the fittest. In order to effect this
properly, put half an ounce of the paint in a half
pint glass phial, and fill the rest of the phial
almost entirely with water; shake it well: then let
it stand for a while, and the coloured powder
will soon fall to the bottom; then pour off the
water, by inclining the phial gently, so as not to
disturb the sediment, and fill it again with clean
water, and so on for five or six times ; after which,
the colour being gently dried, must be ground a
little longer, and then it is fit foruse. The glue or
size to be mixed with the paints is extracted from
parehuent in the following manner:—Take about
four ounces of clean parchment, cut it into bits,
and put it to soak in a quart of clean water for
about twelve hours; then boil the whole on a
gentle fire, and in the beginning take off the scum
with a spoon. The vessel must remain always||
uncovered, and the liquor must be stirred occa-
sionally. After boiling about an hour, take off the
pot from the fire, and strain the liquor while hot
through a coarse sieve. The liquor must be again
put over the fire in a clean pot, and gently boiled
till half is evaporated: the remainder is then
spread very thinly upon panes of glass, which
being kept in a warm place for a day or two, the
size will dry, and become very hard. When it is
wanted for use, put a small quantity of itin a cup
of lukewarm water, and dip the hair/pencil in it
The properties of this glue, which render it much
superior to gum-water, are the following :—It does
not deaden, nor otherwise alter the colours with
which. it is mixed: it does not erack like gum ;
and it becomes so soon hard, as not only to defend
the colours from being affected by smoke and other
vapours, but even to bear the surface of the draw-

In New York there are about forty-five miles of
sewers, either completed, or in progress.

THE DECORATOR’S' ASSISTANT,

SKETCHES FROM NATURE.—No., IV.

' HOP LEAF.

VEGETABLE MARROW LEAF.

‘

1136

Entertor sBecoratton.

SIMPSON’S DIVAN IN THE STRAND.

THE improvement which has taken place in
interior decoration within a comparatively recent
period we view with much satisfaction,, We have
lately visited the principal room at Simpson’s
Divan, opposite Exeter Hall, Strand, the general
arrangement of which shows considerable talent in
invention, together with great beauty of effect.
The room has windows at one side and end, aud a
bar at the end of the opposite side near the
entrance. Itis entered through a passage, taste-
fully, though sumewhat gaudily, decorated, from
the streetPand by glazed doors from the passage,
jaud from Ries’s Cigar Divan.

The ceiling of the room,is intersected by five
beams, three being grouped together, across the
middle. The beams are, it is to be regretted,
somewhat unsatisfactory in appearance, as some
of them are supported over voids, which however
|we Femark without’ knowing what may be their
struetural office. There is a fireplace at each end
of the room; tables are arranged along one side,
jand the other is divided into boxes. A sideboard
occupies the centre, and there is a round table at
each end.. Long pier-glasses and console-tables
are placed between the windows. The general
|tone of colour is light, and of a warm bnff hue,
jrelieved by red colour, and by ornaments’ in
|various tints. The soffits of the beams are painted
with guilloche ornaments, and the coves by which
)the. beams are united to the ceiling have the honey-
suckle ornament, red colour—without attempt to
give the effect of relief—being employed with
good effect: ' The spaces of the ceiling are painted
with ornaments, of rather a poor character
in regard to design and drawing, and relieved by
|shading. This ornameit is arranged in geo-
|metrical compartments, similar in design in each
|division of the ceiling, which gives some of them
rather a cramped appearance, from the widths of
each division not being the same. ‘There is also a
|greater mixture of style in the ornament than
|; would have been desirable: but this is a common
error. The dark colour introduced in some of the
jcireular ornaments seems to us to be too dark,
giving rather a patchy appearance. ‘The walls are
divided by pilasters, and are panelled “in light
green colour, with a pattern of lighter tint, the
|whole painted imimitation of morocco leather. In

resembling in design and material those in the
Lyceum Theatre. These subjects are in orna-
mental gilt frames, oblong and Circular, and are
relieved by pink grounds. The panels are defined
|by gilt mouldings. The pilaster panels are painted
with a pattern in brick red colour, to which some
Jof our remarks upon the ceiling would apply. The
(furniture is of a novel character,—the round tables
being particularly good. Each of them supports a
large gilt candelabrum of five lights, with figures
jgrouped round the stem, and having female
|figures, coloured white, branching out at the top,
| |for the support of the lights. The general lighting
jis by sconces of two lights, each supported by a

|The design jis creditable to the’architect, Mr.

-it was said, that whatever is excellent in art, is

\the centres of these panels are bas-reliefs; much

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

figure similar to those of the candelabra,—ranged| |)
along the walls. The chimney-pieces are black,||,
with imitation of inlaid ornament. Beneath the}.
sconces are seeu serpents twisting from the wall :||
these, the use of which we should have long been||
in doubt about, the yisitors have turned iuto hat-|}
pegs. We take this opportunity of urging that in|},
every design the purpose should be apparent, and
that the design should be subservient to that}|
purpose; but ‘the true principle, in several exten-
sively-circulated designs, seems to be wholly un-||
considered. In the present case, the thing wanted| |
was, simply and perspicuously, a hat-peg, not
something which might be turned to that offiec.

Friend, and to the decorator, Mr. Blackburn, of
Grosvenor-street, Eaton-square.
We must not omit to’ notice the design of the
street lamps in front‘of the building. They are
improvements upon the tasteless forms which are}:
seen elsewhere, reminding us how wasteful we are
of opportunities of contributing to the pleasure)
which is derived froth looking at beautiful works.

Qn the Study of Bestgn from
Weagctal Growth.

DECORATIVE ART SOCIETY.

At a late meeting of this society a paper was
read by Mr. Laugher, “‘On the Study of Design|).
from Vegetal Growth,” illustrated by large sketches) |
recently made in the Royal Botanic Gardens at}
Kew, by.members of the society.

This paper originated from a visit to Kew by
some members of the society, who were influenced
by a desire to trace the relation which form and
colour, as applied in the decorative arts, bear to
prototypes of vegetal growth, and also by a wish
to render practically evident 4 mode by which sim-
ple and beautiful designs may readily be derived
for the purposes of the industrial arts. The writer
stated that an effort of this kind conveyed an as-
surance that the members were fearlessly seeking
an acquaintance with the beautiful in nature, being
self- dependent, without any other cuides than their
own reasoning faculties to enlighten their path.—
We may read | often, and it was ‘generally admitted,

simply so from its harmonizing with natural results,
more or less common to human experience. The
conceptions and expressions of grand works in
painting, sculpture, and the other “arts, it was ob-
served, derive their value from such an_embodi-
ment of scene, or action, or object, as shall have,
the harmonising probability of a natural aspect.
rationally sustained throughout. It would be found
that it is this kind of probability which at once
excites our sympathy, and induces those associative | -
suggestious which are most impressive on the mind, | ;
whilst the reflective faculty, comparison—guided | |
as it always is, and always must be, by human ex-
perience—constitutes the test-tube, in which re-
finement in art can properly be estimated.

It was said that, in an endeavour to recognise,
and develope the beautiful in sketches from vege-
tal leaves and stems, it is accordingly necessary to

THE DORA TOR ASSITANT.

|receive and set forth, in the first place, a general
probability of resemblance, and that comparison
would afterwards enable us, individually, to trace
the limits of application and value of purpose in
each sketch. Under such restrictions and consi-

‘translation of effect upon the sketch, rather than
‘the actual minutiz of microscopic imitation,
should'be attempted, for-as-much-as poetic ideality
‘can only be'developed under the boldest and sim-

‘more congenial with, more readily suited to, and
more self-sufficient for, the grasp of the human
intellect. !

A reference was made to the improbabilities in
art, as evinced in the romantic phantasies, the
| exuberant caprices, of Raffaelle’s grotesques, on
‘the one hand; and in the inane and meaningless
incongruities, so unredeemingly applied, in our
| day, as decorations for manufactures, on the other.
It was asked,—How. much of probability can be
‘discovered i in the myriads of acanthusian nonenti-
ties in the femoral scroll, or ‘‘thigh-bone nausea”
of the French school, with which every description
of manufacture has “of late years been infested ?
None, it was said; and that such should therefore
be laid aside, as of degraded class of conventionali-
ties, being without sympathetic appeal to, or
‘influence on, the mind,—in short, as being with-
out art.
| After these remarks, the writer observed that it
becomes necessary to divest the mind of the
‘spurious elaborations with which the patterns of
‘our manufactures abound, so as to prepare the
‘intellect for detecting and tracing the ever-varying
| lines of beautiful form, and the endless gradations,
‘contrasts, and harmonies of colour, which pervade
_all productions of vegetal growth.

{

‘the beautiful,
discern it with equal readiness and intensity ;
practice, and educational training, being necessary

others,—when, as in literature, it would be found
that the poetic rendering proves more pre-
‘possessing and interesting, as art, to the mniliion,
‘than all the matter-of-fact, dry, and prosy details
of merely exact imitation.

To Preserve Fresco Paintings. — Frequent
attempts have been made to. separate fresco
paintings from the walls on which they are exe=
cuted, in order to rescue them from the destructive

effects of time and weather, but all have been.
‘unsuccessful. Steffano Barezzi, a native of Milan,
has the honour of having been the first to render
an essential service to the arts, in transferring to
panels, by a most simple, expeditious, and safe
process, fresco paintings, of whatsoever size, from
‘the wall, whether level or not, without doing the

| least damage to the original design. His method
consists in “laying a piece of prepared linen against
the wall, which extracts the painting in such a
manner, that the artist, with a sure and uniform
motion, can draw off the linen in a perfect state
with the painting, so that the wall itself remains
ac white.

derations, it was contended, that a broad and free |

lest aspects of probability, so thereby art becomes |

these,—lime, timber, sand, stone, as also brass, |

He said, it was}
also to be borne in mind that, in thus looking for’
no two persons are competent to)

to an expert and keen discrimination in such a;
‘matter, and more especialiy so when it becomes the |
business of life to translate it for the reading of|

HAoVern Town Wouses.

BY FRANCIS CROSS.

(Continued from page 127.)

CHAPTER IV. ,
MATERIALS:—The things to be prepared are |

lead, glass, and the like. But the thing of greater |
consequence is to choose skilful workmen whom)
you may trust with the care and management of,
the edifice, and fixing upon these, it will be of use,
to you to be somewhat guided by the consideration! |
of other works already fiinished in your neigbour-/ :
hood, and by the information you receive from |
them, to determine what to do in your own ease. |!
For by observing the faults and beauties in them, |}
you will consider that the same may happen to.
yours. We intend, then, in treating of the mate-
rials for building, to repeat those things which
have been left us by the ancients, because they
were learnt more from long observation than from.
quickness of genius, so that they are best gathered
from those who have gathered them with the,
greatest diligence. We shall, therefore go on to./
collect those rules which the most approved an= |
cients have left us, and we shall add whatever we
ourselves have deduced from antique writers, or.
from the instructions of experienced artificers; and
I believe it will be for you to follow nature itself—
to begin with those things which were first of use:
among men in building, which, if we mistake not,’
were timber trees felled in woods, though some
authors assert differently, stating that men first.
dwelt in caves, and that they and their cattle were |
sheltered under the same roof, and they therefore
state he was the first builder who in imitation of.
nature erected a house builtof mud. But to re-
turn to our subject,—the ancients laid down certain |
rules for the felling of timber. They inform us.
that most trees, especially fir or pine, ought to be,
cut immediately they begin to put forth their,
young shoots when, through their abundance of
leaves, you can most easily pare off the bark. But
then, there are some trees; as the elm, ash, and.
others, that should not be cut till the autumn. The
oak, if cut in summer, has been found to breed
worms, but if cut in winter it will keep sound and)
not split; and they further inform us that wood
cut in winter, during a north wind, though it be)
green, will burn extremely well, and in a manner
without smoke, which plainly shows that the)|
juices are not crude, but well digested.
-(Lo be continued.)

a ee a ars SSS Sa Pete NS a aa ea Eg ea

LID THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Housss, DIsTINeTICN OF. «(Used in heraldry.)
An Lllustratey @®lossarp of Technical The following engraving shows the heraldic signs

c : for re A
Terms used in Architectural anv |
Enteviov Becovation, &c,

FIRST HOUSE.

mO%¥k YO ®

(Continued from page 128.)

SECOND.
Horn. The horns of animals, literally speaking, Y Y Y
formed the most ancient drinking cups. Pindar, = |
Z'schylus, and Xenophon make mention of them we
as being appropriated to this purpose. Philip of
Macedon is said to have made use of one. It is ke kk
from this ancient usage that the general name of o
horns has been given to a species of drinking cup,
as, after the actual employment of the animal he
substance had been discontinued, the shape & \
remained in use. The horns of victims sacrificed IN
to the gods were gilt, and Suspended in the
temples—more especially in those of Apollo and eR
Diana. o
Horn OF PLENTY. Amalthwa, daughter of © © ©) © ©
Melissus, king of Crete, fed Jupiter with goat's
SIXTH,

milk : hence some authors have called her a goat
3

and have maintained that Jupiter, to reward her = ha ea aa Oa ie
kindnesses, placed her in heaven as a constellation, wl
As Tg Gk oR GS

and gave one of her horns to the nymphs who had
7 8 9
<u 3

Honour. (In the mythology of the arts.) A
virtue worshipped at Rome. Her first temple)
was erected by Scipio Africanus, and another,
afterwards was built by Claudius Marcellus. We,
find a personification of this quality on several
medals of Galba and of. Vitellius. She is repre-
sented half naked, holding in one hand a spear,
and in the other a cornucopia: upon others, a long:
rope envelopes the figure, and the spear is ex-
changed for an olive branch.

taken care of his infant years. This horn wag
called the horn of plenty, or cornucopia, and from
it issued fruits and flowers, and, in short, all the
riches of art and nature. The cornucopia is found
on an infinite number of antiques, and is the
characteristic attribute of the goddess styled Abun-
dantia by the Romans.

Hero. (In mythological painting and sculp-
ture). A beautiful maid of Sestos (a town upon
the European shore of the Hellespont), the priestess.
of Venus, whom Leander, who lived on the other
side, falling in love with, was wont to come to at
nights, swimming over the streights. He at last
being drowned in one of his attempts, Hero threw
herself off her turret into the sea to him.

Horse. (In painting and sculpture.) This
animal, of so vast utility to man, has been made
great use of by artists, both ancient and modern.
The horse was consecrated to Mars, and still more
especially to Neptune, to whom, indeed, has been
attributed the origin of this noble quadruped.
Many princes and chieftains have been celebrated
for their attachment to their horses.

(To be continued.)

| |fast, have recently completed a number of orna-
|| mental windows for the Pacha of Egypt: they are
|| of cast-iron, and of very large dimensions, being
| 20 feet high and 8 feet wide—each window weigh -
|\ing 5 tons.
| being erected. Thesame firm have also erected on

gines, to raise the water of the river for the purpose

||vessel Apprentice, which has arrived in the St.

| The books at the Stowe sale are realising heavy

The Chronotypist.

TE Messrs. Mc, Adam of Soho Foundry, Bel-|

They are to be bronzed and gilt after

the banks of the Nile, for the Egyptian Govern-
ment, a number of very large steam pumping en-

lof irrigation. These facts are interesting. The
Katherine’s Docks from Bussorah, has brought 17
cases of stone, and one figure, consigned to the
British Museum. We are not cognisant of th,
contents of the cases alluded to further than we
have mentioned, but they are doubtless of an an=
cient and valuable character, and the notice of
their arrival for the purpose of being deposited in
the national establishment will be read with in-
terest.——On January the 8th, at the institute of
British Architects, 8S. Smirke, Esq. in the chair.—
A paper was read ‘On the various qualities of Caen
Stone,’ read by Mr. C. H. Smith.——<At the
Society of Arts, January 17th, W. Tooke Esq. ia
the Chair.—A. Waterhouse, G. H. Drew, W. Stan-
didge, and J. Gosnell, Esqs. were elected members.
—Mr. E. Highton read the first part of a paper
¢ On mprovements in Electric Telegraphs and new
plans for Printing by Electricity. Lord Pal-
jm erston has, we understand, appointed Mr. Ken-
net Loftus, naturalist and geologist to the commis-
sion which is now employed, under the direction of
Lieut-Col. Williams, in surveying the boundary
line between Turkey and Prussia.——Mr. J. R.
Gliddon relates in his lectures on Egyptian Ar-
cheeology, reported in the Archelogical Journal
| of the past and present month, that “‘ an Arab
| discovered the northern air-channel of the Great
| Pyramid to be open from top to bottom, by placing
a cat at the outer orifice, and her kittens at the
other, shutting them in with stones. The mother
soon found her way down, through the pyramid, to
her little family; thus proving that this hitherto
/mysterious passage communicated with the ont-
‘side. Previous to the clearing of these passages,
the air in the pyramid was quite suffocating.”

prices. There is little, however, to record beyond
the ordinary occurrences of common sales. A fine
copy of Claude’s “Liber Veritatis” brought
'£40 10s.; and an excellent copy, free from stains,

—-—

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘from Lichfield

1389

of Gough’s “ Sepulchral Monuments,” £61 10s.

The Houbraken Heads—fine early impressions,
qnite matchless, indeed, in that respect, but un-

| happily cropped and mounted—brought £91.——
| On the 17th, the experiments undertaken by Mr.

Brunel, at the instance of the Admiralty, for
carrying the Cornwall Railway Bridge across the
Saltash, were brought to a successful close. For
the purpose, two old gun brigs were moored over
the spot, and a wrought iron cylinder, five-eighths
of an inch boiler plates, strongly rivetted together,
85 feet long, and 6 feet diameter, and of 28 tons
weight, was sunk in profundis. The necessary
apparatus for pumping out the water was then
applied, and the experimenters, who afterwards
descended to the bottom of the cylinder, had the
satisfaction of finding that at eleven or twelve feet
below the mud, there was a foundation of solid
rock for the piers. The bridge will be of large
dimensions, having a clear width of 800 feet
between the piers, and a clear height of 180 feet
above high water-mark. Over it will pass the
entire passenger traffic from Plymouth to the
Land’s End. The Hampstead Waterworks were
burnt down on the 18th. The whole of the
houses between Pye-street, Pear-strect, and the
Broadway, and Artillery-row, Strutton-ground,
Westminster, will be pulled down forthwith for the
formation of the new opening to Pimlico, to be
called Victoria-street. The removal of the
coffer-dam at Westminster Palace was begun on
the 18th. Tt is stated that Mr. Robert Stephen-
son, the celebrated engineer, is now in Egypt, at
the instance of the British government, to survey
and report upon the practicability of making a
railway across the Isthmus of Suez. ‘Messrs.
Sotheby and Wilkinson, of Wellington-street,
Strand, have received instructions to sell, during
the season, the extensive and valuable collection of
engravings at Stowe, including the very rare and
interesting series of British portraits, well known as
one of the most extensive and valuable ever
formed. Also the extracrdinary, well known,
important, and valuable manuscripts known as the
“Stowe Collection.” A beautifully-executed
obituary window of stained glass has just been put
in the south aisle of the choir of Chester
Cathedral, to the memory of three of the children|
of the Dean of Chester. The new church of}
St. Mark, Bredbury, near Stockport, was con-
secrated by the Bishop of Chester on the 17th.
The New York Mirror states that a discovery
has been made of a method of producing butter
instantly by forcing air through cream. That
part of the South Staffordshire Railway, extending
to Walsall is now ready for

opening.

140 >

Wistory of Fculpture.

- (Continued from page 106.)

“Tuer Laocoon and his two sons have more
expression in their countenance than all the other
antique statues united; yet Sir Joshua Reynolds
has observed, that even in this instance, there is
only the general expression of pain, and that the
pain is still more strongly expressed by the
writhing and contortion of the body, than by the
features. In consulting all the examples which
lare left of ancient sculpture, it would seem, they
| established it as a general principle, that to pre-
serve the most perfect beauty, in its most perfect
state, the passions were not to be expressed ; all
of. which may be supposed, in some degree to
produce distortion and deformity in the features of
the face. The group of the Boxers is a remarkable
instance in favour of this opinion; they are
‘engaged in the most animated action with the
greatest serenity of countenance ; and, without
attributes, it would be difficult to discriminate
‘between the Juno or the Minerva, the Bacchus or
the Meleager ; nevertheless, in the Apollo Pythius
there is a graceful, negligent, and animated air,
land. in the Discobulus a vulgar eagerness of
lexpression, which deserves to be remarked, to show
the nice discrimination of character which the
ancients were capable of making, when the ex-
‘pression was not incompatible with what they
considered as a higher excellence.

“The Bacchus of Michel Angiolo is an attempt
to unite a degree of drunkenness with his cha-
racter ; but, inasmuch as that effect is produced,
both the sculpture and the deity are degraded :

lof this character there are several examples in
antique gems, but however skilful the representa-
tion may be in so small a size as a gem, it is
certainly not a fit subject for a statue of the
proportion of life. The two female figures com-
posing part of the present monument of Julius II.
3 are simple and elegant; and those of Morning and
Night, in the Lorenzo Chapel, are composed with
igreat grandeur of design.

“The works of Michel Angiolo have always a
strong and marked character of their own, his
thoughts are elevated, and his figures are conceived
with dignity; and if he wants the purity and
correctness of the antique (which he certainly
does, in an eminent degree) his faults never
degrade him into feebleness; when he is not sub-
lime he is not insipid; the sentiment of aggran-
dising his subject ever prevails, and however he

THE DECORATOR’S - ASSISTANT.

:| for the copy of the Alphabet sent, and will use it.|

may fail in the execution, his works are still
entitled to the first rank among modern pro-
ductions in sculpture. Barry has truly observed,
when speaking of his statue of Moses, that al-
though that figure may be considered as rather
extravagant, yet it contains such proofs of know-
ledge and capacity as will ever make his name}
sacred among artists; and this criticism may be
extended with equal propriety to his other works,
whatever may be their faults.

(To be continued.) .

Co Correspondents, Ke.

SOCIETY MEETINGS FOR THE PRESENT
WEEK.

Mon.—Geographical,
Architects, 8.

TuES.—Zoological, 9—Dr. Melville ‘On the Ideal
Vertebra,” Part II.—Royal Institution, 3}
—W.B. ‘Carpenter “On Paleontology.”

WevD.—Microscopical, 8.—Ethnological, 8.

THuR.—Numismatic, 7.—Antiquaries, 8.—Royallj
Society of Literature, 4.—Royal, half-
past 8 —Royal Institution, 3—Mr. Gull
“On Physiology of Digestion.”—Royal
Academy, 8—Architecture.

Fri.—Philological, 8.— Royal Institution, half-,
past 8. :

Sar.—Royal Institution, 3—Prof. Brande “ ae
Chemical Philosophy.”

half_past 8, P.m.—British

“ W. Wilkinson,” (Witney.)—Your request is |
compiied with.

“Ww. Cena: were first decorated in the
way you mention early in the fifteenth century.

** D. W.,” (Caernarvon.)— We are much obliged.

Please to write and inform us of the date and,
description of the MS. In futureit will save;

trouble if you place the date, &c. under the alpha-
bet.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens.
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to ‘the Editor
of the DEcoRATOR’s Assistant, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”—We shall at all times.
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial)
readers as will favor us with local information|
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, &c.

Part 22 is now ready, Price 10d.

** Part I, is also re-printed, and will in future be
charged at 10d. each. ~

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No, 91.—Vou: 1V.] [Two-PENCE.

‘and amusement of the inhabitants.

SATURDAY, |]

(Dyan
rt.

Museuns of

KING greatly in-

terested in the fu-

ture condition of

fy British Art, we cone

/\\ sider that we can-
Ase? J. not devote our space
< to a more profitable

purpose than to advocate the establishment of

Museums of Art in all the principal towns

‘throughout the country, the importance of

which will justify our considering the objects
an ‘the probable result. The plan was intro-
duced into the House of Commons some years

since by Mr. Ewart, and to use his own ex-

pression, ‘‘ they were to be for the instruction
We will
endeavour to explain the objects, the first and
most important of which is instruction, It is
very generally confessed that English manu-
factures, however superior to those of conti-
nental nations. are inferior to those of France
in taste and design. The day has, we trust
gone by when Englishmen were believed to
have a natural incapacity for beauty and ele-
gance of conception; if we look back for only

.THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘

[FEBRUARY, 3, 1849,

a century, we shall find the Fine Arts utterly
disregarded in England, and a taste for them
condemned as childish, if not stigmatised as
something idolatrous.. So soon, however, as
greater refinement in education led to‘a larger
development of correct taste, —so**soon as
public appreciation was ready to welcome
artistic production,— the arts of statuary and|
painting sprang into active life, the demand for
beauty produced the supply.

Genius is the gift of Heaven, but the spark
of etherial fire can only be kindled into flame
by the breath of encouragement and applause.
We cannot give real artistic inspiration, but
we can draw forth the latent energies which
Nature has given; God gives the seed, but to
man is committed the charge of its growth
and increase. Educate the public to estimate
Art, and artists will educate themselves. A-
thens educated her citizens by her monuments,
open to public gaze, free to untaxed admiration,
fenced round with no beadles to demand fees,
and no laqueys to look for gratuities. Italy
educated her people by throwing wide her gal-
leries to all, opening her cathedrals to the poor
as well as to the wealthy, and by refusing to
lay a tax on intellectual development, or levy
a penalty on the exercise of sympathy with all
that is excellent and noble.

A century ago our taste in the Fine Arts was
perfectly barbarous, and hence, our artists were
just what our taste madethem. Our designers
for manufactures are very little beyond what
our artists were then, and for the very same
reason, because our taste in design is just as
little advanced as was that of our great grand~
fathers in the Fine Arts. The painter or sculp-
tor requires only the appreciation of the few;
he may even be satisfied if the judicious pa-
trons of Art to whom he appeals are not more
in number than the five righteous men who
would have redeemed Sodom. But a design,
in order to succeed, must be appreciated by
hundreds and by thousands; let us, then, in
the name of common sense, educate up to ap-
preciation those hundreds and those thou-
sands.

Instruction in the perception of beauty is
wanting, because where it is absent there is
going on a counter-system of instruction in
perversity. There is no such thing as non-
education in,the perception either of physical

142

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

or moral beauty; where there is not a good
taste there must be a bad one; it is a natural
appetite, and, if not trained to seek wholesome
food, it will glut itself on garbage. The Es-
quimaux prefers train oil to claret, for the same
reason that the country girl takes a glaring
pattern in preference to a chaste and elegant
design; the tastes of both have been educated
in perversity from childhood. If allof us had
the same taste for train oil it would be a waste
of time and money to bring up a race of wine
merchants; and if we leave our eyes to under-
go the same process as the palate of the Es-
quimaux, the sooner we shut up our Academies
of Painting and Schools of Design the better
will it be for all the parties. It would be pre-
posterous to open a market where there would
be abundance of seilers and no buyrs.

Instruction is particularly wanting in towns
where the beauties, harmonies, and sublimities
of Nature are hidden from the view of the
operative in his factory, and the artizan in his
workshop. We have rejoiced to see the pro-
gress made in providing parks and public pro-
menades for the use of the working classes;
we should still more rejoice if we saw the pos-
||sessors of ornamental villas, and private plea-
sure-srounds substituting open railings for un-
sightly walls and wooden palings. Why
should the wealthy grudge to their poorer
brethren the sight of natural beauty? Their
flowers will not be injured by being gazed upon
and admired ; no loss will be sustained if the
perfume now wasted on the desert air should
gratify the scent of the casual passenger, es-
caping from the smoke of the town to the open
suburb. We have far too much of this dog-in-
manger policy in England. Would that we
understood that this exclusive system is in its
|)way a very effective education. ‘it educates the
jjenvy of class, the discontent of station, and
the alienation of the grades of society, already
too widely dissevered.

Museums are necessary adjuncts to the pub-
lic parks; they give the comments to the texts
of Nature; and they are available under all
vicissitudes of season,—a matter of some im-
portance in such a climate as ours. But we
must guard against the supposition that we
should wish for Museums consistiug simply of
decorations, curiosities, and objects. associated
(with the higher branches of the Fine Arts.

We have ever insinuated that the useful Arts
should never be dissevered from the ornamen-
tal, and that such Museums should have suffi-
cient ground attached to contain models of
mines, tunnels, embankments, canals, drains,
aqueducts, railroads, and the like.

These Museums are particularly necessary
as conservative Institutions, to preserve from
Vandalism precious relics of antiquity which
are every day perishing from the land. We
are glad to find that the attention of the coun-
try is at length roused, and desires that pro-
vision should be made for the preservation of.
historical memorials.

We have little doubt that Museums once es-
tablished, would be largely enriched by do-
nations and bequests ; a splendid work of Art
in the Museum of a man’s native town would
be as permanent, and a more honourable mo-
nument than “storied urn or animated bust’
erected in the church or the graveyard.

A Seyool of Mesian for Weicester.

An influential and respectable meeting lately
took place at Leicester, to memorialise Govern-
ment for aid in their endeavours to establish a
School of Design there. The mayor presided,|
and a series of addresses followed. Mr. A.
Burgess impressed on the attention of the as-
sembly the importance of an idea of our own,
that the young should be taught to express or
describe their ideas by drawing, or in forms,
just as they are taught to express them by
writing,’ or in words; and the allusions of
others to the same idea, as well as the res-
ponses of the meeting itself, were evidence
that it was appreciated. Mr. Hollings re-
marked that the pursuit of the Fine Arts might
be shewn to be necessary to society at large, as
materially involving the diversion of labour
into various channels. Want of a greater va-
riety of employment was one of the great|}
causes of existing distress. Let it not be said,
either, that the advantaees of the Fine Arts
were to be seen merely in the production of
luxuries. What was the luxury of one age,
became a necessary in the next. How much
occupation was now afforded even there by the
employments of carving ee painting, in-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

designing of furniture, marbling, engraving on
copper and wood, &c. Yet how serious would

be the effect, if those engaged in their produc- |
tion were suddenly withdrawn from this}

field of labour, and thrown into that of the
staple manufacture of the town! Moreover,
the Fine Arts were so essentially connected,
that the study and practice of one almost inva-
riably called forth or involved that of others;
and then, too, how much indirect advantage
they further afforded, as involving numerous
othes occupations in themselves not purely
artistic. Take, for instance, the manufacture
of an ordinary porcelain vase, to be found on
the mantelpiece of most of the middle classes
in the town. How many branches of indus-
try were conneeted with it, with which the
designer has nothing to do. There was the
collection and preparation of the crude mate-
rial by the various processes of breaking,.sift-
ing, and working—the manufacture of the
metallic oxydes to be used by the artist—the
subsequent processes of glazing and firing ; all
distinct. branches these, to be carried on both
before and after the impression of the design
upon the ornament—the only process upon which
art was directly though essentially concerned. In
short, the more we multiplied the influence and
operations of Art iu connection with the produc-
tion of luxuries, the more we should multiply pro-
fitable occupation and employment for the people.
For, in this case, the usual maxim of political eco-
nomy was reversed; instead of the demand cre-
ating the supply, the supply created the demand.
Asan illustration, just let them look at the im-
provement in the form and material of common
earthenware within the last hundred years,—a
change entirely owing to the residence of a few
cheap Italian modellers in England. It was for the
above and similar reasons that he should like to
see a School of Design established in Leicester.—
The importance of design and variety of pattern
and style, even in the staple manufacture of em-
broidered gloves, fancy hosiery, &c., themselves,
was afterwards also pointed out by others ere the
meeting closed.

TESTIMONIAL To Mr. VERNON.—The propo-
sal to raise by subscription sufficient funds to pay
for the preparation of dies, and to present annually
a gold medal, to be called the Vernon medal, for
the encouragement of painting and sculpture, and
in commemoration of Mr. Vernon’s gift to the na-
tion, appears to have found favour with all parties.
A committee has been formed, containing many
| excellent names, and will shortly put the plan be-
fore the public.

Street Architecture.

Ir is very rare that street architecture is treated
of as asubject coming under the particular cogni-
zance of professional writers, if being apparently
taken for granted, provided streets are but straight
and spacious, and so far perfectly commodious for
the public, the elevations of the houses may be left
either to the taste of the builders or that of their
employers. This appears sensible enough, and
where no pretension is made to architectural cha-
racter may be sufficient. Yet if the latter should
be attempted in any way, it surely becomes worth
while to study it carefully, especially as opportu-
nities for accomplishing anything of the kind on

an extensive scale are comparatively few, it becomes}

necessary that when such do occur they should be
turned to the bestaccount. As a specimen, Moor-
gate-street could be taken, though not of a supe-
rior class, there being too much pomp affected by
means of columns and pilasters, those ever ready
and convenient expletives, which are had recourse
to on every occasion to fill up a front, and thereby
conceal an errant jejuneness of design and poverty
of ideas. Besides that, a palatial aspect cannot by
any possibility be kept up in the exterior of houses
of the kind;—it would of itself be quite out of
character so long as the ground floor must be oc-
cupied by shops, which at once betrays the quality
of the houses. Shops are decidedly stumbling-
blocks to architectural design, not on account of
their heing infra. dig. as marking the habitations
of tradesmen, but because they are fatal to archi-
tectural expression.

Can all the splendour of plate-glass, and other
showy trappings atone for such radical defect ?—
no other appearace of support to the fronts of the
houses being allowed to show itself than what is

produced by the ends of party walls. Still, a re-
medy there is, and one equally simple and effica-
cious, by merely setting each shop front within an
arcade. Due architectural expression wonld thus
be restored, and a satisfactory appearance of sub-
stantiality given. This is now made evident
enough by an instance of the kind in the lower
part of the Royal Exchange. If that example was
followed out in a degree, it wonld not matter were
the whole space within the arch filled in with glass,
as probably would be done in some instances ; and
as each front would be completely framed in by
the arch and piers, it would not interfere with, or
cut up the general design, and might, therefore, be
allowed to be treated as an independent compo-
sition, according to the fancy of the occupier. It
would likewise be a marked novelty in the charac-
ter of our trading streets, and therefore deseryes to
be tried in one, at least, of the proposed new tho-
roughfares. GEORGE JoHN RHODES.

——

144 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

A METHOD FOR STRIKING THE IONIC VOLUTE.

RULE FOR DRAWING THE VoLUIE,—(See description at page 148.)

tS ee

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

*“LAWIDH NVWOY TYIUAdWI

TANIA NVNOW

date :
{with a few figures on the plaster of the chancel

@absersations on the Wolvehromatte
Decoration of the MUidle Ages.

(Continued from page 106.)

Few traces of colouring of much greater interest
will be found prior to the accession of Henry IIT.
The paintings in churches ofan early character
lwere often executed at a later period; and this
may generally be suspected when ‘the decorations
lare of an elaborate kind, and when no letters or
costumes are represented to determine the precise
such decorations as we have alluded to,

walls, under the east window and on the chancel
arch, painted in red or black outline, a few sen-

itences, and aruder ‘cross or two, are all that the art

of the former part of the thirteenth century
appears to have been capable of producing.

Henry III. was an active patron of the arts, and
found time amidst all the treubles of his reign to
commemorate his taste in works of architecture,
sculpture, and painting.

A free and bold style in arabesque prevailed
from the time of Henry ITI., until the close of the
reign of Edward HII. Bright and lively colours
were applied in masses, the grounds covered with
compositions of foliage and birds, animals, and
human figures, sometimes in one tint, sometimes
in varied colours. The most beautiful design in
use was a pattern of vine leaves, frequently drawn
with remarkable freedom and elegance, in which
the leaves, the tendrils, and the fruit are here
represented in red and green tints, with various
coloured.birds nestling among the leaves ; this is
found repeated in groinings of this date; beautiful
instances exist at Rochester Cathedral, in the
groining of the crypt, and in a piece of wall
painting in St. William’s chapel in the same
cathedral, and under the canopy of the monument
of Aveline, Countess of Lancaster, in the choir of
Westminster Abbey. Various figures and devices
are found incorporated with foliage, in designs of

this description; at sometimes free and in com-
||position with the foliage, at other times displaying,
|;within coloured medallions, the faces of men and

angels, full-length figures and emblems. The
groined ceiling of Adam de Orlton’s chantry in
Winchester Cathedral exhibits on a straw-coloured
ground, among green foliage, with flowers, green
and blue medallions, in which are painted the
heads of angels surrounded by a nimbus: the
groining ribs have their mouldings marked in
various colours, and a running enrichment in a

chevron pattern is painted in red and black on the
centre moulding. The coloured mouldings of this
date are often powdered with rosettes, or similar
ornaments in red, black, or gold; and it was not
unfrequent to cover with a sculptured diaper even

those mouldings that were intended to be painted.

Even at this period, however, when the tout
ensemble of Gothic edifices was perhaps more
gorgeously magnificent than at any other time,
the antiquarian will perceive a want of that nicety
that distinguishes the work of a succeeding age.
To the fifteenth century may be ascribed the

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

|} window filled with stained glass; the strings, the

of the columns, brought out in red, green, and
gold ; the very form of the mouldings more clearly

tion, which, if wanting somewhat in the striking
and original character of earlier work, exhibits art
acting under the influence of settled laws with’
greater certainty of effect, avast improvement in
technical skiJl, and more elaborate variety in the
designs. [The difference in the modes of painting
that prevailed during the decorated and perpen-
dicular periods, shows itself particularly in the
forms of the diapers, which, at the later date, are
more set, with a frequent use of geometrical)
patterns and greatcr minuteness in the colouring. |
We have as yet no modern restoration that ex -
hibits the full effect of coloured decoration as
applied in the fifteenth century.

It often happened that throughout the whole
interior of a church the materials were no where
discernible, [Im Rochester Cathedral, even so far
back as in the work of the thirteenth century, the
Petworth marble columns have been entirely hid
with colour.| the walls were painted over with
historical subjects, arabesques, or inscriptions ; the
ceiling one mass of colour and gilding ; the floor
paved throughout with encaustic tiles; every

cornices, with their enrichments, and the capitals

marked by their enrichments; and all the tints
that were diffused throughout the building concen-
trated in greater intensity and delicacy on the
screens aud monuments, only to be surpassedin
gorgeousness by the precious ornaments of the
altar, rich in drapery, gold, and jewels.

Two methods of enrichment appear to have been
used, in one of which colour was sparingly applied,
the fair stone of the groinings, wrought in many an
intricate pattern, or the mellow tint of the oak-
boarded ceilings, is merely heightened in effect by
gilded bosses on a vermillion ground, the various
mouldings picked out in colour, and the walls
adorned with monograms, or black and red letter
sentences; but in the more common practice of
the day, it was usual, where decorative painting
was introduced, to cover completely with colour,
and to the total concealment of the material, those
portions of a building that were thus adorned.
When the roofs were of wood, their ribs were
usually picked out in various colours, plain or
relieved, and in early work the same member was
often painted in alternate colours, the corbels on
which they rested were sometimes, if moulded,
decorated as the ribs themselves; if carved in
foliage, they were gilded; and if in forms of
animal life, bearing shields, they were illuminated
in various colours, and the escutcheon charged
with the heraldic devices of the founders. The
bosses at the intersection of the ribs, when they are
not charged with arms, gilded, and commonly on
a red ground. The panels of the ceiling were:
generally blue, variegated with gilt estoiles, or
sometimes having one large radiating star painted
therein, filling the whole compartment. [The
soft of the canopy over Richard the’ Second’s
tomb, in the Confessor’s Chapel, in Westminster
Abbey, exhibits a gold ground diapered with
quatrefoils, &c., each compartment charged with a
pictorial subject. In that at the east end were
depicted two. angels, supporting a shield bearing
the arms of Richard II. and his wife, Anne of

perfection of a system of Polychromatic decora-||

Bohemia.

The two succeeding compartments are},

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

147

embellished with scriptural representations, and
the fourth is similar to the first. All the figures,
though now much faded, have been painted in
bright colours; the ribs between the several com-
partments are red and gold, and diapered.| In
late work, the boarding is sometimes without ribs,
painted in imitation ‘of clouds ; ; in the case of
groined ceilings, the ribs and bosses follow the
same rule, but the spandrils are frequently dia-
pered.

Wall surfaces were generally of a blue or red
tint; blue when forming a ground for pictorial
compositions, and more commonly red, when
unbroken large surfaces of any colour were in-
variably diapered, and generally in a deeper shade
of the same colour; but the diapering is some-
times omitted when figures are introduced. [So
attached were the middle-age artists to the use of
diaper, that even works in metal, especially
effigies, are engraved all over in similar forms to
those on coloured surfaces. Nothing exhibits
their abhorrence of unbroken tints more forcibly
than the minute delicacy of their works in mosaic
and enamel.] All enriched work was painted in
contrasting colours, the surfaces red or green,
{Upon the monuments on the north side of the
choir of Westminster Abbey, a sort of bistre colour
is made use of, as a counterchange for red, in tha
panels round the tomb, in the cornices, and in the
series of quatrefoils for the display of arms on
Valence and Crouchback’s monuments. On Lord
Bouchiere’s monument, beneath the screen of St.
Paul’s Chapel, green appears in corresponding
situations.| with blue introduced for relief in
hollows, where the object sought was to give depth.
Small coiumn shafts or beads were often painted in
a spiral curve, or barber’s pole fashion, white and
black, white and red, red and black, or red and
blue ; small fillets were often white; and all
bosses, crockets, finials, and prominent edges, gilt ;
and the whole powdered over with star-like flowers
or sprigs, gold or black if on a red ground, and
generally gold over all other eolours. [In King
Sebert’s monument the faces of the pyramidal
canopies are more plainly coloured, and the faces
of the intervening pinnacles have their pilaster
faces gilt, relieved by green in the panels.] The
octagonal bases of shafts often had their alternate
faces painted of diiferent colours, and the various
cap and base mouldings picked out and gilded.
Strings usually had their plain surfaces and hollows
red or green, the bead often gilt, but the concave
parts of cornices, when enriched, were often blue.
[The very fine effect produced by the use of a very
few colours may be judged by the screen in Edward
the Confessor’s Chapel. The faces here have a red
ground, the soffits blue; and over these universal
tints the gilded lacework of the tracery must have
shown to great advantage.] The favourite arrange-
ment seems to have been red, green, and gold ; but
when the series of mouldings, requiring to be dis-
tinguished by alternate colours, were deep, it was
often customary to give greater variety by using
different shades of the same colours, and which
were often placed adjacent to each other. The
same means was resorted to, when the very limited
number of positive colours, occasionally in the
intricacy of Gothic tracery, brought the faces of
| |two members, having the same colour, into contact
with each other.

a (To be continued.)

Giseful Weeeipis.

To Remove Stains from Floors.—For removing
spots of grease from boards, take equal parts of
fullers’ earth and pearlash, a quarter of a pound of
each, and boil in a quart of soft water, and, while
hot, lay it on the greased parts, allowing it to
remain on them, for ten or twelve hours, after
which it may be scoured off with sand and water.
A floor much spotted with grease should be com-
pletely washed over with this mixture the day
before it is scoured. Fullers’ earth and ox-gall
boiled together form a very powerful cleansing
mixture for floors or carpets. Spirits of turpen-
tine, rubbed for a sliort time forcibly on grease)}
spots, dissolve the grease in the floor, and make it
readily unite with pearlash or soap, with either of
which the parts should be afterwards washed.
Drops of tallow may be scraped off. Stains ofink,
dried in on floors, are difficult to eradicate.
Strong vinegar, or salts of lemon, will remove
them. Red wine stains on boards may be removed
by laying on them a strong solution of soda. If
this be not sufficient, the chloride of lime or
bleaching liquid, sold by chemists in half-pint
bottles, will remove them.

To Make Lithographic Crayons.—Pure wax
(first quality), four parts; dry white tallow-soap,
two; white tallow, two; gum lac, two; lamp
black, enough to make a dark tint, one; occa-
sionally copal varnish, one. The wax is to be
melted over a gentle fire, and the lac, broken to
bits, is then to be added by degrees, stirring all
the while with a spatula; the soap is next intro-
duced in fine shavings; and when the mixture of
these substances is very intimately accomplished,
the copal varnish, incorporated with the lamp
black, is poured in. The heat and agitation are
continued till the paste has acquired a suitable
consistence, which may be recognised by taking
out a little of it, letting it cool on a plate, and
trying its quality with a penknife. This composi-
tion, on being cut, should afford brittle slices.
When ready, it is to be poured into a brass mould,
made of two semi-cylinders joined together by
clasps or rings, forming between them a cylindric
tube of the crayon size. The mould should be
previously smeared with a greasy cloth.

To Make Lithographic Ink.—Lithographic ink
is made as follows:—Take mastic in tears, 8 oz.,
shellac, 12 oz., Venice turpentine, 1 oz. Melt
these together, and ada wax, 1 lb., tallow, 6 oz.
When dissolved, add hard tallow-soap in shavings,
60z. When thé whole it combined, add lamp
black, 4 oz. Mix these ingredients well ; let the
mixture cool a little, and then pour it into moulds,
or on a slab, and when quite cold cut it into square
pieces for use.

It is confidently reported that Mr. Hudson will
shortly resign the chair of the Eastern Counties
Railway, and’ Mr. Waddington will take his place,
Mr. Peto being called in to take the deputy
chairmanship.

148 TEE

Wrofessorv Cockerell’s BWeetures on
Arehitectuce.

THE annual course of lectures on architecture at
the Royal Academy commenced on Thursday, the
4th ult. The Professor said that the object of
these lectures was to place before the students
those essential theoretical points which do not
present themselves prominently in professional
practice. At the outset, the student flattered him-
self that his time was to be spent in the study of
design, and the cultivation of the attractive graces
of the art ; but in the urgency of his office duties,
he soon found that little time was left for these
delights. Technical details demanded his atten-
ition, and what ought to be first became last. He
jbecame appalled at the extent of the demands
upon his powers. He soon came to regard the
fine art as a thing secondary in importance, whilst
he learnt the truth that the urgency of office busi-
ness is indeed the urgency of daily bread, finding,
too, after all, his noble aspirations regarded by the
vulgar as vain enthusiasm.

Another contingency which would befal the stu-
dent, was the special preference which the master
under whom he studied might have for a particular
style. This the student followed, and to all else
became a bigot. Were the style medizeval, he felt
no excellence but in copying; if Greek, all else
was barbarism. He found, too, that he was sub-
ject to fashions iu architecture, which he must fol-

||low, as he might those of dress, and unhesitatingly,

almost enthusiastically. The adoption of the
Egyptian style, and of the Greek were such in-
stances. In the case of the latter, the taste was
signalised by complete misappropriation, and
every house was built to 1ake-believe a hexastyle
Doric temple. The art had long wanted some
learned champion, who should take up the

{\cudgels of sound criticism, and battle for the

right.

Upon such rocks as these, then, the Professor
said, the student might suffer shipwreck, and
therefore what should be his means of safety?
How should we emancipate ourselves? It was
plain that if fashion were to be the arbiter, a doubt
would arise in the student’s mind as to the true
dignity of his art. He might-ask,—Is taste but a
fashion ?—How should he aspire, then, to think,
originally? The answer should be found in these
and similar institutions. r

The Professor then referred to the increased

DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

advantages now within the reach of the student,
the different lectures and classes affording the
means of acquiring every branch of knowledge ;
and although, as he showed, they were not so
fortunate in this respect as the students in France,
yet as these were advantages which our prede-
cessors never had, present time ought to spare
something for the art. He also adverted to other
requisite qualifications, saying that the architect
should be a good workman, and distinguished by
dexterity of hand as well as of mind, and cited
Anaxagoras, who attributed the supremacy of man
as much to the powers of the hand as of the head.
He also related an anecdote of Rennie, who, having
repaired the wheel of a stage coach, in which he
and an aristocratic fellow-traveller had previously
been on colloquial terms, found himself, as a
workman, treated with great reserve and hauteur,
and deseribed the amusing discomfiture of the
same traveller on finding next day that the most
honoured guest of the noble lord with whom he
had to dine, was his companion, the workman,
who now treated him with corresponding dis-
tance.

(To be continued.)

grule for Brawing the Lonte Polute.

(For Illustrations, see page 144.)

DIVIDE the height of the intended volute into
seven equal parts ; draw a line from the third divi-
sion, and on it describe a circle for the eye of the
volute, whose diameter will be equal to one of the
parts ; draw the lozenge square, and in that draw
another, whose angles must touch the sides of the
lozenge square in the middle (see engraving). In
order to make the construction of the centre ap-
pear plain, we have shown it on a larger scale,
the clearness of which does not, we consider, re-
quire a written description. The position of the
lower angle will, of course, depend whether the
volute is to be drawn from the right or left side;
the engraving represents the left side ; if on the
right the position of the letter A must be reversed
to the right side of the centre dotted line, and
completed as given; then place the leg of the
compass ot Fig. 1 and stretch the pencil to the
seventh division ; strike the quadrant a B, stopping
at the dotted line ; then from Fig. 2 strike the
quadrant BC ; from Fig. 3strike the quadrant c D ;
from Fig 4, D z, and so on till the circle is touched | |.
at u, the volute will then be complete. |

SSeS cr MRE SI SRT Din EE UE ST a |

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The Chronotppist.

THE extension of the North British Railway
from Edinburgh to the St. Boswell’s station is
expected to be opened on the 10th proximo.——
The monument erected at Carmarthen to the
memory of Picton is just completed.——A grant of
£200, from the fund for “ special service,” has
been lately made to Mr. Edward William j,Lane,
‘the well-known author of the “ Modern Egyptians,”
and of a very accurate translation of the ‘‘ Arabian
Nights.” It is said that a lady of the family of
a literary French ex-minister now in England is
translating “‘ Jane Evre” into French. There is
‘| another importation of Assyrian sculptures now
‘unpacking in the British Museum. It consists
‘chiefly of bassi-rilievi, some pieces of which join
lon to the slabs already deposited, and are con-
tinuations of the subjects already described—some
fine gigantic figures of the king and his cupbearer,
admirably preserved, retaining§ all the minute
ornaments on the embroidered robes—and another
Jarge figure of the vulture-headed divinity, in
excellent condition. So beautiful are these speci-
mens, that they really ought to be protected by |
glass. ‘We may probably give a detailed account
whenlthey are unpacked.———Monday the 9th and
Tuesday the 10th of April are, we understand, the:
days appointed by the Council'of the Royal
Academy for the reception of pictures and other
works of Art intended for the Exhihition. Sir)
Richard Westmacott, the Professor of Sculpture,
will commence his course of lectures to the stu-
dents of the Royal Academy on Monday, February.
the 12th, and continue them on the five following |
Mondays. The Professor of Painting, Mr. Leslie,
will deliver his course on Thursday, February the |
15th, and the five following Thursdays. France |
having at length succeeded in instituting a de facto |
republic, is to have, after all, it seems, a symbolical
figure of the same. From a number of candidates
sent in, the Art-constituency have finally elected
one—granting honourable mention to two others.
Following the course adopted with regard to the
real republic, a variety of amendments and altera-
tions were suggested in the symbolical one. The
immortality of either the one or the other it were
dangerous to predicate. Thc French people are by
turns idolators and iconoclasts. At the Louvre
the Spanish Museum has been opened, under the’
new arrangement which classes the works of Art,
according to their schools and nations. ——A cor- |
||respondent of the Athenewm writes as follows :—
{|‘There is at Fir Grove, Weybridge, the residence

149

of Sir John Easthope, a fine copy of the celebrated
portrait of Jane of Arragon, by Rafael, the history
of which is curious. It belonged to the present
President of the French Republic, who asked Sir
John £5,000 for it,—assigning asa reason for this
enormous demand that it was the original. He
affirmed that his uncle, the Emperor, had had it
copied—had hung the copy on the walls of the
Louvre—and had given the original to Queen
Hortense, his (the President’s) mother, from whom
he inherited it. Sir John Easthope afterwards
bought the picture at the sale of Louis Napoleon’s
effects, just before the celebrated debareation at
Boulogne. This is a remarkable specimen of ‘ Les
Idées Napoléoniennes’ with regard to honesty.
Did the prince really expect to turn his uncle’s
fraud into hard cash? Did he believe the story,
and think it a clever thing, and his own title as
against the French nation a good one?”———A new
Educational Hospital, making the ninth in the
city, is about to be erected in Queensferry-road,
Edinburgh, Mr. Daniel Stewart having left
£90,000 for the purpose.——A new and beautiful
edition of the works of Beethoven has just appeared
at Vienna; it consists of fifty-six volumes and
4,000 pages of music. The Hampton Court
branch of the London and South-Western Railway
will be opened for passengers on the Ist of Feb-
ruary. It is expected to prove a very lucrative
line, as, according to the Government return,
about 500,000 persons visit Hampton Court
annually. There will be five trains run each way
daily. The railway commissioners have ap-
proved of the proposal of Mr. W. Harding,
Secretary to the London and South-Western Rail-
way, consisting of a series of footboards and hold-
fasts along the extent of the train, by means of
which, in the event of accident, the guards may
communicate with either engine drivers or passen-
gers. The Nottingham Mercury states that an

| important invention in the manufacture of lace is
| just about to be introduced there, by which colours

can be thrown into the fabric, and all the small
beams dispensed with, now applied to the ma-||
chines, as well as the pieces being extended to
three or four times their present length. Mr.
Robert Cadell, of Edinburgh, who, for the last
thirty years, held a very prominent situation as
bookseller and publisher, but chiefly in connection
with the works of Sir Walter Scott, died on the
20th instant, at his seat, near Edinburgh.——The
Society of Antiquaries met on the 11th of January,
H. Hallam, Esq., V.P., in the chair. Mr. A. Taylor
sent ‘a map for exhibition, showing the boundaries
which he assigned in his paper, read before the
holidays, to Roman London.

{

J a LT SE NSE

l250

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

An Elustrates Glossary of Cechnical
Terms used ti Architectural any
Entertor MBecovation, Ke.
(Continued from page 188.)

IcEHOUSE. A subterraneous apartment for
preserving ice during the summer. ‘The best

‘situation for an: icehouse is in a. chalky or a loose

gravelly soil, on a declivity, where a cavity is dug

‘in the form of an inverted cone, and, when the

nature of the soil requires it, accompanied with a

\drain, which may conduct the waste water into a

well,

ICHNOGRAPHY. ‘The transverse section of a

building, which represents the circumference of
the whole edifice, the different rooms and apart-
ments, with the thickness of the walls; the dimen-

sions and situation of the doors, windows, chim-

ineys, the projection of columns, and everything
\that could be seen in such a section, if really made
in a building.

IcOsHADERON. Aregular body, consisting of

‘twenty triangular pyramids of equal height and

bases, their vertexes meeting in the centre of a

isphere, which is suppdsed to circumscribe it.
|

INCRUSTED MouLpine. A moulding used in

Saxon architecture.

IMPETUS..
iroof, &c.

The span of a building, arch,

ImpLuvium. The central part of the court,
‘amongst the Romans, which was uncovered, and
\jthe breadth of which was never less than a quarter,
or more than a third, of that of the Aérium.

Impost. The layer of stone which crowns a
door-post or pier, and which supports an arcade,
&c. It génerally projects, and is ornamented
with mouldings.

INBOND JAMBSTONE. A bondstone laid in the

{joint of an aperture.

(To be continued. )

SOCIETY MEETINGS FOR THE PRESENT
WEEK.

UES.—Royal Institution, 3, p.m.—Mr. Carpen-
, ter ‘* On Paleeontology.’’

WED.—Geological, half-past 8.—Society of Arts,
8,P.M. .

THuRsS.—Antiquaries, 8.—-Royal, half-past 8.—
Zoological, 3—General Business.— Royal
Institution, 3—Dr. Gull “ On Physiology
of Digestion.”—Royal Academy, 8—Ar-
chitecture.

Fri.—Archzological Institute, 4.—Royal Institu-
tion, half-past 8—Prof. Brande “On the
Theory and Practice of the Production of
Light.”—Botanieal, 8.

Sat.—Asiatic, 2%.—Royal Institution, 3—Prof.
Brande ‘‘ On Chemical Philosophy.”

Co Correspondents, Ke.

NOTICE.

On Thursday, Feb. Ist, will be published,
Part I oF

Che Wook of Grnamental and Marlp
english Alphabets,
Also embracing Corners and Initial Letters.

To be printed in-colours, and stitched in a neat
wrapper, price 6d. To be continued monthly.

Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

“ Constant Reader,” (Glasgow.)— We refer you
to No. 85, page 83.

“ Blucher,” (Oxford.)—Accepted with thanks.
We shall also be obliged to you for your other of-
fer. Vol. IV. wiil be completed in twenty-six
numbers, fourteen of which are now out.

“W. Q.”’—Use its own numerals. |

“J. Greet,” (Leamington.)—We shall use the
Article sent, and also that on “ Porcelaine as
applied to Inscriptive Art.”

“ Quiz,” (Brighton.)— Wait a little longer—
the cause of complaint will soon cease to exist.—
The alphabet shall be used at an early opportunity.

“§. H. D.,” (Hertford.)\—Your letter shall
recewe due attention.

—_—

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §¢., to be addressed to “the Editor} |
of the DucoraToR’s ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”—We shall at all times,
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial)
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c.

Part 22 is now ready, Price 10d.

eee

also re-printed, and will in future be),
charged at 10d. each.

| "x" Part I, is
e

} = . >
Wy say =|
Bw EKG -< 0
@ Rp (lige sees |e

a
eS NSS

STEEN

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A BORDER.—(ITALIAN STYLE.)

[TWo-PENCE.

No. 92.—Vou. IV.}

SaTurpDAy,] 7

O@n the Wecesstty of Establishing a
SMusewum for Wnalish
Antiquities.

OES it not appea;
remarkable that in the year 1849, we should
be entirely without a gallery; museum, or pub-
lic collection of any kind of our own national
antiquities, containing specimens not only of
all the successive styles of Gothic architecture
in this country, but also of contemporary pro-
ductions in other {branches of Art. | Several
hints have been thrown out of late in regard
to such [desideratum; yet, obvious as are its
advantages, there is little or no prospect of its
being supplied. Nay, it is both disheartening
and mortifying to find that the idea of forming
such a collection has been rejected in a quarter
where it might have been taken with the great-
\jest facility and at the same time with the

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[Fepruary, 10, 1849.

greates t proyrietylt appears that about ‘six
years ago Mr. Lamb, the architect, addressed a
letter to the trustees of the British Museum,
earnestly but respectfully urging how highly
desirable it was that specimens of Anglo-Go-
thic antiquities should be introduced into their
building, and how eminently instructive, as
well as interesting, such studies would prove,
both to professional men and the public. This
however, produced no more than a brief and
formal official reply from the secretary, pur-
porting that the trustees were not prepared to
recommend her Majesty’s Government to pro-
vide in the Museum for any additional collec-
tion of the kind suggested. This, of course,
guite shut—and not only shut, but bolted—the
door against anything further on the subject.

Whether it received anything like due consi-
deration at all is exceedingly doubtful, the se-
cretary’s reply being dated only ten daysaft er
the letter addressed to the trustees,—a very
brief interval, not, indeed, for an answer, but
for a final one in a matter calling for deliberate
consultation upon it. No doubt it was un-
lucky that the author of the scheme ‘did not
bethink him of obtaining the signatures of
some of his professional colleagues, and other
individuals known to the public by what they
have done for promoting the study of Gothic
architecture and its history. A score of such
names, including among them some of the
principal members of the Institute, could
hardly have failed to command a degree of at-
tention not likely to be given to what proceeded
from a single individual. In matters of the
kind it requires that a good hearty push should
be made in order to overcome the vs inerie that
will not yield to the gentle ‘‘tap-taps” of mere
hints and suggestions. In all probability the
trustees themselves are perfectly indifferent
towards a class of antiquities for which no
provision is made in the Museum, and which,
having been so long unrepresented there, they
maygthink ought to be neither looked for nor
desired.

Nevertheless, their own indifference might
have given way to other considerations, had
they had sufficient reason to suppose there
existed a general demand for a collection of the
kind suggested being added to those already
formed in the Museum. They would probably
then have thought fit to express their readinesS

—————

SepEreraee * DECORATOR ’S ° ASSISTANT.

to recommend the matter to her > Majesty’ s Go-
vernment, leaving this last to take upon itself

the ungraciousness of refusal. It may be said
that the public have no occasion for examining
models and casts when they can behold the
buildings themselves: the reply to which is
that the information and habit of observation
[acquired from: such representations qualify
them for taking greater interest in, and bestow-
ing more earnest attention upon, actual pro-
ductions of architecture.
collection of the kind would possess the great
advantage of affording direct comparison 'of
edifices situated widely apart from each other;
of becoming acquainted with many that are

by travellers perhaps only once in their lives.

Wrotessor Gockerell’s Wectures on
Architecture.

(Continued from page 148.)

THE professor then made observations of a
similar tendency to some in a previous course,
on the influence which was to be attributed to
painters, condemning, in the words of Phili-
bert de l’Orme, the “ pretty drawings” in
which erial effects, ‘and efforts ‘foreign to the
art of architecture, were discernible. He said
that the picturesque had been a characteristic
of all the arts of ‘the revival;’’? but in all
cases, whichever art was prominent, the others
were drawn towards it. For example, Greek
art was sculpturesque, Egyptian art architec-
tonic. This we should do well to bear in
mind; and the greatest conceptions of our art
|had unquestionably been when architectonic
jart was paramount, and of opposite character,
when following the treatment of painting and
sculpture. In speaking of drawing, {the pro-
fessor conveyed the impression, that he did not
esteem it of the engrossing importance some-
times ‘claimed for it. Wren spoke of perspec-
tive, but it did not appear that he was a great
draughtsman ; but on his works might be in-

scribed, numero, pondere, mensura. Amongst

the French architects, who had devoted much
|time by delineation, and amongst them great
|skill was to be found, the higher qualities of

Besides which, a}

gentleman ;

design is believed were impaired, ae he
had noticed that the architect of the Hotel de
Ville was inferior as adraughtsman In the
present day, we found the great number of our
resources was being continually augmented,
and calling for fresh adaptation of means to an

end; but the agt in its principles was ever un-
changeable

Finally, in words which we must give verba-
tim, the professor said,—I congratulate you on

the choice of a*profession so entirely that of a |
for as my German friends truly] |
‘say ‘no man can be a thorough gentleman

unless he has something of the-artist in him ;

L ' , -and no man can be a thorough artist unless he
not to be seen without distant travelling, and}

is Gn mind and character at least) a. thorough
gentleman.”

I congratulate you because in this art Aad
science are comprehended all the supremacy and
all the faculties of our nature, and all the pri-
vileges of the lord. of the creatiom;, for all in-
tellectual rank and authority are accorded to
him, and all the conquests of the artificer man
are his enjoyments,—the whole field of science,
exact and natural, are open to his investigation,
and explained and tested by him. As a thinker
and as a workman, he finds the fullest enjoy-
ment, and an ever fresh pursuit,—he is inca-
pable of tedium, languor, or ennui. His asso-
ciations are amongst the gifted, the virtuous,
and the diligent; with them and from them he
is ever learning ‘‘ wisdom and understanding
and knowledge,” like Bezaleel or Hiram. He
stands before princes, as their counsellor and
confidential friend, and holds their purse-
strings; and he takes by the hand the humblest
artificer. ‘As entrusted and endowed with so
many talents and privileges, he is their ap-
pointed arbiter, and establishes” justice and
judgment and equity between the little and

ereat; and thus discharging them with fidelity
and modesty and skill, he becomes the key-

stone of the social arch, and binds all the spe-
culative and industrial classes tozethes in’ a
mutual support.

Curious Invention—Myr. Coupland, of Skel-
lingthorpe, near Lincoln, has just produced avery
eurious invention for the purpose of preventing
the strong giare of the sun’s light being thrown

ingenious and useful. ° bi SAS Sie eee ay da

upon windows which front the south, Iti is both

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

|@bserbations on the Wolvehromatic
Mecorvation cf the Mlivale Ages.

(Continued from page 147.)

Diapers were of several kinds; that most
|commonly met with extends itself over large
jsurfaces. in a running pattern often executed in
a deeper shade of the ground colour. [There
jis a variety of this kind of diaper that may,
|perhaps, with more propriety, be termed ara-
besque. Such is shown in the groined canopy
lover the tomb of Aveline, Countess of Lan-
leaster: there we see an entwining pattern of
vine leaves and fruit; the fruit and sprigs red,
jand the leaves green. The ground shews a
straw colour, perhaps originally gilded.] A
second form, perhaps better understood by the
word, powdering, scatters over the ground a
profusion of small sprigs or flowers, generally |
black or gold. The diaper of a wall sometimes
consists of nothing more than the founder's’
initials, the monogram I. H. C., or like de-
|vices in red, geometrically arranged Son an unco-
loured ground, that is, a ground which has no
other colour but the prevailing tint of the building.

the fancy of the artists, and not always beautiful.’
‘Greater variety than can be found on architectural
members are met within many of the painted
effigies, and of great beauty. ]

The plain faces of buttresses and pinnacles, and
small ronnins hands, are often ornamented with a
‘pattern in two colours; sometimes simple, and ex-'
\tending itself over the whole surface. The pre-|
vailing tint for this ornament is white and black,
jor white with the prevailing ground. It seems ‘to|
have been the dim of the Gothic artists to avoid as|
|much as possible creating spaces of a8ingle colour ;
‘for the smallest mouldings are generally powdered
with red, black, or gold sprigs.

The use of diaper is to supply the place of ‘mid-
dle tints, the introduction of which destroys the,
|brillianey, and interferes with the keeping of Po-'
|lychromatic painting. A mass of colour, of what-'
ever weight, may be enriched by a judicious use of
\diaper. A great deal of the beauty and freshness
of the ancient mode of painting is referrable to the
‘\pigments that they made use of, and the way in’
which they were mixed and applied. The colours
'|used in. Polychromy were few and simple, but of a
substantial and permanent character; the ochres,

) met with.

| macity to the surface painted on.

‘|[Tbe forms of diapered enrichment are as varied as!

contending that it wasmet known until introduced

| to have been generally used until the fifteenth cen-

}of their old system.

153)

red lead and yermilion, azure or cobalt, two or
three shades of green, with black and white, com-|
prise nearly the whole of their chromatic seale. In}
pictorial compositions a wider range was allowed,
and compound and neutral tints will frequently be

As far as can be ascertained, very similar men-
strua were used to liquify the pigments employed,|
both in the classie and middle ages. Painting on
plaster was practised at both periods; but it is ex-
ceedingly doubtful whether fresco, properly so
called, was used to any extent in Europe prior to
its recorded introduction in Italy. Wax, with the
volatile oils, and resin appear io have been the ge-
neral media; and perhaps the paintings executed
in wax may so far be called encaustic, as that term
applies to bringing out the wax by means of heat,
after the paintsng is done.

A very considerable proportion of the remains of
medizeval colouring appear to have been executed
with turpentine and resin, more particularly those|
that exhibit, after the lapse of ages, much of their
ancient brilliancy, and adhere with tolerable tena-
Wax dissolved in
gum water may also have been employed, as gum
was much used for a similar purpose in the middle
ages. Ancient paintings executed with honey and
wax, possess a high degree of durability; and this
method was much in favour among the Grecian
artists; but its use in the middle ages, is only con-
jectural.

Many discussions have taken place as.to the date
of the use of oil in wali painting, many people

in the fifteenth century, by John ab Hyck; but it
is evident this opinion is incorreet, and that it was
known as early as 1239. But it does not appear

tury. It might have been considered an experi-
ment, which the medizval artists were cautious of
trying, knowing, by experience, the completeness

(Tobe continued.)

Medieval Remains.—The original floor of the
ancieut refectory at Durham has heen discovered
About a foot and a half below the joists was an
uniform surface of rubbish, on removing a portion
of which, to the depth of about three feet, the

j workmen struck upon the floor of the ancient

refectory. It is composed of plain red encaustic
tiles, about ten inches square, and of much
rougher composition than- is now deemed rc-
quisite,

THE DECORATGR’S

ASSISTANT.

MN)

}
MMM:

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wk

"Wag

ayes
Bo

GOTHIC FINIAL ON DOORWAY AT IHE INTERIOR ENTRANCE OF CLEEVE COURT.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

ALPHABET OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY.

| {156

||the human body ; question your minds as to the

and (what is still more noticeable) with a super-
ficial examination of the bones, there will be indeed

proposed in most of the treatises addressed, spe-
jcially, to the students of Art!
occupations of many who now hear me, there are
numbers whose professional employment often
|consists inmaking carved or painted, heraldic or

joints, or claws of animals ; whereas, the knowledge
\of the leading features of organisation would have

\teristics.
|
enter, with zeal, on the cultivation of researches

/upon its liberty. Remember the wise maxim of

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

On the Stusp of Picturesque
. Anatom. -

ry “ ‘
+
" ——
+

WE are indebted to the Art Journal for the
following extracts from a lecture delivered by Mr.
Townsend to the pupils of the Sehool of Design «at
Somerset House, ‘On the Structure and Bx-
pression of the Human Head.”

“‘ Principles deduced from the structure of man,

and the comparative anatomy of animals, lay a

foundation for studying the influence of the mind
on the body.” Suchis the correct remark of Sir
Charles Bell. Anatomical knowledge, then, is to
be followed up by the reflective application of the
facts it conveys. If, however, artists rest content
with the names and uses of the superficial muscles,

but a trifling result. Yet such is the end chiefly

In the every-day

imitative, representations of the animal creation ;
and he who has never seen a portion of the internal
structure, has to puzzle himself over the delinea-
tion, er the modelling of the beaks, muzzles,

instantly guided to a grasp of their true charac~
Let me, therefore, hope that you will

that will guide the hand, without imposing fetters

the poet:—

ve Genius.again correct with science sage!’
Study with care those minutest varieties of inter-
nal structure which in so many parts, directly or
indirectly, influence the external conformation of

relations between mental emotions and the phy-
sical manifestations that attend them; and if you
find your information deficient, many are the
authorities and aids which the Library and Mu-
seusn of Casts place within your reach. Im the
latter I may remind you that you have not alone

the skeleton and numerous casts of dissected
muscles of the human structure and of the inferior
animals. Still more would I advise you, wherever

it may be in your power, to follow the means
resorted to by some of the wisest of our prede-

an extensive collection of anatomical plates, but}

cessors, and to imitate their zeal in making even
dissections of animals. Let it be a great point to} |
institute a careful distinction®of tendon from the)| -

muscular fibres, marking the direction of the latter||

in the state wf repose or death, and also expe-||
rimenting on the course of their contractions in
the living subject. Moreover, it may be borne in
mind that much living interpretation of ‘the
mysteries disclosed by anatomy can be sought suc--
cessfully in the phbysiognomic expressions of
grimace, or even of disease; that the mind of the!
truly observant artist exercises the knowledge he
has acquired even when at a distance from the
precinets of his studio; and that, in all his ram-
bles, the passengers in the streets and the beasts inj
the field are ever undergoing the all-but-uncon-
scious yet treasuring “‘ speculation” of his eye.
And if, with the consideration of mam’s pecu-
liarities, we connect all those hints to be derived
from the careful investigation of the habits and/
structure of inferior animals, how much greater
the range of mental yisicn over the domains of
Expression, and how rich the treasure to be)
gathered thence for the true philosophy of Art!

And, lest itshould be supposed that I am forget-
ful of the main purposes of this institution, I
would argue that in Anatomy,—thereby gaining
some insight into the organisation of all animals,—
students of Ornamental Design are even more}
interested than many “ artists?’ Of this, when I
have hereafter placed certain facts before you,
there will appear many convincing proofs.

There is at hand an appropriate diagram, which
prompts me to offer at once a single instance. Wel)
will regard, then, for:a.moment, this diagram. [A
view of the cartilages of the larynx, the muscles of
the neck, &c., which, with numerous other dia-
grams, were exhibited at the lecture.] Here the
head is frown back soas to display the baseof the
jaw, aud the full front structure of the machinery
of the meck. Now, let us consider #his in
relation to Ornamental Sculpture. ‘Low relief”
is accomplished by very insensible gradations of
light and shade, caused by the most trifling
variation of surface; combining, however, among}}
its simple projections the highest lights, half tints,
reflections, and shadows. Hence, the slightest
scraping of the tool, the merest indentation of the
surface, may be pregnant with meaning, This can
all be rendered, ait is true, by the power of un-
assisted observation ; but who will say that such
observation would mot be guided to more instanta-
neous and aceurate perceptions by a knowledge of
the exact anatomic causes influencing such minute
varieties of surface? Let us suppose that such
work of Art embodies a figure of small size, and

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

that this flat relief is in the hands of a silver
chaser, who has to render, with exact understand-
ing, the most evanescent touches resulting from
the sculptor’s feeling in the original model. Before
reaching his hauds the work will already have been
cast in the precious metal ; and it just depends on
the previous knowledge of the chaser; whether his
further translation of the original shall be simply
a@ pew pres, a “sufficiently fair” transcript, or a
most faithful copy. Think, then, of his having to
work* out the expression of such complicated
‘machinery as this! Here we have the succession
of parts composing the Larynz, -or windpipe ; the
depression marking the position of the Os Hyoides;
this projection, the Pomwm Adami, with its V-like
marking on the upper surface; and again we see
jon each side the various muscles by which this
respiratory tube is elevated or depressed in the
‘tmultitudinous efforts connected with respiration
and deglutition, and those which move the head in
its various actions. Depend on it, that although
few but a practical anatomist could fully appre-
ciate, when executed, the exactitude with which
ithe imitation resembled nature, yet that anatomic
truth rendered with artistic skill is never wasted
even on the least learned eye!

(Zo be continued.)

Gigeful WReeeipis.

To take Impressions of Medals.—This may be
‘of use to those who wish to preserve good speci-
‘mens of fine draughts of curious medals, especially
jas it is easily executed, and with but a trifling
expense. One way is as follows :—Take isinglass,
and breaking it in pieces, dissolve as much of it as
is necessary over the fire in a quantity of water
sufficient only to cover it, taking care to keep it

with a hair-brush,: stroke some of the glue over
ithe medals the impressions of which you would
take, after placing them as horizontally as you can,
and when you have covered them perfectly all over,
let them lie till the glue is hardened; and after-
wards, with the point of a pin, or needle, raise the
edge of the glue from each medal, and the whole
impression of the medal in glue will fly off as hard
jas a horn, with all the fine sharpness of the medal

tint by mixing the colour in the water the glue is
boiled in. The impression must be dried imme-

‘using the plaster of Paris as before.
\from them in any sort of metal.
stirring till the whole is dissolyed. This done, |

cold drawn linseed oil purified by exposure to sun~
light fora few months, add one ounce of powdered.

‘works well and does not separate, although it will
not dry quite so rapidly as some that is prepared |
jas it was struck. This glue may be made of any

157

diately, but very regularly, and not in a hot sun.
nor in-any. damp place.
without any colour mixed with the water, as soon
as the impression from the medals is taken, breathe
gently on the concave side of them, and then lay
them upon the thickest sort of leaf gold, which will
stick to them ; and by shining through the isin-
glass will appear like a gold medal : but to imitate
a copper medal, carmine should be mixed with the
water in which tbe isinglass is dissolved. Al-
though water may do very well for dissolving the
isinglass im for this purpose, vet brandy or spirit of
wine will give the gluea much greater strength, so
as not:to:be subject to soften in a damp air.

To take the Impression of large Medals.—First
rub the medals gently over with “a tuft of fine
cotton moistened or’ greased with sweet oil; then

having some melted brimstone, enuugh to cover] |

the medal half an inch thick, put a hoop of card-
paper round the edge of it, and pour the melted

brimstone on it, but not too hot; as soon as it is}

fixed and hardened, take, off the hoop of paper,
and the impression on the brimstone will come
clean from the medal, which shall serve for a
sharp and correct mould, wherein you may cast
another with plaster of Paris. But brimstone
should not? be used on silver medals, because it
will effectually change their colour.
take silver medals off, bind them round, after

oiling them, with a hoop of some stiff paper, as) |
before, and mixing a little plaster of Paris with)|

water, fill the hoop with’ it; then immediately fill
the case in a sprinkling manner with the same
plaster, tilljit hardens; and when it turns dry,
take it off from the medals. But from those
moulds cast in brimstone that are concave, you
must again cast such medals in plaster of Paris,
and they will be convex, oiling the mould and)
By this
method any medal or fine bas-relief.may be taken
with great exactness, even so as to form medals

A Method of Making Meglyp.—To each pint of

sugar of lead; place the jar in a sand bath, and
boil over a clear fire, stirring until the sugar of
lead is dissolved. Two parts of this boiled oil to
three of mastic varnish, produces a meglyp that

by the colour makers, yet quite sufficiently so for
the safety ofany work. It isa great improvement)
to put it into collapsible tubes as soon as made.

If isinglass is used,}

Therefore, to) |

An TMlustrated Glossary of Technical
Cerms used tn Architectural anv
Entertor Becovation, &e.

(Continued from page 150.)

Incn. The twelfth part of a foot.

IncerTum. A term by which Vitruvius de-
signates a mode of building, which consisted of
small rough stones and mortar. Chandler is mis-
taken in giving the name of incertum to walls
constructed of hexagonal and pentagonal stones
without mortar.

INCLINATION. The mutual approach of a line
to a plane, or of two planes to each other.

INCLINED PLANE. The inclined plane is one
of the mechanical powers, and is not only used to
assist in raising ponderous bodies of immense
magnitude, to elevations to which they could
scarcely be raised by any other way; but also the

|matural declivities of hills are frequently made to

serve the purpose of the quick conveyance of coals,
timber, or other articles, to a considerable dis-
tance, without the aid of horses. The most re-
markable work of this kind is the Slide, or
jinclined plane, of Alpnach, in Underwalden, in
|\Switzerland.

INCRUSTATION. INLAYING. Anything, such
as mosaic, scagliola, &c. applied with mortar, or
with mastic, or with cramps, to incisions that have
‘been made for its reception. The lining or coating
of a wall, either with glossy stones, rustics, marble,
‘pottery, or stucco work ; and that either equally or
in panels and compartments.

INDEFINITE. A line, &c. which has but one
extreme, which may be produced infinitely in a
direction opposite to this extreme.

INDENTED. Toothed together.

INDIAN RuBBER. A substance produced from
,a tree in Cayenne and South America, called the
'Syringa tree. It is most abundant in rainy weather,
| when it oozes in a milky form from incisions made
in the tree, and acquires the consistence, which it
has when we get it, merely by exposure to the air.
|The colour is given to it by exposing it to the
‘smoke of burning vegetables.

INDURATI NG.
ther.

Any thing which hardens ano-

Ionic OrpDER. The Ionic, next to the Doric, }

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

was the oldest order amongst the Greeks. It
originated amongst the Ionic colonies of the Lesser
Asia, and is more delicate and graceful than the
Doric, and yet has more majesty than the Co-
rinthian. The column is fluted with twenty-four
channels. The abacus of its capital is scooped on
the side, and the chief ornament of the capital is
its two spiral volutes. It is supported by the
echinus moulding, sculptured with the egg-and-
tongue, and borrowed above and below by a
headed astragal. The base consists of a torus and

two scotiz, separated by astragals, and resting ou
a square plinth. But the most favourite base used
with this order, both by the ancients and moderns,
was the attic. The cornice is in general much
divided by moulding and dental bands. In most
of the Asiatic remains the frieze is found wanting.
A longer description will be found in our archi-
tectural series, with copious illustratious,

INSULAE COLUMN.
itself.

A column standing by

INTAGLIO. - Anything with figures in relief
on it.

INTERCEPTED Axis. A term in conic sections ;
it is that part of the diameter of a curve line com-
prehended between the vertex and the ordinate ;
it is also called absicssa and apscis, or apsis, and
forms an arch of a peculiar kind, appropriated to
the canopy of a kingly or an ecclesiastical throne,
and to vaults in churches.

(V0 be continued.)

Che WChronotpptst.

Ar Upleatham Hali, one of the Earl of Zetland’s
‘seats’in Yorkshire, there have been laid down 900
|feet of glass wgter pipes, forming the longest: line
of elass tubes in’ England. A curious match is
about to take place, at Blackburn, for a sum of
“money, to test the relative excellence of two
patented improvements in power looms. A number
of looms of each kind are to be worked side by
side, and the quantity and quality of the cloth
‘produced will decide the wager. The King of
Prussia has conferred on M. Guizot, member of
the French Academy, the Order of Merit for the
Arts and Sciences. The &henish Democrat
states that a gigantic project, the construction of a
canal between Kiel and the mouth of the Elbe,
connecting the Baltic with the North Sea, is
seriously contemplated.——A bronze statue of the
late Lord Chief Justice Tindalis about to he placed
in the open space in front of the Shire Hall at
Chelmsford, Essex, of which town his lordship was
ja native. The vessel Charles Brownweil, from
Valparaiso, arrived at Liverpool last week, and
‘has brought gold bars to the value of £15,000
from California. The inauguration of Mr.
Macaulay, as Lord ,Rector of Glasgow University,
has been postponed by the authorities till April.
——Mr. Andrew Kinloch, the first man who ever
weaved at a power loom, died in Manchester a few
days since, having reached his ninetieth year.
The curious and interesting process, but seldom
resorted to, of drawing sloping walls. back to the
perpendicular by means of iron rods heated and
thus lengthened, and then screwed up to the outer
iside of the wall, cooled again, and thus shortened,
‘pulling'the declining wall back to the perpen-
dicular, has just been carried out on the walls of
Barrow Church, which were more than a foot out
(of the perpendicular. They were also underpinned
‘with what was regarded as a firm foundation.
/Other restorations and improvements have here
‘been effected, both externally and internally,
including a thew open timber chancel roof of high
pitch, with grey tiles, and new gables, above, and
‘a solid body of concrete thrown in around the
‘building below. Carved stalls, encaustic tiles,
painted window glass, and other ornamental work
have also ‘been ‘partially made use of in the
pe soracons) which do not yet include the nave
‘and other parts of this edifice. The Paris papers
| report, the death, in that capital, of M; Tastu, the

| well-known librarian of Shinte Généviéve——
Ii

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

machjnery be found to work successfully.

159

Captain Huish has proposed a plan for making the|

railway stations circulating libraries and the car-
riages reading rooms. Mr. Huish’s scheme is a
graft upon the [undertaking of the Mesrs. Smith.

/Lhese several circulating libraries are to be the

integral parts of one great establishment 3; and the
passenger is to have the power of selecting a book||
at any stall, paying the price thereof, and after
travelling any distance on the railway (where his

| journey terminates), delivering it at the station,

and receiving back the valuc less a trifle for a

/perusal. Captain Huish is the direotor general of

the London and North-Western Railway—and his
plan contemplates that particular line. It will
soon, however, be imitated ou the others of its
The
monument erected at Carmarthen to the memory
Picton is at last completed. According to the|
Cambrian, which terms it a monument of bad
management, it is a clumsy disproportioned
‘pyramid, manifesting by the rapid tapering of the
shaft that the cash of the managers was exhausted,
or that the builder was tired of his job. At the
base run out four promontories, from each of
which a large cannon, with feeble carriage, frowns
on passengers as they approach what they may
mistake for the chimney of a manufactory.
The project of a Vernon Testimonial, to which we
have already alluded, is about to be carried into
substantial effect. A meeting of the committee
appointed for the purpose—in which we see the
names of Lords Northampton and Colborne, Sir R.
Peel, Vice-Chancellor Wigram, Sir George Staun-
ton, Sir John Swinburne, the Dean of Westminster,
and thirteen Royal Academicians—took place
last week at Messrs. Colnaghi’s house. From
Edinburgh, we are informed of the death of one
of Scotland’s most eminent amateur artists—Sir
James Stuart of Alanbank. He was well known in
the artistic world by his spirited and characteristic
sketches and etchings—more particularly of ca-
valry skirmishes. Himself originally a éavalry
officer, to his professional acquaintance with the
subjects on which he treated were owing the truth
and beauty with which the action of the horse or||
the military manceuvre were rendered by his
pencil.——A cylinder, 95 inches in diameter and
10 feet stroke, has been cast at the Novelty Works.
No less than 25,000 lbs. of molten iron were used
for the casting, which, when finished, will ‘be
about 20,000Ibs. This is, probably, the largest
and heaviest casting of the kind ever made ; and
is for the first of Collins’s line of sea steamers.——
In Paris, a commission has been appointed for the
purpose of taking measures for appropriating the
Palais National for the next exhibition of paintings
and sculpture by living artists.

|
|

||Messrs. Drolling and Horace Vernet.

160

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The Houbre,

——

THE Minister of Public Works, M. Vivien, has
prepared an elaborate report of the present con-
dition of the Louvre, for necessary repairs and
embellishments, as well as opening other saloons.
The sum required for the present year is. 200,000
francs, ond 1,800,000 for the following oue. The
report is at cousiderable, length; the principal fea-

itures being—Ist, The entire reconstruction of the

roof of the grand gallery, to admit the light from
the top, and to close the side windows. Secondly

ito re-decorate and alter the disposition of the

Grand Salon, and the Salon des Sept Cheminees.

\Thirdly, the entire reparation of the Gallery of

Apollo. In the budget for the present year, the

first item is calculated to cause an expenditure of
160,000 iranes.

The re-decoration of the Graud
Salon is estimated at 600,000 francs; the Salon

‘des Sept Cheminees is set down at 400,000 francs ;
‘and finally, the expenses calculated to restore the
‘Gallery of Apollo at a million of francs. In con-

sequence of this report, a commission was nomi-
nated to consider the proposition, and on its meet-
ing, in the Hall of the Institute, most of the dis-
tingushed artists of Paris were present. _The plan

|'given by M. Dubau, the architect, was the subject

of avery learned discussion. The style of orna-
mentation especially was investigated. M. Ingres
proposed ared ground, with very rich decorative
details; his opinion was strongly enforced by
M. Dela-
croix suggested a more sober colouras the ground,
with very slight ornament.

‘SOCIETY MEETINGS FOR THE PRESENT

WEEK.

'Mon.—British Architects, 8, p.m.—Pathological,

8.—Chemical, 8.—Royal Institution, 2—

Monthly Meeting. eee

TuxES.—Royal Institution, 3,—p.m.—Mr. Carpen-
ter, ‘On Paleontology.’—Linean, 8.—
Institution of Civil Engineers, 8.—R. B.
Grantham, , M. Inst, C.E. On the Abat-
toirs of Paris., -

Wep.Society of Arts, 8.—Mr. Highton ‘On im-
provements inElectric Telegraphs and new
plans for Printing by Electricity.’

THuRs.—Antiquaries, 8.—Royal Society of Lite-
rature, 4.—Royal, half- past 8.—Royal In-
stitution, 3.—Dr. Gull ‘On Physiology of

tecture.

Fr1.—Astronomical, 3.—Philological, 8.—Royal
Institution, half. past 8.—Prof. Owen ‘On
the Nature of Limbs.

Sat.—Royal Institution, 3.—Prof. Brande ‘ On

Chemical Philosophy.

{ Showing how to hold the Pencil, and general rules

Digestion.’—Royal Academy, 8.—Archi-

To Corresponvents, Ke.

On April the Ist, will be published, Part I,
Price One Shilling, of The
SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

ORAWING BOOK

WITH DIAGRAMS,

for Drawing Ornamental Foliage, with
a letter-press description.

To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.

NOTICE.
On Thursday, Feb. 1st, was published,
Part I oF

The Wook of Ornamental and Barly
‘English Alyhatets,

Also embracing Corners and Initial Letters.

!To be printed in colours, and stitched in a neat

wrapper, price 6d. To be continued monthly.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

“ Felix,” (Leamington.)—Indian .ink is the
medium by which it is effected.

“¢ J. Thompson,” (Liverpool.)—Place the mus-
lin in a strong solution of double size; then wring
it out and strain it on the frame.

Other Correspondents neat week.

pers |

**Any of our Readers having complete)
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suii-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the DEcoRATOR’s ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial):
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics,|
Institutions, the fine arts, science, &c.

Part 22 is now ready, Price 10d.

*,* Part I, is also re-printed, and will in future be
charged at 10d. each. ~

Ie aS ETT HT TUTTE AT CTE

ead Lae hale

Are ehe rail ch a pee nia od ani

Sain lied
y Si Vai ys

SaTuURDAY,]

1 @n Lrabt, Shave, and Chiaroscuro.

LTHOUGH the
distinction between ‘‘light and shade’’ and
‘light and dark” may at first sight appear a
slight one, it is, notwithstanding, a real and
useful one; light ana dark being the two ab-
stract terms, the one active and positive,—the
other passive and negative; but neither of
which, at their abstract maximum, are inciden-
tal to our system; our light and shade being
offsets and modifications only of their abstract
principles, which though they exist, never
reach us in their primitive force. Thus one
colour—say blue,—is darker than another—say
red; and darker still than yellow: but it would
be improper to say that blue is shadier than
yellow, or black more shady than white, though
both one and the other are darker.

Now, though—for want of a secondary term
for light, to answer the same purpose that shade
does for dark—we cannot say that one part of
a picture may be light without being Lieut;
yet another part of a picture may be readily
understood to be dark, without being sHapE.

This light and shade, in which is involved
the whole of drawing and form, added to that

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[ FEBRUARY, 17, 1849.

light and dark, which is thus latent in colour
—constitutes the whole range of material for
producing expression, from the simple to the
terrible, that is discoverable by the visual or-
gan throughout nature, or indeed that visible
nature can convey to our perceptions.

The first of these «light and shade) is coin-
cident, and it may be said, coeval with form;
and, pictorially speaking, cannot be separated
from it; the only difference being, that in na-
ture light and shade is the result of, and un-
controlled by, form; and in Art form is the
result of, and is controlled by, light and shade.
This part of the art is as much a matter of
easy mechanism as drawing: that is, that. part)
of drawing which is the merely correctly cir-
cumscribing a certain form from a given dis-
tance with a line; all higher drawing than
this being invention, as is light and dark, as
contradistinct from light and shade; and the
properties of each of which may be carried so
far, and arrive atso high a pitch of excellence,
as to only find appropriate admission to the)|
sublimest heights of Fine Art.

For the sake of a more easy distinction,
the term, chiaroscuro, may be used in the sense
of light and dark, and not light and shade. A
lecturer and writer upon Art, of great popu-
larity, says, ‘Colour, and light and shadow,
can do little but express a mysterious senti-||
ment.”

If by this it be meant to deny to two}
powers out of but three, their intrinsic and
just importance, it is an extraordinary mis-|'
take, to say the least. If it be intended to
induce amongst the rising painters a disregard
of them as separate subjects of study, it is
mischievous, and dangerous to all who may be
inclined to hinge their faith and practice rather
upon one alone than a number of masters.
The acknowledgment that to light and shade
belongs a “‘mysterious sentiment,” is some-
thing; but it is intended to challenge for them
something beyond mere mystery; and it is
hoped that their claims to a definite character
may be made apparent, to some degree at least,
even within the circumscribed limits of an
essay. That mystery and doubt belong to
darkness by itself, must be acknowledged; but
that mind must of itself be darkness, mystery,
and doubt, if it may not be added error,
which can attribute to light the same charac-

eee a

162

ter which distinguishes its sombre’ antagonist,
or limit to ‘‘ light and shadow,” in combi-
nation, the power only of expressing little
more than a mysterious sentiment.

Leaving colour out of the question, light and

shadow, “and chiaroscuro, are capable of ex-
pressing, and really do express, all that exter-
nal nature ‘is capable of conveying to the
painter, or the painter can convey to the spec-
'|tator.
If Nature could ‘‘do little but express a
|mysterious sentiment,” then would it not be
‘contended that “light and shadow and colour”
could do‘more. Nature, ‘on the contrary, does
express infinitely more than can ever by possi-
bility be imitated by the painters yet all that
can be achieved in such’an imitation falls
\within'the province of “ light and’shadow-and
|colour,’’ to express. ‘Drawing being nothing
‘more (in: an‘accomplished work, or in nature)
ithan’an imaginary boundary to form, ‘already
‘consummated by light and shade; and in the
‘hands of an accomplished painter, nothing
‘more than a technical means to an end, in the
carrying out of which should be involved its
entire suppression.

\;Seuluture [in IWelatior to Mover
PAecans and Requirements.

—

Ar a Conversazione held in the Royal Insti-
tution, Manchester, the week before last, Mr.
!|George Wallis delivered an address on the sub-
(ject, and urged that our artists should use Eng-
jlish umstead of Greek eyes. He thought the
artist should go to nature, but if so, ‘it was es-
sential he should read nature for himself ;—
that he should not do it without availing’ him-
‘self of the tests and aids which those who had

‘preceded him ‘were able to give him was true,
but to bind himself down’ to the forms of ex-
‘'presion produced before him was wrong. If
‘he did’ so, he’ thought in “a groove which he
could: not :get out of, ‘for he found himself
(pressed on by the standard set up for him,/and
jhescould not give vent to his genius for the
'|realisation of the*works' he proposed to accom-
plish. He “must look’to the productions of
jantiquity'as the standard by which he! was'to
‘}work-in'the:spirit of his own'time. *“Hence it

“drawing schools, and far from inculcating ori-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

was that the artist should seek objects from
his own times, from his own religion, and for
his own times, and endeavour to realize them;
he said this of painting as of sculpture. We
heard an outcry for originality in art, but they
who joined in it forgot that when a new work
was produced, it was criticised and judged of
by ansantique ‘standard, for which we went
back to the past.

Speaking of modern: architecture he said,—
Beauty had not been considered to any extent,
and where originality had* been studied it had
run into absurdity rather than beauty. One
great cause of thisswant of beauty was that
we were trammelled by fiseal: restrictions, and
until we could*mould bricks into forms and
shapes, with ‘whith -we could)produce beauty
in a building, we must be<content to go on
with square bricks made according*tovan ex-
ciseman’s notion. In speaking of sculpture
he was not alluding to mere marble statuary,
but to all works in any material capable of
carrying fixity of shape. Within the last cen-
tury the mechanical arts had progressed to an
extraordinary degree ; new materials had been
discovered, in which works of art could be pro-
duced, and of which the ancients had never
dreamt. We had means of production which, |
fifty years ago, would not have been conceived,
and, with them, means of adapting forms of
beauty to objects of utility. By getting our
sculptors to pay more attention to the general-:
ization of their art, and the diffusion of that
beauty which they had been too’ apt to consi-
der as merely applicable to one ‘department of
it, we should produce such’ an effect ‘on the
public taste, as. would educate the people to
appreciate its higher developments. But’to
suppose that no man was a/sculptor unless he
was a carver of marble, was’ to use the term
in a confined sense.

In the course of a discussion which ensued,
Mr. Wallis, remarking that we could not ex-
pect the public to reward unless their minds
were educated, said,— Our institutions were
not fulfilling the purposes for which they were
established ; our. schools of design were only

ginality of conception or thought in the stu-
dent, simply taught the-mechanics of the-art

and nothing more.

/@n GeAater-colours for Lluminating
Wrints, Ke.

CoLourRs are to be distinguished as follows :—
the first is the white colour; next the yellow;
next the orange; then the red; after that, the
purple ; afterwards the blue ; and lastly, the black-
It is to be observed, that white and black are’ the
extremes of colour: yellow is the less point» of
colour towards the white; the next to that isythe:
green ; and after it the blue.

With regard to the colouring of prints, if the
paper be pure white, use no colour on it, unless_in
the shaded parts ; and then in painting of flowers,
if they tend towards a reddish colour, use a faint

colour of carmine with gum-water, upon the]

shades only ; if blueish, use a little faint indigo in
gum-water slightly passed over the shades, easily)
touching upon the lights. Where there isa yellow
tinge, either use a faint tincture of gamboge, or of
French berries, which will be described among the
yellows: or if the whites have a purpleish cast,
use a thin lake on the shady side, suffering the
colour only to shine a little into: the: light, which
will give a lustre to the whites; and if'a greenish
cast should be there, use a very faint colour of the
sap-green ; or in proportion. of the sap-green mixed
with the verdigris-green.

Whites used for Painting ine Miniature.

The best white sold for painting in water-colours:
is flake-white: this is better than white lead
ground, and, if it be pure, far exceeds itin beauty ;
because the white lead is apt to turn “blackish,
especially if it be used with a hard water.,

But some recommend a white madetof pearl and
oyster-shells, reduced into an impalpable powder,
so soft as to feel like grounds of starch, or=hair-
|powder: this is by some called pearl-white, and
will mix well with any colour. But if you use
white lead, first rectify it with white-wine vinegar,
which causing a fermentation, the white will soon
settle; after which pour off the vinegar, and wash
the white with common water. The method of
washing it is thus: Put the powder into a glass of
water; stir it about, and presently pour off the
water, while it is white, into some other clean
glass, or vessel ; then letting it settle, pour off the
‘water from it, and you shall have an excellent
white, to which, when it is settled; you-are to. put
as much gum- -water as is necessary to give it a
|glaze.

It is obseryable that white lead will turn black
if mixed with water that comes from iron or clay ;
that is, in the space of a month or two, you may

[See

THE - dl cise ee

All these colours, mentioned: for) shading the’
whites, may be found in, thes following directions.)| .

perceive those a pines ate it mites thickest aged \
with black; and if it be mixed with any other|)
colour, it will soon change or alter it.

Some recommend the powder of egg-shells of
the brightest colour, and well cleaned and washed,
as very good to be ground with gum-water; or
you may put a twentieth part of clean white sugar-
candy to grind with it in water: it must be ground
as fine as possible ; that is, to the state of an im-
palpable powder; and then use it. Some say itis
better, if rectified spirit of wine be poured on it,
which will clear it from any dross that may bein
it this, it is probable, must be poured off, when
the. spirit of wine has done its work; and then the
parts left behind must be mixed with gum-water
agains

Butit has been found by experience, that egg-
shell powder is of very great service as a white, in
water-colours, and that itself and the oyster-shell
powders, well rectified and mixed with the white
ofaniege well beaten, will make an extraordinary
mixture in other colours, and will correct them
from: changing or altering their qualities.

As toa white for illuminating of prints, the clear
whiterofthe paper is to be left uncoloured, and if it
happens:that the paper is apt to sink, or to spread
any ‘water-colour that is laid upon it more than is
necessary, then the way to correct it is as follows:
Fix thepaper in such a station as that it may only
receive the colour yon.lay on to glaze, just as far

as you designed it; then take some starch boiled|}

and prepared in water, of a'middle strength, and
with a large painting-brush, stroke it over the
black of the print; and ‘after it has been well dried
in the air, or'sun, put the-print in’ a book with the
weight upon it, to take out*the crumplings which
it may receive by. wetting of it; and thus will any
print be rendered fit to. receive water-colours
which will be prevented from running farther than
one would have them.

A fine white for water-colours is made by dis=
solving filings of fiue silver or silver-leaf in aqua-
fortis ; then evaporating-the aqua-fortis till it looks
like crystals i in the*bottomr of the glass : decant the
other part of the aqua- fortis, and wash the silver
five or six times in common water, till it is freed
from. the aqua-fortis, which may be known by
tasting, it; then dry it for use. It must be
used with eum- water, aud a little water of sugar-
candy.

An incomparable fine white-lead colour is made
by grinding choice white lead well upon a por-
phyry with vinegar, so that it turns blackish ;
then take a pot full of water, and washing the
white lead iu it very well, let it settle; and
pouring off the water, grind it again with vinegar:
repeat this once or twice more, and an excellent
white both for water-colours and painting in oil
will be produced.

Leamington Church Clock.—A clock has been
placed in the tower of the parish church: the
dials, seven feet diameter, of masonry coated with
mastic, are painted purple, and have the, surface
“smalted,” as it is termed, that is, strewn with|| |
pulverised or fragmentary glass. The figures,|| |
fifleen inches in height, are gilt. i

i 164 3 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

un
|

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A BELL LEVER.

BY J. B. ROBINSON,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

pu Wn
cA Dina (i

E—(HALF DRAWN,)—ARABES

FOR A FRIEZ

{166

Observations on the BWolvehromatic
Decoration of the HAtydle Ages.
(Concluded from page 153.)

In the fifteenth century, However, oil seems: to

have predominated [There-are instances-of the: use’

of oil in the late part ofthe fourteenth century;
{/and most of the monuments.in the choir of West-
j|minster Abbey are painted entirely in oil..
those cases, however,

liancy, and certainly in surface,. to. the other:work
||of the same date. Oil was also. used for the pic-
torial decoration of St. Stephen’s: Chapel, ,West-
minster, of which we read that Hugh de St: Albans
and John Eston were» employed: as. principal
painters, on wages of one shilling per day], and

among artists. Althoughiscareely capable of the
same fixity of tints as the older. compositions, oil
has been found to possess.many qualities that ren-

dily with the various pigments, and flowing freely.

few ancient specimens: will be: found” that have
received more than a single coat of paint; whereas,
on the modern system, the work must be painted
over several times before: an’ even surface or an
equal intensity of tint can be produced. These.re-

finish,
When any extent of ‘wall ‘surface: was Seas

with a thin coat of plaster.or whiting,

ground. [No variation appears to have-been-made
in this practice, even when;oil was intended. to. be
used. The oil paintings.on whatiis termed |King
Sebert’s monument, in: Westminster Abbey, may

jects, and the probability,of their being the-pro-

very carefully prepared |withisize, of thin«ghie :or
gum arabic dissolved in»water, with:the addition: of,
a little dry white lead or sheep-skin size, to, .pre-
vent the too great absorption of colour. [Sterimée
gives various recipes, of a more modern date, for
the preparing grounds for wall painting. He
appears to recommend saturating the cement and
the ceruse with drying oil and wax in preference to

| stood ?well..

In:
where it is possible to ascers.
tain the original tints, they:appear inferior.in bril-

about this time came into general estimation |

der it superior in handling, combining more rea-,

The modes of preparing oil for;colouring; however,
appear to have been different: to those now. in use’: |

peated coats are destructive of* all. nicety, and

to be painted, it was usual to cover the. stone-work,
for the pur=-
pose of concealing the joints and adording a better:

duction of a native artist; may be-doubted.]| The)
ground thus gained was, in works of importance, |

THE DECORATOR’S eet eas

boiled cil.] For gilding, sizes similar to those now) | _
or lately in use were adopted, and laid as a second} }
coat over the previous ground. The gilding of
middle-age works will generally be found to have
been performed in asuperior manner, and to have
In appearances, these paintings most
nearly resemble flatted work varnished: the
colours:hawe in general.more:force than is. usually:
attainedi by; modern: oil—glossy, yet free from
glaze; and possessing considerahle body. They are
not absorbed: by. wood or stone; nor do they adhere
very tenaciously;. Thoughieasily separable from
the ground, they-aremotiliablecto crack.
Distemper:paintings.are very common, and do
notidiffer materially from .the:appearance of such
work. in the present) days. In: buildings of small
importance, simple: earths,, dissolved in water,
were often;the only;colourings media applied, and
continued'to be-used iniour:village churches down:
to aiveryyrecentidate.,
_ It will be observed, in the course of these inves-.
tigations, that: decorative: painting is in no case;
applied. with: the: object-of* concealing inferior)
materials: or; workmanship’;; the most elaborate
care has:been bestowed ‘om the details which are.
painted, perhaps, toragreater:degree than in other
parts. of the same building;, which may not be
ornamented with colour.. Thecmaterials are oak,
and thecfinest stone; such! asiwe should expect to:
find im the richest‘part of amimportant building.
Yet, in: modern structures, itiseems by no means,
incumbent onwus; invsuch cases;to make use of the
costly material our. ancestorssemployed: without
departing from the spirit of antiquity, the architect.
may adopt; for works intended'to be painted, any)
substantial material’ capablés of being readily
wrought or moulded? Weought to bear in mind
that the-colouring of ancient carved work was very:
frequently: an afterthought,;,,and sometimes dis-
tinetlyofialater date. than the work itself; and, in
addition to: this explanation, we may take into
considération the cireumstance that our prede-
cessors; in the selectionsof their materials, chose

| such’as werelfamiliar to them, leaving us a hint to) ||
be mentioned as executed ona thin, coat of plaster;

although both the assigned antiquity of these.sub-.

do the-same«by.such as are commonly employed.
among. ourselves, and reserve the more costly

kinds to; situations; that. display their peewee
qualities.

An examination) of the colouring of ancient
edifices will) lead’ to, the following conclusions :—|} |
First, That “differences exist in point of style and||
materials: in the work) of distinct periods.
condly; That these distinctions exhibit themselves i
in a marked manner, at periods corresponding to|}
our usually received architectural chronology.||
Thirdly, That the decorative art attained its||
greatest perfection subsequently to the middle of||
the fifteenth century, following in its development} |
the advances of architectural taste.

Se-|| |

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Soctety of Arts.

—

On the 81st of January (Mr. W. Tooke, F.R.S.,
in the chair), a paper by Mr. A. Claudet was read,
“On the Photographometer, for measuring the
intensity of the chemical action of the rays of light
on all photographic preparations, and for affording

a means of comparing the sensitiveness of the
ebaenias The art of. photography, observed the
author, is founded» on the property with which
light is endowed, namely, that of producing a
/photographic: effect when it strikes, wpon certain
‘ehemicalcompounds. The effect being in) pro-
portion to ‘the intensity of the light during a given
‘space of time, {itis necessary, for the success of the
operation, to be able to ascertain the exact power
of the light at any particular moment; and the
only means of so doing hitherto possessed by the
‘photographer is the effect it produces on the eye.
A few only of the rays which emanate from the sun
are capable of producing on the chemically-pre-
‘pared surface an effect'which is the cause of the

admit into a room only the rays which are endowed
with the power of affecting the photogenic pre-
paration, the objects in the room would not be
| visible to ‘the eye, as the room would appear: to be
plunged in darkness, while the objects in it would
reflect’ some invisible rays which are capable of
producing the photographic image. The property
of absorption possessed by red, orange, yellow, and
-green glass being known to photographers, and the
power of admitting through blue glass nearly all
the photogenic rays which are not luminous, com-
bined with the improvements which have taken
place since the discovery of the art by Daguerre,
enable the photographist of the present time to
employ a very soft light, and to place the sitter in
the shade. As the result of the photographic ope-
ration depends on the intensity of the actinic rays,
-and also upon the degree of the sensitiveness of the
chemical preparation, Mr. Claudet has constructed
an apparatus which is not only capable of mea-
suring the photogenic light, but of testing the sen-
sitiveness: of the chemical preparation of the Da-
‘guerreotype plate. This instrument’ is constructed
so that a platé being placed upon an inclined plane
(will always fall with the same rapidity for. each
operation. The plate has seven: vertical slits or
‘openings cut in ‘it; these are placed parallel to
‘each other,—the first being 1 millometre wide, the
second 2 millometres, the third 4, the fourth 8,
jthe fifth 16, the sixth 32, and the seventh 64
‘millometres. The photographic surface is placed

|
|
|

‘photographic picture; and if it were possible to.

———————

167

at nearly the bottom of the inclined plane, under
a metallic plate pierced with seven circular holes} |
corresponding with the openings of the moveable
plate containing the proportionate apertures.
When the moveable plate passes before the photo-
genic surface covered with the seven circular holes,
the light strikes upon the spaces left open by the
circular holes in various intensities. The space
lighted by the opening of 64 millometres will be
affected by an intensity double that which is
lighted by 32 millometres, quadruple that of the
next under the opening of 16, and so on until the
last opening, which, being only 1 millometre, will)’
have received 64 times less light than the first ;- so
that after the operation, seven round figures, or
less, according to the intensity of light, are repre-
sented on the. photographic plate. The photo-
grapher is thus enabled to ascertain how long it
will be necessary to submit the plate to the action
of the light onthe camera, by the length of time
required to develop the seven round figures.

——

ANTIQUE JARS.—Last week, as somé labourers
employed upon the Stour Valley Railway: were
deepening a ditch upon land purchased by: the
Company of Mr. Pettit, of Mount Bures, Essex,
they discovered, about three feet from the original
surface, three amphoree — vessels used by | the
ancients for holding wine, oil, honey, &c. They
are about three feet in height, with a small neck,
and handle on each side of the neck; and the vessel
terminates at the bottom with a point, which was
let into a stand or stuck in the ground, so that the
vessel stood upright. Those found are made of||
clay. which appears to “have been imperfectly
burnt. One of them was taken out perfect, the
second was deprived of one handle and its pointed |.
foot, the third was broken in pieces in the removal.
An iron instrument with three prongs, two of
which had: knobs of brass on their points, was
found at the same time.

THE FLOATING RAILWAY.—The launch of
this vessel for ferrying the trains over the Frith of
Forth, took place on the 6th instant at Messrs. R.
Napier’s ship-building yard near Glasgow. The
operation excited considerable interest. The vessel
is 170 feet long on deck, 34 feet wide between the
paddles, and 10 feet deep, and is strongly framed
and plated to sustain the great weight of a train of
loaded trucks. Her engine is 56-inch cylinder,
and 3 feet 6 inch stroke, working each paddle. A
chimney on each side allows a clear space ‘in ‘the
centre for three trucks loaded ahreast, and ‘the
captain stands above them between the paddles, |({
The vessel is of iron, ribbed; the platescon the
bottom being half an inch thick.

Assertion is like an arrow, shot from a long bow’
the force with which it strikes depends on the
strength of the arm that draws it. But argument
is like an’ arrow from a cross-bow; which*has equal
force, whether.shot by a boy ora giant.—Bacon

168

THE DECORATCR’S

ASSISTANT.

dowing drawings. By appropriate experiments

An Ellustratey Glossary of Technical Dr. Lewis, has shown that this substance is com-

Terms used tn Architectural anv
Entevior Decoration, Ke.

(Continued from page 158.)

Iron. A metal common to all parts of the
world ; and though recorded to have been ex-
tremely scarce among the Greeks at the time of
the siege of Troy, it is now everywhere the most
abundant and the most useful of all metals.
Though the lightest of all metals except tin, yet it
is the hardest, and, when pure, is naturally malle-
able. Most of the metals become more brittle as
they acquire heat, but iron, on the contrary, is the
more malleable as it approaches to fusion. Its
specific gravity is to water as 7,682 to 1,000. It is
the only known substance attracted by the load-
stone.

Iron CHAINS. Under the roofs of circular
buildings, are found of great utility in preventing
the pressure of the incumbent weight from pushing
out the walls, especially in domes of great magni-
tude. The dome of St. Paul’s, in London, has
two massive chains for its support, which are sunk
into the substance of a circular course of Portland
stone.

Inon Work. The accompanying illustration is

an example of cast-iron railing used in the church
of La Villette, Paris.

Iron. King Posts and Queen Posts, are gene-
rally to be preferred to those of wood, and, where
bolts and straps are used, are as cheap.

Inpia INK. A preparation mannfactured in
China and other parts of Asia, and there used in
writing. In Europe, this ink is employed in sha-

posed of fine lampblack and animal glue.

INSCRIFTION. This word denotes a brief and
comprehensive sentence by which any particular
or memorable event is recorded upon some monu-
ment raised for the purpose, and it also frequently
serves to hand down the name of the author or
proprietor of any work of art, together with the
object for which it may have been designed. The
inscription which, on pillars, or other monumental
edifices, are destined to transmit to posterity the
memory of some interesting event are generally
engraved upon marble or bronze. In very remote
times, however, they contented themselves with
merely setting up a rude stone, or heap of stones,
to commemorate the act or circumstance which
they were desirous of recording.

Ivory. The substance of the tnsk of the ele-
phant. Ivory is esteemed for its beautiful cream
colour, the fineness of its grain, and the high po-
lish itis capable of receiving. That of India is
apt to lose its colour, and turn yellow ; but the ivory
of Achem and Ceylon is not chargeable with this
defect. Ivory is used as a material for toys, and ay
panels for miniature-paintings; to prepare it for
which latter purpose, itis to be washed with the
juice of garlic, or some other absorbent composition
to remove its oily particles. The shavings of ivory
may be reduced into a jelly, of a nature similar to
that of hartshorn; or, by burning into a crucible,
they may be converted into a black powder, which
is used in painting, under the name of ivory
black.

INTRADOS.
of a vault.

Is the concavity or interior surface

INCERTAIN WALL. A wall formed of stones, of;
which one direction of the joints are horizontal,
and the other vertical: but the vertical courses are
not always arranged in the straight line all that
need be regarded is to make them brake joint.
This manner of walling was used by the Romans
antecedent to the time of Vitruvius.

Se a TT

InciDENCE. (In Mechanics.) Expresses the
direction which one body strikes on another ;
otherwise called inclination. In the incursions of
two moving bodies, their incidence is said to be
perpendicular or oblique, as their directions or
lines of motion make a straight line or an oblique;
angle at the point of contact.

*
(To be continued.)

— eS ee
Se SSS a ee ee ee
{ >

The Mhronotpptst.

THE Ancient stone bridge at Inverness, has been
destroyed ‘by ‘floods. A Water Company in
Sunderland, supplies 400 poor families, gratis, with
service pipes and water taps, and with an unlimi-
ted supply of water, at the rate of one penpy per
week,———Measures are being taken to establish
at Lancaster'an Atheneum, on the: model of the
oneat* Manchester. A vessel, arrived from Co-
penhagen, has brought 21,000, bricks as.a portion
of her cargo, the production of Denmark.——The
School of Design had a meeting on the 7th, at the
Office of the board of . Trade, A 50 gun frigate
to be named the San Fiorenzo, is ordered to be
puiltat Woolwich Dockyard, from a design by
Messrs. Read, Chatfield, and Creuze, Members of
the School .6f Naval Architecture, and her keel
will shortly be laid in the spacious new slip , No..4.
——Oneiof the improved patent:Express Engines»
manufactured by Messrs.'Robert Stephenson, and
Co., at Neweastle, was placed last week, upon the
York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway. It is of a
new and peculiar construction, combining great
power with speed, and is considered one of the
most complete*and ‘finished pieces of machinery,
ever seen. The diameter of the driving wheels, is
6 feet;6. inches, the single, stroke of which will
cover. a space of nearly 7 yards; and the running
wheels, 3 feet, 9 inches. On being tried, it pro-
ceeded at a speed closely approximating to the
trate of a mile a minute Report does not speak
very highly of the forth-coming Exhibition at the
British(Institution—which will open to the public
on*Monday next. ‘It has been characterised as’ a
landscape exhibiton in the main, with the amouut
of mediocrity usual to its walls for some years past.
Very few members of the Royal Academy have
contributed—one Academician only, we believe,
and. three :associates. In ‘the figure department
the. collection is said to, be more than usually weak.
The terms of the grant to Mr. Lane, now. en-
gaged at Cairo in compiling a lexicon of the Arabic
language, seem to be:the object of: some. uncertain
ty or confusion:—-one authority stating that the
minister has conferred on him an annuity of £200
a year—another limiting the Government aid to a
single sum of £200 from the fund for special ser-
vice. Werepeat our understanding of the matter
to be that Government has granted £200 a-year
for two years in furtherance of the work on which
Mr. Lane is employed—and we presume the term
is elastic according.’\to ¢cireumstances which may

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

169

arise for extending it——At the Society of Arts
‘on February the 7th, Dr. Roget in the: chair.—W.
Atkinson, W. S. Hale, and T. Ivory, -Esqs. were
elected members.—W. E. Highton read the second
part ofa paper ‘ On improvements in’ Electric:Tele-
graphs and new plans for | Printing py ‘Electricity.’
Various experiments were made by the author: ‘the
paper was illustrated by diagrams ; and a) series of;
new electric telegraphs ‘were exhibited sat | work
A correspondent complains under the signa -
ture of “A Student,” that the students in the Na-~
tional Gallery, are prevented from making’ studies
from any picture in the Vernon Collection. ‘‘If
this be only a temporary regulation,”’ says the wri-
ter, “it would be unreasonable to complain; but it
appears to be generally believed that the, prohibi-
tion will be permanent, and if so it is not :unrea-
sonable to inquire the cause.” ‘These pictures
being as regards the national property in them in
thesame category with the others up stairs, our
correspondent argues’ that there should be some in-
telligible reason why they are deprived of one: va-
| luable incident/which attaches to the rest, making
admitted excellence the guide to excellence in
others.—We have, ourselves no ‘doubt that the pro-
hibition is but the accident of the present position
of the collection,—and one of the many. express-
ions of the extent to which niggardly and unrefined
government have contrived to ignore the munifi-
cence of the giver and neutralize ‘the benefits of
the gift. That the pictures cannot be copied seems
a reasonable enough corollary to the proposition
that they cannot be seen.——-The Enfield and Ed-
monton Railway is now completed, and will be
opened for traffic in a few days——A Railway Li-
brary is to be opened on the 15th, at the great
Western Terminus, 'at Paddington, with upwards of,
1,000 volumes of modern works, chiefly of fiction
and amusement. Every Passenger will have free
access and use of the Library, while waiting for
the trains, for the charge of one: penny. At a)
| meeting of the Institute of Architects, held on the
5th inst., Mr. Poynter in the chair, a donation of
great'interest and value from Mr. Henry Garling,
Fellow, was announced, namely, 20 folio volumes’
including an early edition of \Palladio, (1750) ;
Hamilton’s Vases ; Original ‘Designs, by Lewis ;
Chamber’s Civil Architecture, 3rd edition, with
autograph of the author; W. Addam’s designs (of
Edinburgh) ; Gibb’s works; and Rondelet’s
Traité Theoriqué et Pratique de V Art Batir.
Ths chairman very properly commented on the ex-
cellence of the quality as well as the number of;
the works thus liberally presented by Mr. Garling. |
The library:of the institute is now becoming very)
extensive and excellent, and. will, it is to be hoped,

1170

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

be made good use of by the students. Mr. John
Edward Gregan, of Manchester, was elected a
Fellow. —tThe eight report of the Commission on
the Fine Arts, which has just been published, in-
forms us, that the commission is ready to enter in-
to an agreement with Mr. W. Dyce, R.A. for the
decoration of Her Majesty’s Robing-room in the
Palace of Westminster, with fresco illustrations of
the legend of King Arthur. Mr,.'Dyee undertakes

|to complete certain stipulated works, within a pe-
riod of 6 years, for which he is to be remunerated
(as proposed) at the rate of £800 a-year.

Preservation of Timbers.—A contemporary
lsays,—that in taking down, a few years ago, in
France, some portion’ of: the ancient. chateau of
the Roque d’Ondres, it was found that the ex-
tremities of the oak girders, lodged in the walls,
were perfectly preserved, although these timbers
vere supposed to have’ been in their places for
apwards of six hundred years. The whole of
these extremities buried in the walls were com-
|| pletely wrapped round with plates of cork. When
\|demolishing an ancient Benedictine church at
Bayonne, it was iound that the whole of the fir
girders were entirely worm-eaten and rotten, with
the exception, however, of the bearings, -which, as
[in the case above mentioned, were also completely
iwrapped round with plates of cork. These facts
deserve to be inquired into.

Wise men are instructed by reason, men of less
understanding by experience, the most ignorant b
necessity, and beasts by nature.—Cicero. Sih)

WEEK.

|Mon.—Geographical, half-past 8, P.M.—Royal
Academy, 8—Sculpture.

TuEs.—Zoological, 9—Scientific Business.—Insti-
tution of Civil Engineers, 8—Mr. J.
Richardson, M. Inst. C.E , “ On the Coal
Field of South Wales;” and ‘‘An Ac-

the Eaglebush Colliery, Neath.”—Royal
Institution, 3, P.M.—Mr. Carpenter “ On
Palzeontology.” aRH1S

Wep.—Literary Fund, 3.—Microseopical, 7T—
Anniversary.—London Institution, 7—
Dr. Ward “On the Varieties of the
Human Race.”

Tuurs.—Antiquaries, 8.—Royal, half-past 8.—
Royal Institution, 3—Dr. Gull “ On
Physiology of Digestion.” —Royal Aca-
demy, 8—Painting.

Frr.—Geological, J—Anniversary.-—Royal Insti-
tution, half-past 8—W. R. Grove, Esq.,
“ On Voltaic Ignition.”—College of Phy-

_ sicians, 4—Gulstonian.

Sat.—Royal Institution, 8—Prof. Brande “On

Chemical Phlosophy.”—Asiatic, 2.

'SOCIETY MEETINGS FOR THE PRESENT]

couut of an Explosion of Fire-Damp, at}

To Correspondents, Ke.

—===

On April the Ist, will be published, Part I,
Price One Shilling, of The

.SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

DRAWING BOOR,
WITH DIAGRAMS,

Showing how to hold the Pencil, and general rules
for Drawing Ornamental Foliage, with
a letter-press description.

To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.

NOTICE. anes
On Thursday, Feb. 1st, was published,
Part I oF
The Wook of Ornamental and Barly
Lenglish Alphabets,
Also embracing Corners and Initial Letters.

To be printed in colours, and stitched in a neat
wrapper, price 6d. To be continued monthly.

Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

“¢ Blucher,” Oxford.—Thanks for the design
sent ; it shall be used at_an early opportunity.

“WwW. W.”—This is the seventeenth number of:
Vol. LV. ae pies

<< §, Allen,” (Portsea.)—You will readily ob-
tain them through Mrs. Bonney, Hanover-street.

—=

* *Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens:
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.’—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics,
Institutions, the fine arts, science, §c.

eee ee

Part 22 is now ready, Price 10d.

=e p
*,* Part I, is also re-printed, and will in future be| |
charged at 10d. each. »

SKETCHES FROM NATURE.—No. V.

4 wi

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SaTURDAY,]

On Light, Shave, and Chtavoscuro.

(Continued from page 161.)

ordinary sense attaching
to form, have, besides,
another, entirely arbitra-
ry, and in the hands of
the painter,—and that is
chiaroscuro. It is in this
department that are found
the great errors, and the
great beauties and proprieties. Thus, in
taking one subject for illustration, Da Vinci
has chosen to give the head of his ‘ Salvator
Mundi’ a sombre and grand tone; Carravag-
gio, one of earth. Rubens has occasionally
given to the same head a countenance of brass,
highly illumined, with royally gorgeous sha-
dows, and has painted it up to a high and
trumpet-like pitch of tone. Indeed, this un-
approachable subject. has been treated by dif-
ferent men, up to an almost unapproachable
lightness, down to the opposite degree of
dark.

Now, these treatments, as regards chiaros-
curo alone, cannot be all right; it were more
easy to imagine them all wrong: and easier
still that one of them may be nearer right than
any other. If light have its character of
cheerfulness, gaiety, and even hilarity, and

THE DECORATOR’S

IGHT and shade in an}

‘stronger bias towards error than migbt be con-

ASSISTANT. [ FEBRUARY, 24, 1849.

shade that of gloom, grandeur, and even hor-
ror,—which we think they have, quite inde-
pendently of association,—it substantiates a'|
necessity, while working up to high impres-
sion, for the closest discrimination, in adapting
any particular shade of light or dark to any
particular subject; and quite separate from,
though in associateship with, what is termed
natural light and shade.

To this close and appropriate adaptation of
the arbitrary chiaroscuro, and the negligence
of it, may, to a great extent, be attributed the
extraordinary success of some inferior subjects,
and the loss of all impression to some very
fine ones. The following may be considered
as illustrative of the last position.

Reynolds prided himself upon the possession
of a ‘Moonlight,’ by Rubens, which could
not be easily distinguished from a sunset ; and
in lauding the genius of Rubens in adopting)
such a treatment for such a subject, said some-
thing to this effect,—that Rubens knew the
value of light too well to relinquish it even in

night. |

It may be safe in practice to err rather on,
the side of light than dark; but such an egre-|
gious instance as this, of the perversion of the!
chief characteristic of night, calls for some
censure, though the delinquent even a Rubens.)
And the misapplied eulogy in the case in ques-|
tion savours more of the interested expressions
of a picture-dealer than the acumen of a first-
rate painter.

It would be not more than generous to hold
by the pleasant conviction, that the public as a
mass, is lighthearted; and hardly ungenerous
to say that it is equally lightheaded, and likely
to bow with even too mnch deference to the
dicta of so respected an authority as Reynolds
Along with the public would go a large portion
of the profession as well; thus for a time
giving to the opinions and practice of Art a

sistent with a healthy movement through its
infancy in this country. It must not be con-
sidered as underrating the present state of Art
here, to describe it as infantine; and under
such an impression, it is but commonly just—
should a strong opinion be entertained upon a
vital point—to place it naked before the public
and the profession, where it will of a certainty
be sifted and buffeted about quite sufficiently

1/172

|to shake away from it everything that may be
light, erroneous, and valueless. Error, on the
contrary, strongly supported by high authority
and interest, is not unlikely to beget error, and
should be instantaneously confronted, come
from what quarter it may, by all who have the
Art at heart. .

It required in Rubens a certain amount of
that equivocality and variously defined and
ambiguously understood quality, genius, to
produce this Moonlight alzas Sunset; but he
‘should have had at the same time modesty
enough to inscribe under it, ‘‘ This is a moon-
light,”” in the same manner as: a sign-painter,

who, not being able to paint anything but a
||blue bell, and receiving orders to paint a white
horse, placed on the board his own blue bell,
and wrote under it,—‘‘This is the White
Horse.”

There are numberless incongruities of this
description to be met with in the older and de-
ceased painters, and hundreds are annually
produced by ourselves. Too great difficulties
attacked cause a great number, and mental im-
becility the others; but they are all admired
by some one or another. The why and the
wherefore being, that Art is not understood;
or, being the same thing, though upon a higher
\scale, they would share the same ridicule with
the blue bell and white horse. Thus, in ad-
dressing Art to those who may not be able to
wholly understand it, an absurdity may be
painted ; as in addressing mechanism to a per-
son of no, or imperfect mechanical perceptions,
you may advocate perpetual motion ;—they
‘both, as amateurs instead of connoisseurs,
swallow fhe incongruities: the one suspends
the picture on his walls, and the other hangs
up in his unfinished mind the mechanical chi-
mera.

(To be continued.)

Durham College Library and Museun.—F¥or
architectural and other remains, a room nearly 200
feet long, and of suitable breadth and height, is to
be added to the library of the Dean and Chapter,
by the appropriation of some of the old conyen-
tual apartments adjoining, vacant by the death of
Dr. Wellesley, one of the prebends. {‘‘ Sermons
in stones, and good in everything.” |

.THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

HMenuments m Churches.

On entering our churches and cemeteries,
especially in and around the metropolis, the
cultured eye is at once struck with the crude
and inharmonious black and grey marble back-
grounds, against generally white walls, of the
various mural monuments which disfigure, in
too many instances, rather than adorn our
houses of prayer, increased by the deplorable
neglect, after once fixing, that these matters
experience, the fee being only for the permis-
sion to fix, and does not, as it ought, include
the proper care and cleansing afterwards.—
Among the various reasons for these strong, or

cold and inharmonious contrasts being so ge-||

nerally used, is no doubt the association these
colours have with mourning, their being most
easily obtainable in marbles, and that such
works have been too much practised as a mere

trade, or directed or dictated by tasteless com. |

mittees, or individuals.

In the time of black patches, such contrasts

might have been admired, but now that taste!

in artis advancing, these are not only eye-sores,
but loudly ery for remedy; and we are called
upon, without violating the rules of mourning,
to produce unobjectionable contrasts and in-
harmonious blendings,
first consider that our statuary marble is of a
cold tone (not like the fair one’s cheek that re-
ceived the black patches), and can only be suc-
cessfully relieved by bringing a warm colour to
its aid, which exists not in the black or cold
grey marble. No one can but acknowledge
the beauty and brilliancy of marbies or plaster
casts against a red papered wall, and red baize
is commonly used when such works are exhi-
biting. Again. how enhanced is a statue re-
lieved by a sunny painting, and not more so
than the painting, if good, and not too near the
statue. A few carefully arranged: marbles and
casts in the picture-rooms of the Royal Aca-
demy, to rest the eye upon, would relieve many
a sickened brain and confused mind trom the
glare of colour that meet, without relief, at
every point, the wearied spectator.

Nature gives us the lesson; and of her we,

learn that cold colour should ever be relieved
by warm, and warm colours by cool tints. In

To effect this, we must

THE DECORATOR’S “ ASSISTANT.

Cat ctal Tm ere if a back-ground

be required (for where there is a warm stone

ground it is not), and a warm medium cannnot

be got in marble, we would recommend the use

of fresco or encaustic, or other endurabble ma-

terial, by which appliances a vast field is opened
ie the man of taste and discernment. For
with these, without violating, as we have before
said, the rules of mourning, warm greys, of
every variety of tint, might be substituted for
the one miserable, cold dove-colour; and in
some instances more positive tints might mis-
place the melaucholy black. And not only
would the artist’s work be rendered infinitely
more pleasing by this substitute, but the
church would, at the same time, receive an
equal benefit. ‘That monumental tablets are
|jaltogether incorrect, of whatever order, with the
sacred walls, we believe: but being introduced, our
aim is to render them Christian in character, re-
poseful, cheerful, and harmonious. Those who
merely know our churches as they are, with their
cold, washed walls, the eolder marbles, and their
colder srounds, will wonder at these bold sugges-
tions; but those who know and find by daily ex-
perience the great care taken by our ancestors,
|jand the chaste and elegant decorations they intro-
i|duced into these same whitewashed buildings, as
the first fruits of art and labour offered’to the great
Being whose houses they are, will, I am sure, ex-
cuse my earnestness for wishing to substitute taste-
ful art for tasteless statuary.

Hints

nm Wietureccleantig.

Ir there may be holes or fissures from accident
or other causes, on the surface of either the panel
or canvas on which the pictures have been painted,
before proceeding to any rectification of colour it
is necessary to fill up, or, in the language of the
craft, to stop all such damages. This is usually
done by working in firmly with a palette-knife a
paste made of whiting and parchment size of about
the consistency of putty; or, instead of parchment
size, good stiff slue may be used with the whiting
If the picture has been painted on an oil ground,
it may be very carefully filled in with white lead,
made into a stiff consistence with linseed oil. In
the first case, when the paste is quite hard and dry,
the superfluous portion must be rubbed’off by the
gentle use of a piece of fine grained cork, damped
with a little water. The picture then should be

173,

thoroughly cleansed on its surface by a rag dipped
in turpentine, to take off all greasy matter; or it
may be wiped over by a rag dipped in ox- gall,
merely damped, and not wetted.

Should the picture have become very much ob-
secured from its original colour through having
been kept for a great length of time in a very
feeble light, if circumstances permitted, it would
now be much benefited by being placed opposite to!
a window, where it might have a strong sun-light
on it for two or three months. Many pictures
which were nearly obscured from the preceding|
cause, have been restored to a great lustre and|
brillianey by such an exposure alone. This is)
particularly the case with the early pictures of our
English school, which have been so constantly

placed in dark portions of apartments, or in ill-||

lighted halls and staircases.

Before any repair of the paintings takes place, a
very thin coat of mastic varnish, diluted and pre-
pared as before described, must be laid on ;
necessary to see the colours in their proper tone.—
The few instructions now about to be given are so

rigidly important for the success and durability of
the work, that it is necessary to call the attention
of all ar tots to them, if they desire their produc-
tions to retain the purity of colour and durability
of tints for after ages. First, it is absolutely ne-
cessary to make use of those colours or pigments
only which are permanent. Secondly, in mixing)
the tints to match the parts to be re-painted, none
but very clear and pure tints may be used, by which
is meant tints formed of as few colours as possible.

_this is

It is a certain fact, justified by experience, and the} |

study of the manner of manipulation by the old
masters, that a tint compounded of two colours or
pigments only, is more permanent than one com-
pounded of three; and equally so is a tint com-
pounded of three colours, in preference to one}
compounded of four. Therefore, all tints used in
repairing must be mixed from pure colours, and
not made up, as modern painters too frequently do,
from a scumbling together of all the contents of
the palette. Such tints are dirty and impure, and
certain to become discoloured Thenext precaution
is to mix all colours composing tints thoroughly, to
work them well together with the palette-knite :—
any neglect or avoidance of this important labour
will cause the tints to darken unexpectedly, or to
change their apparent hue ; and the use of an ivory
or horn palette-knife is desirable, as:the abrazion
of the steel knife, has a sensitive effect on all co-
lours prepared from lead, mercury, antimony, &e.

The colour must be used as thick and pasty as pos-
sible to work with.

(To be continued.)

(174 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

THE METHOD OF DRAWING AN ANGULAR VOLUTE.

RULE FOR DRAWING THE ANGULAR VOLUTE.

DIvIDE the perpendicular height into eight equal parts, marked 1—8 in the engraving.
Take one ‘division and place the leg of the compass at the point H, and strike the circle
forming the eye of the volute. Divide the circle into four equal parts, and draw the diagonal
line. (The line must be drawn either to the right or left hand, to suit the position of the
volute: the engraving represents the left side.) Divide the line running through the circle
into six equal parts; then place the leg of the compass on the point marked 1, and strike the
semicircle a B, stopping at either end on the diagonal line; then place the compass at 2, and.
strike the semicircle Bc; from 3 strike c p; 4, D E; 5,EF; 6,FG; the volute will then be
complete.

_ ee ee

THE DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT.

175

€

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GROTESQUE HEADS, SKETCHED FROM THE TEMPLE CHURCH.—THEY DECORATE FOUR OF THE

_SPANDRILS OF THE ARCHES FORMING THE ARCADE AGAINST THE WALL

loo

OF THE CIRCULAR PORTION,

176
Glastic Aoulys.

AT the Sheffield School of Design, Mr. Young
Mitchell, the master, gave a lecture, illustrated by
‘experiments, on the art of making elastic moulds.
i\It has great advantages over the old plan. The
moulds may be made at small cost, and with great
| rapidity. That which would occupy five or six
|\@ays in the modelling, may be furnished by this
|/process in half that number of hours. By the fa-
icility thus afforded, beautiful forms may be multi-
plied so cheaply as to be brought within the reach
of all. The principal matvrial used for the elastic
'|moulds is glue or gelatine. The best fish glue will
“answer as well as gelatine; and is much cheaper.
|The material is dissolved, like glue, in a vessel
/placed over the fire ina pot of hot water, stirring
\it during the process. ‘To each pound of gelatine
‘it is necessary to add three quarters of a pint of
|water, and half an ounce of bees’ wax. It is
iready for use when about the thickness of syrup.
'The model must be oiled earefully with sweet oil—
jand the composition must be poured upon it while
‘warm, but not boiling. Having set, it may be
_ taken off the model. When the model is small, it
_ should we placed in a shoe or case, which gives fa-
| cility for shaking the mould well when the plaster
is poured, so as to drive it well into the erevices.—
| The plaster should be fine, and in order that it may
i harden and set quickly, about half an ounce -of
|

alum should be added to each pint of water used
Before using the mould it should be
| earefully oiled. Great care is required in mixing
| the plaster, and watching it when in the mould,
| for when it is allowed to remain long enough to
| heat, the mould is destroyed. Mr. Mitchell cxhi-
| bited moulds, and casts were taken from them in
| the presence of the audience. Mr. Mitchell also
exhibited a specimen of stearine, and explained
chow casts may be made with a shining and wax-

jin mixing it.

|| Earthenware’ Piping.—Mr. Murray, in the
|| Mining Journal, in answer to a correspondent,
considers an internal glaze for the earthenware
pipes altogether unnecessary. Earthenware pipes
for the conveyance of water should be so deeply
es in the earth as to be unaffected by the agency
| of frost, lest the water absorbed by the porous
i! earthenware in the act of expansion by freezing
‘should rend the pipe. The application of gas tar
|,to the pipes, when embedded, as an external coat«
ing, would act as an insulator in reference to exter-
nal temperature, and operate asa defence against
ps influence of frost.

THE ee cecaanate Ss

ASSISTANT.

Gold ae in Wales. —The Mi ining ree
gives an account of two mines which have been
opened in the Cwm-heisian Valley, called the East
and West Cwm-heisian Mines respectviely. The
Wesi Cwm-heisian Mine is pitched upon a group
of five lodes, one only of which has been explored
to the depth of 40 yards. Two rich courses of lead
ore have been found therein, and continue in depth.
The lead ores are accompanied by blende and sul-
phur ores, which, as wellas the lead ores, contain a’
sufficient quantity of gold to pay the cost of ex-|
traction, About 909 yards north-east of the West;
Cwm-heisian, is the Hast Cwm-heisian + Mine,
situate on a group of 14 large and powerful lodes,|
or veins, having many different bearings—the pre-|
vailing one being north-west and south-east, which |
intersect each other.

Cast Iron Pipes Enamelled would be a very
valuable acquisition in obtaining pure water. A
correspondent inquires whether pipes have been so_
prepared: an answer from any of our readers will’
prove acceptable.

Zine Paint.—Some experiments were recenily |
made at the Veille Montagne Zinc Company’s
Offices, on zine and white-lead paint, by sub-
mitting them to a stream of sulphuretted-hydrogen|
gas, when the white-zine paint remained unchanged
and the white-lead paint was turned quite black.)
Some specimens of external painting were also
shewn of both zinc and lead, which had been pain-,
ted some months: the zinc paint still retained its,
whiteness, whilst that of the lead had very much
changed.

The Walls of Etruria.—Nothing, says - Mr.|
Dennis, (in his work ‘‘The Cities and Cemeteries.
of Etruria,”) gives a more exalted idea of the
power and grandeur of this ancient people than
the walls of their cities. ‘These enormous piles of,
masonry, uncemented, yet so solid as to have with
stood for three thousand years the destroying hand,
of man, the tempest, the earthquakes, the invisible,
yet more destructive power of atmospheric action,
seems destined to endure to the end of time, yet,
often shew a beauty, a perfection of workmanship,
that has never been surpassed. The style of ma-,
sonry differs in the two great divisions of the land,
and is determined in part by the nature of the lo-
cal materials. In the northern distriet the walls)
are composed of huge blocks, rectangular in gene-
ral, but of various sizes and irregular : arrangement,
according as the masses of rock were hewn or split
from the quarry; and in some instances small
pieces are inserted in the interstices of the larger)
blocks. There are, also, a few instances of irregu-|
lar, polygonal style, asi in the Cyclopean cities of
central [taly. In the southern district the mason-
ry is less massive and very regular. -

THE appearance of old oak may be obtained by
exposing any article of new oak to the vapours of
ammonia for a certain period. Every vari-
ety of tint may be obtained according to the du-
ration and temperature of the volatile compounds.
A new oak carved arm-chair exposed to the vapour
of ammonia, will in about twelve hours have all
the appearance of its being made 200 years since ;
and any other wood similarly exposed, will obtain
the appearance of cak.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

177

Hectures ov Art,

BY MR E. V. RIPPINGILLE.

————
-

Ow the evening of Thursday, the 4th ult., Mr.
Rippingille delivered at the London Institution.the
first of a series of Six Lectures on the Arts of De-
sign. The introduction dwelt upon the advantages
of the study of Art, pretension to taste, &e. After
‘a few observations on the philosophy of intellectual
culture, the lecturer with much tact divided his
view of human acquirement into knowledge and
jtaste, and proceeded to say that the field of the
former {has been cultivated with infinite research
‘and assiduity, while the province of the latter has
been neglected, and left to produce its own wild
and spontaneous fruits. Science in all its branches
has been pushed forward with energy and success.
All the mechanical Arts, all that is the direct result
of manual skill and industry, exists among us al-
most in a state of perfection. There are colleges
‘and public schools of learning, philosophical and
mechanics’ institutions, societies for the diffusion
‘of useful knowledge, lectures, libraries, reading-
rooms, with books and periodicals on every subject ;
but what has been done for the cultivation of pub-
lic taste ?—literally nothing.
| The existence of taste is on all hands admitted,
but who has sought for its principles, or professed
to teach them, or even-:admitted the necessity of
their being taught? All we know of taste is that
it is some kind of faculty about which men are
agreed to differ, Mr. Rippingille continued to ob-
Serve that no productions of human ingenuity have
been honoured with a larger share of the appro-
‘bation and esteem of liberal and enlightened men
‘of all ages, than the Arts of Painting and Sculp-
‘ture, but while these Arts have been the theme of
praise, and their results the objects of adiniration,
less has been done to facilitate the study of them
than of other branches of refined or useful avquire-
ment, so that in their higher attributes, in their
nature and influence, these Arts are less generally
understood than any other subjects of interest
and importance. To those who would know some.
‘thing of Art practically, it was remarked that a
perfect system of instruction should embrace not
only the practical details, but those elements and
principles which constitute a pure taste in Art,
and promote an acquaintance with every order of
its productions, with a just estimate of its value,
and its claims as a usefuland a liberal pursuit.

The lecturer spoke of the errors and defects of
the ordinary course of Art-education, and dwelt on

the advantages and enjoyments of that kind of in-
struction in Art which enables men to judge for
themselves apart from the inane absurdities of pro.
fessed connoisseurship. The opinions of Reynolds
and others were quoted in favour of criticism
emanating from natural impression, as that kind of
judgment whereby the artist is to a certain extent
benefited. Hogarth, on this subject observes that
those who are ‘‘inquisitive after a knowledge of
pictures,” have their eyes less qualified for judg-
ment than others; and those others must ‘be the
less assuming class who judge from natural impres-
sion. In closing his lecture, Mr. Rippingille ad-
verted to the custom of speaking of Art rather as
an elegant refinement and an amusing resource,
than as a means of civilisation. Differences of
opinion may exist as to the best means of supplying
the required kind and degree of information, but
it is au axiom of the wisdom and experience of all

in the solution.

who have considered the subject, that the triumph
of Art rests upon the exaltation of the public taste.
The subjects of the other lectures are Perspective,
Analysis of Form, Machinery of Art, Beauty and
Beau-ideal, Attributes and Qualities of Art, &c.,
all of which subjects, in the hands of a lecturer
and artist of the skiil and experience of Mr. Rip-
pingille, will undoubtedly be amply illustrated.

ld Chinese Art and Industry.—According to
the late researches of Mr. Stanislas Julien, of the
F.E,, the making of iron or other metal ships is
not a discovery of. the present century. The eele-
brated Chinese philosopher, Hoai-Haw-Tse, speaks)
of vessels made entirely of Tron 156 years before!
Christ. Moreover, the historians of the province)
of Kiao-teheou state, that in the district of Nang-
ting is yet to be seen the copper crait of King
Keon<tsien, who reigned 765 years before Christ.
This vessel, buried in the sand of the sea shore, was
visible at low water mark. Itis, in fine, recorded
in the work called ‘‘ Chi-i-ki,” that when King
Yen-Kien (about 265 or 419 B.c.) sent his tribute
to Peking, his ambassador embarked on board of
a vessel entirely composed of copper sheets, in!
which he reached the eapital.

Ammonia Destructive to Leather-—Ammoniacal
emanations from manure in stables are most per-
nicious to leather, it being rendered quite brittle
and useless in a very short period; consequently,
harness ought never to be allowed to hang up in
stables.

To Soften Putty.—In order to remove the glass
from frames without breaking it; employ a strong
solution of caustic potash, or caustic soda, to bel
applied by laying on the putty an old rag dipped)

178

an Elustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
Entervtor MBecoration, &e.

(Continued from page 168.)

INcURVATION. The act of bending any body,
from its natural shape.

INDENTED. Indentee,in Heraldry, is when the
outline of a bordure, ordinary, &c., is notched in
form of the teeth of a saw.

INDIAN Woop. Called also Jamaica and Cam-
peachy Wood, is taken out of the heart of a large
tree growing plentifully in Jamaica and Cam-
peachy, and is used as a red dye.

INTERTIE. A horizontal piece of timber, framed
between two posts in order to tie them together.

JAcK Arcu. An arch of only the thickness of
one brick.

JACK PLANE. A plane about eighteen inches
long, to prepare for the trying plane.

JACK RAFTERS. The jack timbers which are
fastened to the high rafters, and the wall-plates.

Jack Rigs. The jack-timbers, or parts of
curved ribs, which are fastened to the angle ribs,
and rest upon the wall-plates, in groined or domed
ceilings.

JAcK Timer. A short timber, fastened at
the ends to two timbers which actually meet in a
point, as to the wall-plate and hip-rafter of a roof,
the wall-plate and hip of a groin, &c.

JAMES. Door-posts, or upright posts at the
ends of window-frames, also the upright sides of a
fire-place, from the hearth to the mantel-piece.

JMB LINING. The side work of door-ways.

JAMB Posts. Uprights on the sides of door-
ways, on which the jamb-linings are fixed.

JERKIN-HEAD. Isa peculiar feature in roofs, in
which the gable is carried higher than the side
walls.

JOGGLE Post. A strut-post for fixing the
lower ends of the struts.

Joists. For, floors of the simplest construction,
these are placed with their edges uppermost, ex-
tended from wall to wall, aud are generally broad
and thin; these floors are called single-jointed, ex-
epting large timbers, called beams; all the cross

—_

ments, glittering in the sun, give them the air of

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

pieces supporting the boards of a floor are called
joists ; and if cross pieces are fixed tc the bearas
underneath, to sustain the lath and plaster, these
are called ceiling joists. Bridging joists are those
to which the boards are nailed. The binding joists|}
are those into which the bridging joists are mor-
ised .

JET D’EAU, Water thrown into the air from a

pipe or tube placed in the middle of a basin, and
falling again into the basin below.

JAPANESE Hovusks. According to the state-
ment of a late traveller, these houses are the anti-
podes of those of the ancient Egyptians, and the
inhabitants of the Hauran. While the latter,
always aiming at massiveness, constructed their
houses of huge stones, and roofed them with the
same materials, you here see, upon the green|!
knolls that skirt the road, little delicate habita-
tions of fine wood, or even of paper. But their)

light and graceful structure, and their gilded orna-)

fairy dwellings, which the very breath of heaven)
might dissolve.

(To be continued.)

Free Exhibition of Modern Art.—This associa-||
tion is steadily progressing, the number of exhibi-'|
tors having increased to nearly fifty above that of}
last season, some of them being men from whom
much may be expected. The prospects ot the Ex-
hibition are fully equal to the most sanguine hopes.
of its most active promoters.

| he Cbhronoippist.

Tau vessel Belhaven, arrived from Singa pore,
‘has brought the large quantity of 10,792 blocks
‘and 39 packages of gutta percha. It has been
‘ascertained that Chelmorton Church, in the Peak

of Derbyshire, which was built in the year 1111, is
‘the highest in England, not from the surface, but
‘above the level of the sea. It is erected on a site
nearly two thousand feet above the level of the
ocean. New Vork, it is said, is about to be
‘supplied with the Saratoga water by a company
with a capital of 300,000 dollars, who mean to
carry it from the springs to the city, as the Courier
‘and Inquirer informs us, through a series of glass
pipes passing under ground through grooved
\bricks, the space between the grooves and the
bricks to be filled with cement. The expense is
lestimated at 1,000 dollars per mile, or 180,000
dollars for the entire distance. Lady Franklin,
jan evening paper states, is at present engaged in a
pilgrimage to the ports whence the whale ships are
\likely to proceed to Davis’s Straits, “‘ with a view to
plead her anxieties and distresses, and to animate
the commanders of these ships in her cause.” It is
true that Lady Franklin—who is living under that
most harassing of all dispensations, the sense of
mystery and uncertainty shrouding the fate of
what she loves—has been down to Hull for the
purpose in question; and has met from all con-
nected with the whale ships the sympathy which
her sorrow commands, and the promise of active
co-operation that she sought. The total pro-
duce of the Stowe Library was £10,355 7s. Gd.
Mr. Ewart. has given notice of his intention to
move for a Select Committee upon the public
libraries of Great Britain and Ireland,—with the
view of securing means for their improvement and
extension. The formation of libraries at railway
jstations, according to the project of Capt. Huish,
which we mentioned a fortnight since, is coming
jfast into execution. One was to be opened on
|Thursday last at the Great Western Terminus at
‘Paddington. The library table will be sup-
plied with all the London papers, periodicals, and
other publications for salé. The contract has been
taken by, and the management of this department
‘confided to, Messrs. Marshall and Sons. It is
said that an English company have bought a rich
mine in the dominions of Spain, It at, one time
lyielded so much silver ore that the government
dues alone sufficed to pay for the building of the
[far famed royal palace of the Escurial .——Among

F own ey San Ses ¥ Fae Sees eo ees Ih
THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. ) 179
i

the sanitary improvements in the City, we have 4
mention that interments in the burial-ground of
St. Bride’s Church have been ordered to be dis- |
continued. The question of enforcing extra-mural,
burials, though not suffered, to lapse entirely, does;
not progress with that rapidity which every one)
acquainted with the results of the old practice
must desire. The City Board of Health has issued |
a recommendation to the authorities to prohibit
the slaughter of cattle in cellars, vaults, or other}
places below the level of the ground after a certain)
day to be fixed—say three months from date of,
notice. The ballot on Monday at the Royal,
Academy for an Academician as successor to Mr.)
Reinagle resulted in the election of Mr. Tiesiaeatel
the sculptor. The tables at the meeting of the
Graphic Society on Wednesday last were so laden
with objects- that particularisation |
would be beyond our means without too great a! |
sacrifice of space. It was one oi the strongest |

interesting

evenings in the way of contributions that we have ,
seen. The exhibition of architectural works |
determined on by the Architectural Assuciation iS |
fixed to take place in March next at the Gallery |
of the New Society of Painters in Water Colours: |
in Pall Mall. The committee, says the Builder, |
will be prepared to receive, during the latter part |
of the present month, drawings of works contem-|
plated or in progress,—designs submitted in com-
petition during the year,—studies aud delineations |
of existing buildings.and antiquities,—and archi- |
tectural models. The drawings should be either in
frames or upon strainers. Considering the eleva- |
tion of their art, by the diffusion of taste among ||
the public, to be no less an object than the direct |
advantage of the profession, the Society have |
determined to constitute the Exhibition free on all.
days but Saturdays. This is a feature in their
scheme well deserving to have attention called to
if. ‘The annual oration in honour of the late Dr.
Hunter was delivered last week at the Royal)
College of Surgeons, in Lincoln’s-inn-fields, by
Mr. Cesar Hawkins, in the presence of His Royal,
Highness Prince Albert and a vast number of,
members of the medical profession and of other
visitors. Mr. Hawkins stated, in the course of his

oration, that the Museum of the institution is at,
present complete in all its departments, and the’
Library contains 23,000 volumes, On Tuesday,
week the second annual meeting of the Euston-
square Baths and Washhouses Association was held
in the board-room in George-street, when a report.
of the year’s proceedings was submitted. Every,
week adds fresh evidence of the usefulness of these
new institutions—and furnishes its reasons for a
yet further development of the plans already||

carried into ‘execution.——Some of our readers

180

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

may thank us for mentioning that the Lord Cham-
berlain has given notice that the House of Lords
will be open to the public on Wednesdays, between
the hours of eleven and four. Tickets are to be
obtained at the Lord Chamberlain’s office. In
the course of a paper by Mr. Highton, on Improve-
ments in Electric Telegraphs, read at the Society
of Arts on the 7th iustant, the writer alluded to
the rapid oxidation of the iron railings in the
squares of London, and showed, as noted by others
also, that the effect was due to a galvanisation
arising from the use of lead for connecting the iron
with the stone walls.——Mr. Branwhite and Mr.
Jenkins were elected members of the Old Water-
Colour Society last week. Mr. Richard West-
macott has been elected a Royal Academician.——
In Edinburgh, Mr. Saml. Halkett has obtained the
appointment of Keeper of the Advocates’ Library,
against a large list of competitors.

The New Prince’s Theatre, Glasgow.—The
decorations of this theatre are in carton-pierre,
and were furnished by Messrs. Jackson, of Rath-
bone-place; they are in high relief, and comprise
festoons of frait and flowers, medallions, and
panels, containing groups of children; a mimic
orchestra of these are perched in the box-front, on
brackets in the line of the pillars ; while over them,
in the gallery-front, are termini, with brackets
bearing crystal gas-lustres. The enrichments are
white, picked out in gold, with pale blue back-
erounds in panels, and the fronts of the tiers rose-
colour.

‘SOCIETY MEETINGS FOR THE PRESENT

WEEK.

Mon.—Statistical, 8S—J. T. Danson, Esq. “‘ On
tne Commercial Progress of the Colonial
Dependencies of the United Kingdom
during the Twenty Years, 1826-46.”—
British Architects, 8.—Pathological, half-
past 7—Council.—Chemical, 8.—Royal
Academy, 8—Sculpture.

‘Turs.—Linnean, 8.—Institation of Civil En-

gineers, 8—‘‘ An Account of the Explo-
sion of Fire) Damp, at the Eaglebush Col-
liery, Neath,” by Mr. Joshua Richardson.
—Royal Institution, 3—W. B. Carpenter
“ On Palzontology.”—Horticultural, 2.

Wep.—Geological, half-past 8.—College of Phy-
sicians, 4—Gulstonian.

\TuurR.—Numismatic, 7.—Antiquaries, 8.—Royal

Society of Literature, 4.—Royal, half
past 8.—Royal Institution, 3—Dr. Gull
‘‘On Physiology of Digestion,”—Royal
Academy, 8—Painting.

Fri.—Philological, 8.—Royal Institution, half-
past 8.—Rev. J. Barlow ‘On Mr. Phil-
lips’s Fire Annihilator.”—College of Phy-
sicians, 4—Gulstonian.

Sat.—Rvyal Institution, 3—Prof. Brande ‘‘On
Chemical Philosophy.”

Co Correspondents, Ke.
On April the Ist, will be published, Part I,
Price One Shilling, of The
SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

ORAWING BOOK,
WITH DIAGRAMS,

Showing how to hold the Pencil, and general rules
for Drawing Ornamental Foliage, with
a letter-press description.

To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.

CONTENTS oF PART 2 oF

Che isook of Ornamental and Barly
Fenglish Alphabets,
To be published on Thursday, March Ist.

Alphabet of Flourished Cyphers, commencing from
A. A.to A. Z. (This Alphabet will be continued
monthly, till the whole is completed, down
to Z. Z.

Two Alphabets of the Fifteenth Century.

Initial Letters, A. and U. Also an Ornamental
Border-piece, Fifteenth Century.

To be printed in colours, and stitched in a neat)|

wrapper, price 6d. To be continued monthly.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

“ Ben Burslem.’—We are much obliged for
your good wishes. It is our intention to give
designs suitable for ornamental tablets, &c. We
are not acquainted with any work of the descrip-
tion you name. Should you require an original
design at any time, we shall be happy to forward
you one on very moderate terms.

“ A Subscriber” (Durham).— We are glad that
you approve of our Cothic illustrations. We will
shortly give some designs for the department you
require.

“ Busby.”—The second part will contain more
variety, and also originality. (See Advertise-
ment.) We will entertain the idea of printing the
alphabets, &c. in colours, but we fear they will be
too expensive. We are desirous that the present
publication should get into the hands of mechanics.

“CO. J. W.”—It doesnot depend upon the name
or position of the party. Should there not be a
crest or arms to the name, an application must be
made to the Herald’s College.

“ Joseph Hyde.”—Change your Bookseller; he
does not act fairly towards the publication. They
areall.in print up to the present time, and pub--
lished with regularity every week.

“ X. P.’—Thanks for your sketch, we will find
room for it.

“MM, W.”— Your complaint will be remedied in
future... Owing to the great demand for the back
numbers of the first volume, the first edition has
been sold out, but we have now reprinted them,
and can supply any numbers that you require.
You can have a single number.

QUERY.—Can any of our readers inform us of:
the best method of polishing porphyry marble? —

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A PANEL.—[ELIZABETHAN.]

No. 95.—Vot. IV.] [Two-PENCE.

——

Me
Wd
Rie

i
hy
| :

biel A Mai

SatTurpDay,|

On Light, Shade, and Ghtavoscuro.

(Continued from page .1G1.)*

F any value is to
be attached to the impressions derived from
the most impressive or characteristic works in

‘painting—the most correctly passionate and

descriptive music—amongst the most success-
ful instances of which may perhaps be reckoned

ithe best oratorios, and some other sacred mu-

sic—and the opinions imbibed from a search
after expression and passion in visible nature,
it is safe to conclude,’ that there is no grandeur,
far less sublimity, without a preponderance of
dark; that there is no beauty, far less sim-

plicity, without a preponderance of light.
If this be the case, there should be no hesi-
tation, as there can be no difficulty in assigning

THE DECORATOR’S

- themselves has been divided between simplicity, |

ASSISTANT. [Marcu 3, 1849.

to any given subject—coupled by its desired
expression or character—its appropriate, and
consequently most expressive scale of light or
dark. Not to feel this and practise it is to
subject chiaroscuro, as an art, to the same
varying ‘and uncertain opinions as have in-
volvea the subject of colour.

Colour had been by a few illustrious men,
carried to an extraordinary pitch of beauty.
Ideal form had been, by a few other men, car-
ried to as extraordinary a pitch of grandeur or
sublimity. There then appear a few very wise
men, who propose to unite the beautiful colour
to the sublime conception, and, the failure
was a matter of course. Would not common
sense, or a sense of the proper, have deprecated
so absurd an attempt? But then the unionists
were men of genius.

Is genius, then, second to common sense?
or does a sense of the proper, transcend ge-
nius? Perhaps a sense of the proper, propelled
by high power, and controlled by high know-
ledge and experience, is genius, and the union-
ists were not men of genius.

Now, chiaroscuro as an art, may be, if it be,
not already, carried to an extraordinary pitch
of beauty by our own school; and as beauty
in any shape seems more than any other qua-
lity, and that very naturally, to tickle the
senses of us proud islanders, a century or so
may be lost in an equally absurd attempt. to
unite it with grandeur and sublimity as regards
chiaroscuro and form, unless it be defined, and
then distinctly felt, in what circumstances it
may be congruous, and in what incongruous.
The dicta of the early writers goes to assert,
indeed, that the object of Art is beauty alone,
and that all that precludes its admission is)
spurious; and this opinion was held even down
to the time of Reynolds, who in his writings
supports it.

But what may appear singular is, that from
the time of the promulgation of such opinion,
down to our own time, the aim of the painters

beauty, and sublimity; and the last style has
been at times the favourite, to produce which
the most repulsive and sanguinary incidents
have been, and perhaps injudiciously, selected.
And alongside with Reynolds’s advocacy of
beauty occur his ravings about the terrible, and
Michael Angelo.

Archeolegtcal Enstitute.

Amonest the antiquities communicated at
the meeting on the 2nd ult., a fine collection
of ornaments found at Largo, in Fifeshire,
attracted especial attention. They were found
in a tumulus on the estates of the late Col.
Durham, and were exhibited by Mr. Dundas,
of Arniston, who gave an account of the dis-
covery.
the value of popular tradition; the common
belief having always been that some great
chieftain lay there interred with a great amount
of treasure. There is every reason to suppose
that an enormous quantity of precious metal
was found: the onerous nature of the Scottish

drance to the preservation of any objects of
intrinsic value there discovered .Mr. Dundas
stated that for a long time portions of this de-
posit had been brought to the silversmiths and
melted. The few ornaments which Col. Dur-
ham had succeeded in preserving are of the
most curious character, and bear devices hither-
to known almost exclusively in illuminations
of the ninth century. Mr. Dundas produced
‘also, some beautiful gold bracelets, found on
‘the coast of Fifeshire; and a discussion ensued
jon the expediency of so xe more lenient en-
actment in North Britain, and the example
which had been set by the Government of Den-
mark in modifying the rights of treasure trove,
a wise policy, which doubtless had greatly
facilitated the formation of the invaluable col-
lection of national antiquities in that country.
Mr. Hawkins complaind of the loss of a large
collection of silver coins recently found under
Glasgow Cathedral, and which would have
furnished a valuable addition to our knowledge
of the Scottish coinage.

Mr. Talbot read a memoir on the discovery
of a large collection of weapons, implements,
and ornaments at Lagore, Co. Meath, one of
the most remarkable deposits of ancient Irish
antiquities hitherto disinterred. A selection

from these remains was exhibited; and some
chased and enamelled objects, found with
bronze swords aud weapons sometimes consi
dered to be of the primeval age, attracted
much notice. Mr. Talbot stated that they

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

It supplies a remarkable instance of |.

law regarding treasure trove is a fatal hin- |

|
were found in a tumulus surrounded by a frame
of oak, forming a sort of stockade or paling
around the place of deposit, which was divi-
ded into several compartments or chambers in
a very singular manner, and within these was
found a great quantity of remains of animals,

chiefly oxen, with the bones of deer; goats,

large greyhounds, and foxes. Each species,
however, was generally found placed in a se-.
parate compartment. The heads of the oxen)
were broken on the forehead, as if by some,
blunt sacrificial instrument. No Christian
emblem appeared on any of the ornaments ;—
amongst which it was stated that a crown had
been found.

The Dean of Westminster brought several
Roman urns, found in railway cuttings at Old)
Ford, Bow. Mr. Wyatt gave a report of the
state of the ancient wooden church at Green-
stead, Essex, now undergoing restoration under
his care, and which had been erroneously re-
ported to have suffered by injudicious reno-

vation. This singular building, formed entirely
of logs of wood supposed to be chesnut, will
be preserved with the utmost care. The timber
was still in a state of eXtraordinary preser-
vation, having suffered only where it had been
constantly exposed to moisture.

Mr. Kemble presented several striking draw-
ings of sculptured remains in the north or
Various other
communications were read, relating to recent
discoveries, architectural and other antiquities
of interest; and a large assemblage of speci-
mens of ancient art, drawings, and fac-similies
of inscriptions were exhibited.

England, inscribed with Runes.

Some curious particulars concerning the
estate of Abbotsford at the present time are
contained in Mr. Lockhart’s new “ Life of Sir
Walter Scott.” It appears that at the death of,
the last of Scott’s children, in February, 1847,
it was found that, notwithstanding the very ex-
tensive demand for his father’s writings, there
still remained a considerable debt to Mr. Cadell,
and also the greater part of the old debt, se-
cured on the lands. Since then, an arrange-

ment has been effected by which the estate as
well as the house and appendages are at. last
unfettered ; Mr. Cadell, in May, 1847, taking
the whole debt upon himself on the transfer to!
him by the family of their remaining claim’
over Sir Walter’s writings.

ae
a a A ee

saute

THE DECORATOR’S. ASSISTANT.

Che Whronotyyist.

The Hall of Commerce in Threadneedle Street,
builta few years ago, by Mr. Moxhay, the biscuit
baker, has been closed, after remaining open to
the public for six years, the undertaking having
turned out a hopeless failure. A most important
sale took place last week, at Messrs. Sotheby and
Wilkinson’s in Wellington Street, Strand, consist-
‘ing of a portion of the rare Manuscripts and Books
from the Library of M. Libri, one of the most
eminent Book Collectors of Paris. Many of them
formerly belonged to Francis the First, Diane de
Poictiers, Thuames, the Prince d’Esling, &c. ——It
is stated that George Hudson, Esq., M. P. has just
become the purchaser of the Jarrow Alkali Works,
for the sum of Thirty Thousand Pounds. One
of the Norman Windows of the south aisle of the
nave of Southwell Collegiate Church, Notts, has
recently been filled with painted glass, of a rich and
brilliant colour——The work of restoring the fine
\old parish church of Thornbury, in Gloucestershire,
is rapidly progressing. The east window a five feet
decorated one, is to be filled with stained glass.
—St. Nicolas Church, Ipswich, has lately under-
gone considerable enlargement and alteration,
During the course of the work, several discoveries
were made tending to throw light upon the former
structure of the church; amongst the most curious
relics are some figures of the Apostles, carved in
bas-relief of a very early date, and generally ad-
mitted to be of Saxon origin. ‘They have been in-
serted in the north wall to insure preservation.
At Somerset House an association ,of the students
has just been formed, for the purpose of mutual

|\improvement the first meeting of which was held

on Saturday, the 10th ult, in the large room at
Somerset House, the use of which has been grant-
ed by the council. An introductory paper was
read by Mr. D. W. Raimbach, the substance of
which we shall give. Now that the Commission-
ers have instructions to improve the arrangements
of the Museum, it will be well for them to bear in
mind the necessity of providing greater convenien-
cies for those who frequent the library. A lavatory
is rather a necessity, if only for the protection o¢
valuable works from being soiled, than a luxury.
The present arrangement of the conveniences for
the gentlemen is very unsatisfactory, and in any
alteration the ladies ought to be consulted.
The committee have reported to the subscribers

that the restoration of the Norman Tower, Bury
St. Edmunds, is completed. £3,100 have been
disbursed, and about £300 remain to be paid.——

183

According to the Chemical Times, the best means
of preventing the corrosion of metals is to dip the
articles into very dilute nitric acid, to immerse
them afterwards in linseed oil, and to allow the ex-
cess of oil to drain off. By this process metals are
effectively preserved from rust or oxidation.——
It is thought, with reason, that a free exposition of
patented and registered inventions would be an
advantage to the public, and at the same time, fa-
cilitate the object they have in view, viz., making
their inventions generally known, and it is intended
to open an exposition of the kiud at the Baker
Street, Bazaar. A managerand assistants will be
appointed, for the purpose of explaining the use
and advantage of each invention, and to effect
sales,

The New Kremlin at Moscow.—The Moscow
Gazette says :—“‘ The new Kremlin will shortly be
finished. The gilded cupola sparkles already in
the sun, and recalls to mind the palaces with their
golden summits of the ancient Grand Dukes of
Russia. In the St. George’s Hall, that saint is to
be seen on horseback, fighting the winged dragon.
Eighteen statues, representing the submission of
as Many provinces now belonging to Russia, are
seathed in complete armour, with shields which
bear the date of the period. The Andrew’s Hall, or
the Throne Room, is ornamented with magnificent}
golden relief ; the Alexander Hall is of red marble,
and astonishes the beholder by its beautiful archi-
tectural ornaments. Itis difficult to describe, so
as to give a correct idea, the extraordinary
grandeur of these halls, and the exquisite style of
the workmanship.”

Patents for Invention.—The number of patents
sealed at Westminster during the year 1847
amounted to 498, and the amount of fees to
£9,587; in Scotland, during the same period, to
168, fees, £2,935; and in (reland to 76, fees,
£583.

Absorption of Moisture in Buildings.—In this
humid climate the absorption of moisture is a most
important consideration, for all who erect habita-
tions with a view of combining comfort with the
order of architecture. Toooftenis it to be seen
that the former, not to say yields to, but is totally
neglected for the sake of the latter. One of the
great exciting causes of rheumatism, that most
common disease, is, I believe, most generally pro-
duced by the ill-constructed order of our habita-|
tions. Wereair visible, we should wonder at wit-|
nessing the cascade (if I may be allowed to use this):
term) that is maintained between the windows and
doors towards the fire-place, in the midst of which
we are compelled to exist, and when experiencing
this we draw towards the very part of the room
where the current is strongest—to that imaginary
circle which encompasses the fire; here the evil is
increased.

Muca of the supposed Californian Gold dust
turns out to be a mere oxide of iron, which eva-
porates on exposure to heat.

184

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 185

ALPHABET, TAKEN FROM A OHANCERY MS.~15TH CENTURY.

sculptor received a thousand pounds.
igovernable and restless habits often precipitated
‘him into great difficulties, and the circumstances
of his death furnish a melancholy instance of the

186

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Wisiory of SAculpture.

(Continued from page 140.)
¢
‘Michel Angiolo was of the middle stature, bony

in his make, and rather spare, although broad over
his shoulders. He had a good complexion; his
forehead was. square, and somewhat projecting ;
his eyes rather small of an hazel colour, and on his
brows but little hair: his nose was flat, being dis-
figured by a blow he received from Torrigiano, a
contemporary student with Michel Angiolo, and a
sculptor of great merit, but a proud, inconsiderate,
and ungovernable character. Benevetto Cellini, in
his own life, has recorded this affair with Michel
Angiolo, as it was related to him by Torrigiano
himself. ‘His conversation one day happened to
turn upon Michel Angiolo Buonarroti, on seeing a
drawing of mine made from the celebrated cartoon
of the Battle of Pisa. ‘* This Buonarrotti and I
(said Torfigiano), when we were young men, went

\|to study in the church of the Carmelites, in the

chapel of Masaccio ; fand it was customary -with
Buonarrotti to rally those who were learning to draw
there. One day, amongst others, a sarcasm of his
having stung me to the quick, I was extremely
irritated, and, clutching my fist, gave him such a
violent blow upon his nose, that I felt the cartilage
yield as if it had been made of paste, and the mark
I then gave him he will carry to his grave.”

“B. Cellini’s account of Torrigiano is,—‘That he
was a handsome man, but of consummate assu-
rance, having rather'the air of a bravo, than of a
sculptor: above all, his strange gestures and his
sonorous voice, witha manner of knitting his brows
enough to frighten every man who saw him, gave
him a most tremendous appearance, and he was
continually talking of his great feats amongst those
bears of Englishmen whose country he had but re-
cently left.’

“¢ We are indebted to Torrigiano for the monu-

‘ment of Henry VII. in Westminster Abbey, finish-

ed, according to Stow, in 1519, and for which the
His un-

vicissitudes of life, and the baneful effects of inqui-

| sitorial jurisprudence,

“Upon leaving England he visited Spain, and
after distinguishing himself by many excellent
works, was employed by the Duke D’Argus to
execute in marble a Madonna and infant Christ, of

| this treasure, the Duke immediately sent for it ;

the size of nature, with high promises to be re-
warded in proportion to his merit. As the Duke
was a grandee of the first;rank, Torrigiano flattered
himself with a proportionate expectation. After
much study and application he completed his work
to his own ‘satisfaction; and his performance was
with delight and reverence. Impatient to possess

and that his generosity might be displayed to the
greatest advantage, he loaded two lacqueys with the
money to defray the purchase. The bulk was pro-
mising ; but when the bags were found to contain
but brass maravedi, which amounted only to thel
small sum of thiryy ducats, vexation and dis. |
appointment roused Torrigiano’s resentment, who
considering this present rather as an insult than a
reward for his merit, on a sudden snatched up his
mallet, and, without regard to the perfection of his
workmanship or the sacred character of the image,
he broke it into pieces, and dismissed the lacqueys
with their load of farthings to tell the tale. The
grandee, with every passion alive to this merited|
disgrace, and perhaps, impressed with horror at the
sacrilegious nature of the act, presented him before}
the court of Inquisition, and impeached him for his
conduct as an infidel and a heretic. ‘Torrigiano’
urged the right of an author over his own creation |
Reason pleaded on his side, but Superstition sat in;
judgment,, and he was condemned to lose his life
with torture ; but the holy office lost its victim—
Torrigiano starved himself to death in prison
(1522), to avoid his torments and the horror of the
execution! He was about fifty years of age.”

Canova and Thorwaldsen, together with our own
Chantrey, occupy the topmost rank among sculp-
tors of the present day, or rather did so until death
snatched away all these eminent artists. Still we
are inclined to think that the performances of Ca-|
nova have been somewhat overated. Many of
them have a studied and theatrical air quite incon-
sistent with good taste as well as with the higher
productions of Grecian art, which this sculptor
always professed to copy. Mr. Mathews, in his
‘Diary of an Invalid,” speaking of Canova’s Venus,
one of his most vaunted figures, says:—‘‘ The
boudoir of the Pitti Palace, in the centre of which
stands Canova’s Venus, brilliantly illuminated, and
lined with mirrors, reflected the beauties of her
figure in all directions, and exhibited the statue to
the highest advantage. This is the statue which
occupied the pedestal of the Medicean Venus
during her flight to Paris, but I can find nothing
divine about Canova’s Venus.

(To be continued.)

“THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. i

Enamelling.

In an article in the “ Archeological Journal ”
for June, 1845, on the “ Decorative Processes in
use during the Middle Ages,” by Mr. Albert Way,
whose exquisite taste and skill as an “amateur
artist, and unwwearied zeal in investigating every
department of knowledge connected with me-
dizeval antiquities, have enabled him to add so
many valuable contributions to our store of in-
formation on the subject of archzology, will be
found a most interesting description of the various
‘kinds of enamel in use at different periods. He
‘states that “‘the term enamel properly designates
vitreous pastes, to which various colours are given
‘by means of metallic oxides: they are either

| opaque or transparent, and are capable of being
| applied superficially to several substances, earthy

or metallic, forming a decorative covering, or re-
‘vétement, as it is termed by French writers, of
admirable brilliancy and durability. The rich blue
land green colours which are seen on the little
\figuresof deities, and on various ornaments dis~-
‘covered in Egypt, appear to be enamels: porce-
Jain, pottery, and glass have served as the ground-
work, to which enamel has been applied with the
most attractive effect.”

“The metals capable of being employed as
lgroundwork for enamel, are gold, silver, and
copper, brass being of too fusible a quality. No

| course of experiments has hitherto made known

the substances of which ancient enamels were com-
posed, or the proportions in whieh they were
employed : a few ancient recipes for compounding
enamel have been discovered. It may here suffice
generally to state, that the colouring paste, which
forms the base, consists of oxides of lead and ‘tin
fused with silex, in certain quantities, the opaque
\qualities being given by the oxide of tin, whilst
various colours are produced by the addition of the
metallic oxides; thus from copper green is ob-
tained, red from gold or iron, and blue from
cobalt. The use of this last mineral, and the
exquisite colour produced from it, seemed to pre-

\dominate to a remarkable extent in the earlier

enamels ; the field of which is almost invariably

‘enriched with the brilliant hue of the substance

called smalt.”

The recipe above referred to is from a Sloane
MS. in the British Museum, and is the most
ancient one yet noticed for the composition of
enamel. It appears to have been written in Eng-
and in the earlier part of the fourteenth century.

187,
|
It deserves observation, as indicating that English!
artificers were not unskilled in the art of ena-
melling—that in the roll of the inhabitants of
Paris, A.D. 1292, the names of goldworkers appear,
designated as Englishmen, or of London; and
that of ‘five enamellers then settled in Paris,
one entered as “ Richardin l’esmailleur, de Lon-|
dres.””

“To make Enamel. Enamel is thus made :—|
Take lead and melt it, occasionally taking off the
pellicle which floats on the surface, until the whole
of the lead is wasted away, of which take one part,
and of the powder hereafter mentioned, as much ;,
and this is the said powder: take small white |
pebbles which are found in streams, and pound
them into most subtle powder, and if you wish to)
have yellow enamel, add oil of filberts and stir}!
with a hazle rod; for green, add filings of copper
or verdigris; for red, add filings of latin with
calamine; for blue, good azure or saffre, of which
glaziers make blue glass.” The mention of
“‘ saffre,” if by that term may be understood zaffre
or cobalt, deserves especial notice; but some
writers suppose that the sapphire of the ancients} '
was our lapis-lazuli.

New Coin.—We have recently inspected a new)
example of Mr. Wyon’s skill, which must be con-
sidered as a pattern coin for England; the work-|
manship being probably too delicate, and the
name too foreign, for it to be generally adopted. It
is called a florin; and has on the obverse the),
Queen’s bust, crowned and robed in the same ela- |
borate style as upon the beautiful pattern crown |
by the same artist; around it is inscribed “ Vic-| |
toria Regina, 1848.” The obverse has the shields |
of England, [reland, and Scotland arranged cross- |
wise; the spaces between being filled by the rose, |
shamrock, and thistle; the inscription being “‘ one,
florin, one-tenth of a pound.”” The intention is to
produce a decimal coinage, easily multiplied and |
comprehended by foreigners. So far it is good,||
but the name is not so happy; it is un-Eaglish|
and strange to the multitude. There is one other
thing which strikes us might be altered : when the
shields are arranged crosswise, as on this coin, the
arms of England occur twice over; why not,
instead of this, place the arms of Wales as one? It
would be but a just and honourable tribute to an
ancient and loyal principality, which never seems
to have its fair meed of notice. ;

At a meeting’ of fthe Society of Antiquaries, || _
Feb. 8, Mr. Windus sent two specimens of carving
by Cellini,—one representing the Annunciation, |
the other a profane subject; accompanied by a:
letter on Mr. Ouvry’s exhibition, at the last meet-|
ing, of a carving onsilver imputed to Cellini. Mr.
Windus showed that it was of considerably later
date, and that it was by the famous French artist
Thélot ; and added his opinion that the subject was
Joshua causing the sun to stand still on Gibeon.

THE DECORATGR’S ASSISTANT.

An Llustratey Glossary of Technical

| Terms used in Arehitectural anv
Enterioy @ecoratton, &e.

(Continued from page 178.)

JUFFERS. An antiquated term for pieces of
wood four or five inches square.

JUMPER, A name given by masons and miners
to a long iron chisel used in boring shot-holes for
blasting large rnasses of stone, by which they may
be split into smaller ones.

JASPER. A genus of stones of the siliceous
class. It includes the blood-stone, so called from
its being supposed efficacious in stopping blood, a
quality probably imputed on account of the
crimson spots which diversify its green-coloured
substance.

KANG, or Chinese Stove. Is heated by a fur-
nace, which casts all its heat into it. The furnace
is proportioned and fitted to the stove, and may be
placed either in the room, or on the outside of the
house.

KEEP. Sometimes styled emphatically the
tower, the strongest part of the old English
castles, forming the citadel of the fortress. It was
generally near the centre of the fortified works, but
in some instances, as at Portchester, Goodrich,
Castleton, and other very ancient castles, it is
found placed in a line with the exterior walls. Its
massive walls and narrow loopholes were calcu-
lated to afford defence in the last extremities of a
siege. z

Kerr. The slit or cut in a piece of timber, or
in a stone, by a saw.

KERKIS. A name which in the theatres of the
ancients designated the stairs which crossed the
ranges of seats like radii of a circle, and which were
carried from the orchestra to the outermost cireum-
ference of the seats.

Keyep Dao. So named on account_of its
being secured from warping by bars grooved into
it, on the inside.

Keys. In naked flooring, are pieces of timber
fixed in between the joists by mortise and tenon.
When these are fastened with their ends projecting
against the sides of the joists, they are called
strutting pieces.

Key. In the earliest times, the locks and keys

were very simple, the former being but a bar of
wood, and the key a hook by which it was raised
or drawn back. By degrees they became more
complicated. The keys of the ancients were gene-

rally of bronze ; they had an infinite variety of
forms, and they were sometimes so large and
heavy, as to require to be carried on the shoulder, |
The accompanying engraving represents the key
held by St. Peter on the tomb of St. Sébald, at)
Nuremberg.

Key oF A Fioor. The board last laid down.

Kry-Stone. The stone placed in the centre |
of the top of an arch or vault. The character of;
the key-stone varies in the different orders. In|
tbe Tuscan and Doric it is only a simple stone pro-|
jecting beyond the rest; in the Ionic, it is adorned
with mouldings in the manner ofa console ; in the }.
Corinthian and Composite, it is a rich sculptured
console, The degree of ornament on the key-
stone is usually regulated by the general character
of the building. Thc ancients have left us several
fine models of ornamented key-stones of arcades
and arches, which generally represented some
ornament or figure that related to the building.
Those of the arcades of the amphitheatre of the
ancient Capua are adorned with heads, in high
relief, of the divinities to which it appears to have
been consecrated. The key-stones of triumphal
arches were ornamented with allegorical symbols
and figures allusive to the subject. That of the
arch of Titus is the finest known.

KNUCKLE. The joint, of a cylindrical form,
with a pin, as an axis, by which the straps of a
hinge are fastened together.

Krapr. A machine in the ancient theatres by
which the gods and heroes were represented tra~
versing the air, by means of a chair and ropes.

(To be continued.)

‘THE DECORATOR’sS ASSISTANT.

British Enstitution.

To form any estimate of the capabilities of
British Art from its displays on these walls during
the last three or four years would be very unjust :
ithis year more unjust than ever. A fatality attends
‘the show in these rooms 3; and contributors who
igive their wine to.other Exhibitions seem here only
to chronicle their “small beer.” The honourable
exceptions are few.

Amongst those in the present Exhibition is Mr.

| Danby’s Mountain Chieftain’s Funeral in Olden
\|Times (No. 52).

It is a masterly conception—
breathing in eyery touch the spirit of its author.

Mr. Martin’s large picture, Joshua commanding
the Sun to stand. still (129), contains passages of
great beauty; but the general character of the
iwork is, however, detracted from by the inky tone
‘that pervades the whole.

Mr. Creswick has three contributions. His

2s Landscape (144) affords us the pleasure

{
|
|
|
|

| which similar scenes in his hands always convey.

‘His Welsh Hill (20) is a fact not to be denied.
The Stepping Stones (299) has the usual refine-
‘ments of this artist’s style.

Messrs. Lee and Sydney Cooper have again
combined their powers in English Meadows (47)
and Summer Breezes (199), and again with suc-
cess. Mr. Lee’s Mountain Stream (276) a
choice work.

Mr. Linton’s Scene in Epping Forest (87) is a
worthy representative of his powers: and the
Watering Place (417) is one of the very best of
‘his cabinet-size works. It is full of beauty and of
truth.

The Scene in North Wales (257) and Crossing
the Ford (445) are additional evidences of Mr. T:
Danby’s talents. A constant recurrence, however,
to subjects comprehending the same elements and
time of day may finally lead him into mannerism
—a sin against which this young painter has to be
on his guard. The same remark may be made in
reference to the two landscapes by Mr. George
Stanfield—Mapledurham Mill, on the Thames (5),
and Az Pangbourne, on the Thames (892).

A Misty Morning on the Sands of the River
|\Exe (446), by Mr. F. Danby. It exhibits some-
what more of reference to the father’s style: but is
a picture of great promise—the effect being admi-
\rably realised.

Mr. Edward Cooke’s most ambitious effort, and
the one most to our taste—is Dutch Boats on the

Y, off Amsterdam (8); the details done with his
accustomed precision. Italian Fishing Craft off,
the Torre del Marzocco, Leghorn (139), is one of
his best Mediterranean views. The Dutch Coast
n eaScheveling (365) 1s a work of great ability.

Conspicuous among the figure studies are two of|
children by Mrs. W. Carpenter. It isa matter of,
difficully to determine whether we like most
Summer Amusement (112) or Winter Amusement)
(314). In each Mrs. Carpenter shows her power)
in the delineation of juvenile form at once scientific)
and tasteful.

Mr. Stone has contributed two small portrait
studies. One is entitled A Girl of Brittany (2),
the other Alice (8). Both are good in their cha- |
racters of female beauty: the piquancy of the first’

being heightened by the attractions of a very pic-
turesque costume. Ofa similar class are the two,
portrait studies by Mr. H. O’Niel—Sz. Cecilia (211)
and St. Catherine (213). The last saint is _the|
most spiritualised in aspect. Both pictures are
advances on Mr, O’Neil’s works of the kind last
year. |

Mr. Ansdell’s works show enterprise and indus=
try- The composition of The Successful Deer- |
stalkers (17) is of his best. Bringing a Stag from
the Hill-top (404) proves, in addition, his capacity
for laying out a combination of forms on a large
surface; and it has both vigour and boldness of

execution.

Mr. F. Goodall’s representation of Paris, 1848,
(33) is an acceptable representation of French
quidnunces in all the excitement of political frenzy. |
The Old Market at Rouen, Normandy (4), by hig,
brother, Mr. E. A. Goodall, has some excellent,
points of a technical character. f

Mr. Joy has contributed a picture—The Cele-
brated Interview between Charles James Fou and
Napoleon, 1801—The Peace of Amiens (181). The
painter would do well to leave this walk to those
better qualified.

There is so much excellent colour in Mr. Hol-

land’s view of The Rialto (122), and such a play of,

fancy in the making up of the picture, as make it
a matter of regret that the architectural details
should not have been given with greater precision.

Study of a Head (155), by Mr. J. W. Phillips,
is a smart sketchy transcript of a physiognomy
that recalls strongly the Kemble family.

A Sketch in the British Institution (24), by||

Mr. C. W. Stanley, though showing but the back
of a fair student engaged in copying a Rembrandt
portrait, is executed with frankness of style and
perception of tone.

190

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Mr. A. C. Hayter’s picture of Prayer before the
Mid-day Alms (66) is a well-chosen incident. It
displays the active benevolence of the Franciscan.
monks of the Ara Celi—administering relief at
their convent door to the poor. The merit of the
picture lies in the unconventional and probable
look of the scene. The figures are obviously stu-
dies of facts; and the whole testifies to great vigi_
lanee and observation.

Mr. R. W. Buss’s Parson Adams lost in a pro-
found Study of a Passage in Zischylus (70)
resembles in character a series of pictures of wrapt
enthusiasts began by the late Theodore Lane, and
which Mr. Buss delights to continue. We cannot
say that we admire it.

A little unpretending picture of an elderly
woman entitled The Pauper (216), by Mr. C.
Wilson, is remarkable for great truth, and a certain
correspondence with the style of Wilkic at the time
when he painted ‘‘ The Blind Fiddler.”

‘A striking example of human patience is Mr. J.
D. Wingfield’s Interior. of the Picture Gallery,
Stafford House (232). All that relates to the

mere imitative qualities of his art Mr. Wingfield

may be said to have here carried further than in
any of his preceding efforts; but having had on
former occasions pleasure in the graceful composi-
tions with which he has peopled the palaces or
scenery of English story, we confess to want of
interest in the present work.

| ————
SOCIETY MEETINGS FOR THE PRESENT

WEEK.

Mon.—Geographical, half-past 8, P.m.—Royal
Academy, 8—Sculpture.—Royal Institu-
tion, half- past 8—Mr. Brodie ‘‘On Che-
mical Philosophy.’

TuES.—Zoological, 9—Scientifie Business.—Insti-
tution of Civil Engineers, 8—‘“‘ On Fire-
proof Buildings,” by Mr. J. Braidwood,
Assoc. Inst. C.E.—Royal Institution, 3—
W. B. Carpenter “ On Paleontology.”

Wep.—Ethnological, 8—‘‘ Obituary Notice of Dr.
J. C. Prichard,” by Dr. Hodgkin. ‘ Re-
marks on some Specimens of Skulls of
the Naloo Africans,” by G. Whitfield,
Esq.—College of Physicians, 4—Croo-
nian.—Royal Institution, 3—Mr. Brodie
““ On Chemical Philosophy.”

THUR.—Antiquaries, 8.—Royal, half-past 8.—
Zoological, 3—General Business.— Royal
Institution, 3—Dr. Gull ‘‘ On Physiology
of Digestion. — Royal Academy, 8—
Painting.

Fri.—Archeological Institute, 4.—Royal Institu-
tion, 3—Prof. E. Forbes ‘“‘ On the Ques-
tion, Have New Species of Organised
Beings appeared since the Creation of
Man ?”—Botanical, 8.—College of Phy-
sicians, 4—Croonian.

Savr.—Royal Institution, 3—Prof. Brande “On
Chemical Philosophy.”—<Asiatic, 2.

Co Correspondents, Sc.
On April the Ist, will be published, Part I,
Price One Shilling, of The
SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

WRAWUNG BOOK,
WITH DIAGRAMS,

Showing how to hold the Pencil, and general rules
for Drawing Ornamental Foliage, with
a letter-press description.

To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.

CONTENTS OF PART 2 oF

The wook of Ornamental and Barly
Lrglish Alphabets,
Published on Thursday last, March 1st.

Alphabet of Flourished Cyphers, commencing from
A. A. to A.Z. (This Alphabet will be continued
monthly, till the whole is completed, down
to Z. Z.

Two Alphabets of the Fifteenth Century.

Initial Letters, A. and U. Also an Ornamental
Border-piece, Fifteenth Century.

To be printed in colours, and stitched in a neat
wrapper, price 6d. To be continued monthly.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

“< J. G.”—Accept our thanks for the Book of
Alphabets sent.

“ Busby.”— Your hint will be acted upon.
Send the Sketches, and, if of sufficient merit,
they shall appear.

“E. D. W.’—Refer to a bookseller’s cata-
logue.

QUERY.—Can any of our readers inform us of
the best method of polishing porphyry marble ? .

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, §c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the DECoRATOR’s ASSISTANT, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.”—We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provineial
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, &c.

—_=

* *Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us|
by lending, or sending copies of them.

* * Part I, is also re-printed, and will in future be
charged at 10d. each.

Part 23 is now ready, Price 10d.

eae

EXAMPLESOF CROCKETS.
ay

)

No. 96 —Vot. IV.}

she

3.—FROM STONE OANOPY IN THE

2,—FROM STI. GEORGE’S CHAPEL, WINDSOR.

[Two-PENCR.

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PRESBYTERY, WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL.

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THE

SaTuRDAY,|

On Composition.

OMPOSITION is
the arrangement of various component parts
to form a whole, whether of figures, trees, ves-
sels, &c. in a painting or piece of sculpture,
or of doors, windows, piers, columns, pilasters,
cornices, &c. in a building. To compose well
is one of the first qualities necessary for an
artist, after he has acquired the elements of
his art, and commenced an original work.—
Composition, in many instances, vies with, and
in fact is, invention; and in others takes up
only arrangement and disposition, as in the
composition of a group of portraits in one case,
and of an historical picture in the other.

To be excellent, composition, should be sub-
servient to nature. A study of nature will as-
sist composition, for nature mostly composes
and groups well. It may even be said to enter
in the arrangement ofasingle figure. Raffaelle’s
Cardinal Sforza, 'Titian’s Cardinal Bentivoglio,
Reynolds’s Mrs. Siddons, as the Tragic Muse,
the same great master’s General Heathfield,
holding the key as Governor of Gibraltar,
Flaxman’s Lord Mansfield, in Westminster

DECORATOR’S

Abbey, and Chantrey’s James Watt, are beau-

ASSISTANT. [Marcu 10, 1849

tiful instances of a happy composition of the
parts of a single figure.

General or ideal beauty carried to a system
will never aid composition. The beauty of the
Faun is of one kind, that of Apollo of another;
the beauty of the Venus differs from that of
the Diana, yet they are all beautiful. Charac-
ter is another essential quality in composition,
particularly in architecture, for buildings should
carry distinctive marks of their qualities and
use upon their fronts. The composition of
theatrical edifices should differ from municipal
buildings. Churches again from assembly
rooms, and dwelling houses from the ancient
temples. Yet how often are these essential
qualities in art neglected.

A composition in painting and sculpture may
be rich in figures, and in architecture abundant
in parts, and yet be poor in ideas. A compo-
sition should be learned, not pedantic. The
composition is generally settled in the sketch,
and where that is not from the first moment
determined upon and good, the work, however},
good, will never be excelient. Though compo-|
sition may be considered as the general order |
or arrangement of a design, yet disposition is)
the particular order; it embraces every part
belonging to the design, whether of a painting
or a building. It is a quality in Art that de-|
mands the greatest attention. If the objects
are placed too closely they appear a jumble,
leaving no repose for the eye; and if carried |
too wide will occasion the work to become
scattered or dispersed instead of agreeable and.
diversified.

Penetian @lass Paver Ueletahts.

Tue curious and interesting specimens of
the art of enclosing ornamental coloured glass
within a shell of colourless transparent glass,
which have lately been made familiar to us in
the forms of paper-weights, door-knobs, tazzi,
&c., is a revival of an art practised by the Ve-
netians five or six centuries since. For at
least four centuries we have no indications of
any such manufacture; and, indeed, until very
lately, it may be regarded as having been lost.
The interior patterns are first formed by taking

192

soft glass, coloured with metallic oxides, which
is drawn into small tubes. These tubes are
combined to form a pattern, and are fused to-
gether lengthways, making one variegated elon-
gated mass of any required diameter. One of
these compound tubes is taken, slices of the
thickness of a lozenge are cut off, either at
right angles to the length, or obliquely. These
transverse sections are all of identically the
||Same pattern if cut from the same tube. In
||this way any required pattern can be formed,

and any variety of colours produced. The pat-
tern being thus made by combining sections of
this soft coloured glass, it becomes necessary
to secure the whole, and give beauty to the
design by covering it in front with a white and
perfectly transparent glass, and at the back by
a white opaque variety. This is done as in the
ordinary process, by putting different layers of
glass one upon the other. Sometimes the co-
loured mass, or section of the tubes, is dipped
partially into the opaque glass in a state of
fusion first, and then the whole is covered with
|pure flint glass, or sometimes the opaque glass
is applied in the melted state to the back after
the flint glass has covered the face. The in-
terior coloured tubes being more fusible than
|the outer transparent glass, soften when the
melted flint glass is applied, and in this soft
state it admits of any of those operations of

the workman necessary to give elegance of
form to the finished article; and thus also the
two varieties of glass become united into one
consistent mass. These articles are sold as of
foreign manufacture, but we are assured upon
the best authority that very large quantities of
them are made in England—indeed, in the me-
tropolis—are sent to France and Germany, and
bought in those countries to supply our own
markets. This is not the only instance within
our knowledge in which our manufactures find
their way to the public at a greatly increased
price, by re-importation as the productions of
foreign industry. Surely it is time that all
such ridiculous prejudices should cease.

We hear with pleasure that the Literary and
Scientific Institution established only in December
| {last for Rotherhithe and Bermondsey is giving pro-
mise of a healthy existence. The district for which
it provides has been, we believe, previously to the
formation of this institution wholly without such
means of intellectual enjoyment,—though compri-
sing within its circuit fifty thousand inhabitants.

'(24,0002.) The block ot porphyry for the co-

1(5,600/.) It comes from the shore of Lake)
| Onega.—Between the tombs of Bertrand and,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Che Tomb of MPapoleon.

A French paper gives the following details||.
relating to the works at the tomb of the Ex-
Emperor Napoleon.—‘‘ An immense circular
crypt has been dug beneath the dome; within)’
which, on three shafts of green marble, the
sarcophagus containing the emperor’s coffin
will repose. The block of porphyry which the
curious are now flocking to see on the Quai
d’Orsay is destined to cover the sarcophagus.
A lower gallery, paved in mosaics and lined
with marble bas-reliefs representing the princi-
pal events in the Emperor’s life, will admit the
public to circulate about the sarcophagus.
Twelve colossal statues in white marble—of
which six are already placed—will sustain an
upper gallery whence it may be looked down
on and its details examined from aboye. These
allegorical statues, from the chisel of Pradier,
represent the principal branches of human ac-
tivity—Science, Legislation, War, Arts, &c.,
A magnificent altar of black marble veined
with white rises in front of the tomb. Four
large and beautiful columns, also of black and
white marble, support the canopy of carved
and gilt wood. Ten broad steps, each cut
from a single block of Carrara marble, lead up
tothe funeral altar. Beneath this altar is the
passage to the lower gallery above spoken of ;
whose entrance is guarded on either side by the
tombs, in black marble, of Bertrand and Duroc
—dead marshals keeping wait at the door of
the imperial dead. The marbles employed in
in the construction of this tomb cost not less
than a million and a half (60,000/.) in the
rough :—the sculptures and bas-reliefs execu-
ted by Simart cost six hundred thousand franes

vering of the sarcophagus weighs 45,000 kilo-'
grammes :—its extraction and carriage to Paris
cost one hundred and forty thousand francs

Duroc, ashrine will be erected to receive the
sword of Austerlitz, the Imperial Crown, and)
eighty standards captured under the Empire.

Mr. Charles Fox, the eminent line engraver and
water-colour draughtsman, died at Leyton, Essex,
on Thursday week last of a disease of the heart.

——

Wistory

of Seulvture.

(Continued from page 186.)

‘¢ SHE is not. worthy to officiate as chambermaid
' to the goddess of the Tribune. It is simply the
‘\representation of a modest woman, who seems to
' shrink from exposure in such a dishabille ; while
her Grecian prototype, in native innocence and
simplicity, scarcely conscious of nakedness, seems
to belong to an order of beings to whom the senti-
ment of shame was as yet unknown. The attitude
of Canova’s is constrained and perhaps even awk-
ward. This may arise from the manner in which
she compresses that scanty drapery, which the
sculptor has given her,—intended, I suppose, to
‘ double every charm it seeks to hide.’ The syme-
try, too, is by no means perfect. The head is
manifestly too large. Is is perhaps unfair to attri-
bute to the sculptor the faults of the marble; but
it isimpossible not to remark, that even if the
work had been more perfect than it is, the un-
fortunate flaws, just in those places where they
are most mal d-propos, must still have detracted
much from its beauty. Many of the copies of this
statue seem to me quite equal, if not superior, to
the original ; an infallible proof, if the remark be
correct, of its mediocrity of merit.”

_ The same intelligent traveller thus speaks of the
‘|talents of Thorwalsden, a Danish sculptor prac-
tising at Rome :—“ There is a freshness and origi-
nality in his designs, guided by the purest taste.
What can be more elegant and beautiful than his
basso-relievo of Night? His Venus victrix ap-
proaches nearer than any modern statue to the
‘Venus di Medicis. ‘here is a shepherd, too, which:
lis a delightful specimen of simplicity and nature ;
—and the charms of these statues is, that while
they emulate they have not borrowed any thing
from the works of the ancients.”

On the works of our own Chantrey, we are dis-
‘posed to enlarge with all the spirit of nationality ;
but a recollection of our confined limits, together
with that sense of delicacy which restrains us from
discussing minutely the merits of any artist. with-
hold us. Mr. Chantrey’s principal productions
were busts; but the (ork which first fixed his high
reputation, and is still regarded by many as his
chef-d’ ceuvre, is a group of sleeping infants, to be
seen in the Cathedral at Lichfield.

To the productions of ancient art, however, we
must after all return, if we are desirous of con-
templating the sublimest as well as the most beau-
\tiful specimens of sculpture. We shall, therefore,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

193

now proceed to give a particular account of the

[ideas entertained by the Greeks respecting the
standaxd of beauty in the different parts of the
‘human body. With regard to the head, the profile

chiefly admired by them consists in a line almost
straight, or marked. by inflexions so gentle as
scarcely to be recognised as such. The forehead
and nose, indeed, in female or youthful figures,
form a line which approaches to the perpendicular.
It has been often held, as a principle of ancient
beauty, that the forehead was) extremely high.
This opinion, however, is subject to dispute ; for
manv ancient writers, and artists also, assure us
that the Greeks considered a small or low forehead
essential to beauty. Thus the Circassians suffered
their hair to shade the forehead almost to the eye-
brows. Indeed, it will be evident that, to give an
oval form (the most esteemed) to the countenance,
it is requisite that the hair should cover the fore-
head, and make a curve above the temples ; or else
the face, which terminates in an oval form in the
inferior part, will be angular in the higher part,
and the portion consequently destroyed. This
rounding of the forehead may be seen in all hand-
some persons, in all the heads of ideal beauty, in
ancient statues, and especially those of youth.
Large eyes are generally considered beautiful ;
their size, however, is of less importance in sculp-
ture than the form and manner in which they are)
most used. ‘I'he eye has often been made a charac-,
teristic feature in the heads of different deities.|
Apollo, Jupiter, and Juno have the eye large and
full. Inthe statues of Pallas they are also large,|
but by lowering the eyelids the virgin air and ex-
pression of modesty are delicately marked. The
celebrated Venus de Medeci, however, affords suffi-
cing proof that large eyes are by no means essential
to beauty. Hers are small, and the gentle ele-
vation of the lower eyelid imparts to them a lan-
guishing look and an enchanting sweetness.

(To be continued.)

AT a recent meeting of the Society of Antiqua-
ries of Scotland, Mr. Turnbull, one of the Secre-
taries, exhibited the original MS. of the note-book
of cases reported by Dr. John Hall, of Stratford-

on-Avon, who married Susannah, the eldest daugh-|
This MS., seen and partially),

ter of Shakspeare.
used by Malone, is regretfully referred to as lost by

the Rey. Mr. Hunter in his ‘ New Illustrations of,

the Life and Works of Shakespeare.’ The MS.

now belongs to a medical gentleman of Edin-|

burgh; wholentit for the inspection of the So-

ciety. Mr. Turnbull mentioned that a translation|
of the MS. had been published by James Cooke at

London in. 1657, and afterwards in 1683, with a
portrait of White.
read to the meeting.

Several amusing extracts were}

ee == = — ——— eateksers —_—_—_—_—

194 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

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DIAGRAM DRAWN TO AN ENLARGED SCALE.—[ For description of drawing Volute, See p. 198.]

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

| v7 VE

| Shae

|painter is able todo something else—and something

||not imply that we are to be cheated into a, belief

|in giving action to his figures; and Hogarth’s
| Enraged Musician,” as Fielding says, “‘is deaf-
ening to look at.’

196

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

SS eee

Koval Academp.

PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

LECTURE I.

In comparing Art with Nature we are as apt to:
underrate it, as in considering it by itself we are
sometimes disposed to elevate it unduly ; and both

Though, in a high sense, it be true that, “ all Na-
ture is but Art,” and ‘all chance direction,’’ and
though it be of great importance to the student to
keep this truth constantly in mind, yet that human
Art cannot rival the beauties of Nature is not to
be considered. a defect, for it can only be defective
where it fails to do what is possible; and that the

which Nature herself refuses to do—apart from
his power of recalling the lineaments of the absent,
or bringing the scenery of other countries into his
own, I hope to show.

The axiom that the most perfect Art is that in
which the Art is most concealed is directed, I ap-
prehend, against an ostentatious display of the
means by which the end is accomplished, anid:does

of the artist having effected his purpose by a hap-
py chance, or by such extraordinary gifts as have
rendered study and pains unnecessary. On the
contrary, we always appreciate, and therefore en-
joy, picture the more in proportion as we dis-
cover ourselves, or are shown by others, the why
and the wherefore of his excellencies; and much
of the pleasure it gives us depends on the intellee-
tual employment it affords. Nor does the con-
cealment of Art mean concealment of imitation,
or that what it gives is to pass on us for a reality,
for we should then immediately want what we
neyer miss ina fine picture. motion and sound.—
Both of these it isa great triumph of the painter
to suggest’ Rubens was pre-eminently successful

But imagine the eye deceived,
and from that) moment the figures of Rubens stand
still and the din of Hogarth’s groups ceases:—and
indeed, such Art would be unnatural, because, un-
less in the representation of still life, it would
have the motionless and speechless appearance of
wax-work—the most lifelike, in externals, of all
the modes of imitating Nature, and for that very
yeason the most lifeless.

‘never been the aing of a true artist, and as I have
often heard it highly applauded when successful,|

stand i j L—| a ‘
errors stand fat) Whe) Way es\oun improvement | eye, and that such deception would, in fact, destroy] |

|has always occurred to me: in looking at a Pano-
| rama, that exactly in the degree in which the eye
/is deceived, the: stillness of the figures and the si-

These remarks are so obvious that they may ap-
pear to be superfluous. I may be told that decep~-
tion is not attempted, and is, indeed, generally
impossible, from the circumstances of pictures
being bounded by their frames and the diminutive,
scale on which natural objects are most often re-
presented. Still, as: this lowest) kind of truth is
sometimes the aim of the painter, though it has

and even by painters, it seems to me of importance
that we should clearly understand that the illusion
of Artis quite another thing from deception of the

illusion.

Children and childish minds are most attracted
by wonders. I remember when I was a boy seeing
a picture that was placed flat against the wall at
the end of a. long room, representing an open door)
through which a flight of stairs receded, with the
figure: of a mam of the size of life painted as if
walking up them. Alt the base of the canvas a
real step: projected on. the floor of the room, and at
a certain distance it was impossible to distinguish
between the painted) stairs and) the: wooden one :—|
indeed, so complete was the deception, that on first
seeing it my only wonder was at the man’s re-||
mainiog stationary. This picture seemed to me
perfection, and at that time I should probably have
looked on the: finest Titian with comparative in-''
difference. It; was, however, the! work of a very
ordinary painter, and I have since learned that de-_
ception, to the degree in which it was here with)
the assistance of a little ingenious management,
attained, depends merely upon copying some of
the most obvious appearances: of Nature, and that)
her most charming qualities—all that the greatest;
artists. have courted in her throughout their lives,
with success infinitely short of their hopes—may
be omitted without rendering the representation
less a deception...

I would ask whether others have not felt what

lence of the place produce.a strange and somewhat
unpleasant effect ; and the more so if the subject
places us in a city. We then want the hum of
population, and the din of carriages, and the few
voices heard among the company in the room have}.
an unnatural sound, as not harmonizing with the
scene. Hyven in the Diorama, where the light and)
shade is varied by movement, and the water is
made to ripple, there are still many wants to be)
supplied, and these wants are indeed suggested the) i
more in proportion to the attainment of deception. |

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.-

I have no wish to disparage the ingenuity of these|a cabinet brassfounder’s trade, there are none,||

contrivances ;—the Panorama is an admirably de-
vised mode of conveying much information which
by no other means can so well begiven. My ob-
ject is merely to ascertain how it is that there is

||always something unsatisfactory—to speak from

my own feelings, I should say wnpleasant—in all
Art, of every kind, of which deception is an object.
We do not like to be cheated even in a harmless
way: the wonder excited by the tricks of a juggler
is not without a mixture of humiliation; the
powers of our minds, instead of being exercised
are, for the time, suspended, and even our en ses
cease to serve us—while the Art of a great actor
delights us, not only as an imitation of Nature,

|\but because our imaginations are excited, our

understandings appealed to, and we have a secret
gratification in the consciousness of the feelings he
arouses within us, and these are also among the

‘many sources of pleasure we derive from the works,

of a great painter. ‘I feel.’’ said Reynolds,

| speaking of Michel Angelo, “a self-congratulation
|\in knowing myself capable of such sensations as

he intended to excite.”? But neither at the theatre
nor before a picture should we feel in this way were
we, for a moment, to mistake what we see for
reality.

(To be continued.)

Birmingham Wrass Cork.

In connection with the projected exposition of
manufactures at that place, the Birmingham Jour-
nal has commenced a series of articles on its im-
portance, wherein the various manufactures of the
town are reviewed. We take from one of them the
following remarks on brass-work :—The history and

|\progress of brassfounding in Birmingham has yet

to be written, and we trust it will he done in brass
on the stalls of the Exposition. In no town in all
England bas the art been followed to greater ad-
vantage, as far as regards extensive production ;—
how far successful as regards elegance and purity of
design, we will not pretend to say—let the speci-
‘mens sent for inspection show. The inapplicability
of the various styles of ornament so long in use for
their different purposes, was only equalled by the
inferior mechanism or tame execution of the articles
adorned; the substitutionof the bell lever for the

jmeagre-looking cord, and the curtain band for the

pita, wasan era : it became necessary that a superior
styleof ornament should be introduced, and give

an impetus to the trade generally. Minute and
rifling as many of the details are which make up

the foundation of all effect and true artistic beauty.

saving those embracing the precious metals, in
which greater taste may be shown, or more mecha- ||
nical ingenuity applied. He who calls to mind the, |
purchases made by the School of Design from the) |
Parisian Exposition, will remember the richly foli-
ated ornaments which covered not a few of the
bronze articles containing each a lesson in them- |
selves. But these days of false economy have)|
wrought foul wrong to the trade whose progress we
are attempting to describe: the stamp has been |
exchanged for the casting box,—as a consequence,
tinselly and gaudy ornament has taken the place
of the quiet and rich leafage, which looked so sub-
stantial and natural when finished. That this is,
not confined to our own country, is most true.—,
Our market has been deluged with the multitudi-
nous drapery adornments of “‘ Marsaux.” Com-
pelled in self-defence to fight against such fearful
odds, it is not to be wondered at that we have to a.
certain extent been obliged to follow or compete—|
how unsuccessfully will best be shown by the men-
tion of the disadvantages we labour under: first,
that in the knowledge of design we are yet much
behind. With us, until of late years, it was im-
possible to acquire this important branch of edu-
cation. And secondly, most people are aware that
the French mechanic can subsist on a pittance on
which our own countrymen would starve. We,
however, are of opinion that the evil already men
tioned will soon work its own cure, and that a bet-
ter and more substantial class of articles must
speedily take place of the flimsy productions of the
day; such are in truth the butterflies of a craft
which the first touch of the winter of a severer
taste, and the acknowledgment that all is not really
substantial which seems so, will speedily dissipate :
we trust our Exposition specimens will help to
prove this in a satisfactory manner. It may not be
improper to remark, that these observations have
been made in consequence of the deteriorating in-
fluence which the production of brass goods from
plates of sheet metal and by pressure, exert upon
the progress of legitimate ornament. The process
of stamping effectually precludes the possibility of
the shelving or undercutting being introduced,
which gives relief to the prominent parts, and is

It must not, however, be supposed that we are re~
trograding ; far from it, there is a sensible improve-
ment; there seems to be a better understanding
abroad as to what is right or wrong, and the orna-
mentation is more applicable to the purposes or
use of the object so ornamented: this recognition
is in advance, and indicates astep in the right di-
rection.

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198 + THE

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

An Ellustrated Glossary of Cechnical
Cervms useyv in Architectural and

|
| Entevior MBecoration, Ke.
|

—

Kweg. <A part of the back of a hand-railing
of a convex forin, the reverse of aramp, which is
a back of a hand-rail, and is concave. The name
of Knee is also given to any small piece of timber,

of a bent or angular form.
Kinny. A building ior the accumulation and

retention of heat, in order to dry or burn certain
materials deposited within them.
Kine Post. The middle post of a roof.

KitcHrey, That part of the offices of a house
where the business of cooking is carried on.

Keramos. Earth which is tenacious and mal-

leable when moist, but hardens cn exposure to the
/)sun or fire. Itis used in the construction of vases,
j basi relievi, cornices, &c. as well as that of bricks
| and tiles, and indeed all works the substance of
||which is commonly distinguished by the term of
terra cotta.
' KERAUNOSCOPEIAN. A machine used in the
theatre of the ancients, by means of which they
imitated the hurling of a thunderbolt, a thing par-
ticularly necessary in their dramatie representa-
tions, which frequently ran on mythological ex-
ploitsand appearances of the heathen divinities.
They had also another machine, consisting of small
stones rolled upon pieces of bronze, the sound of
which resembled thunder. These were placed at
the back part of the scene.

Kaos. This word is very often found inscribed
jon Greek vases, &c. probably to indicate their sup-
posed perfection. In many cases, however, it is
joined to a proper name, giving rise to a specula-

|
|

rp re | ce MOP DL eH HL Eee ae

tion that the vase was dedicated to some particular
individual.

KNoTTine. A process to prevent the knots
appearing, by laying on a size composed of red
lead, white lead and oil, or a coat of gold size,
which last is always effectual, as the preliminary
process of painting.

LARMIER. The same as the corona, the upper
member of acornice. In Gothic architecture it is
a kind of plinth, the upper surface of which is in-
clined, and theinferior part hollowed in a round
canal, to throw the water from the wall.

Laru. ‘A long narrow slip of wood, nailed on
the rafters of a roof, for receiving the plaster.
Laths are of three kinds ; heart of oak laths, sap
laths, and deal laths. The first sort, as the most
durable, are used for tiling ; the two last, only, for
ceiling and partitioning. lLaths are cut in lencths
of three, four, and five feet ; yet the statue only}
allows of five and three feet lengths, each of which
are to be an inch and half in breadth, and half an
inch in thickness.

LANDING. The terminating of a stairs or
broad step where the entrance to a room occurs in
the course of a staircase, or stairs.

Latca. The simplest kind of fastening to a
door.

Rules for Wrawing an Blliptical
Volute.

Divide the perpendicular height into eight equal
parts, marked 1—8 in the engraving. Take one
division for the height of theeye, and divide if into
two parts: place the leg of the compass on the
point o, and strike the circle in which the eye of the
volute will fall; divide the circle into four equal
parts [shown by the crosses] and draw the diagonal
line [this line must be drawn either to the right
or left hand, to suit the position of the volute ;
the engraving represents the left side of the
capital.] Form two squares and draw the diagonal
line, from Fig. 2 to Fig. 4, divide it into six equal
parts; the lines being drawn from each division,
will give the points at which the ares forming the
volute, must be stopped, for instance, the points
cD; thenon the points of the intersecting lines,
placethe leg of the compass commencing at Fig.
I, andstrike the are AB; from point 2, strike the
are BC; from 3,cD; 4,DE; 5, EF; 6,FG; 7,
Gu; 8,H1I;9,1K; 10, KL; 11,LM; 12,MN;
the volute will then be complete. It is necessary
to be very accurate with each measurement, or the
exact shape will not be produced.—For Illustra -
tion, See page 194.

British Institution.

Hy (Continued from page 189.)

i
Mr. Lance here maintains his reputation by five

. pictures ; four on the class of subjects for which he
_|,tands unrivalled. The best, to our taste, isa Quiet
|Couple (No. 212). It represents a pair of dead
ducks, painted to perfection.
the picture is deliciously cool and clear.
||ZLight Colour (205) is an assemblage of fruit, &c.
in all the obviousness of chromatic arrangement.
Winter (230) and Summer (101) are capital spe-
ciniens of this painter’s art. The Biron Conspi-
\racy (43), a scene from the ‘Historyiof Henry IV.
of France,’ is one of Mr. Lance’s figure illustrations.
‘The still life and accessories, painted with his ac-

\|in bright deep tone. Red Hill, Surrey (9) and

tributions from the artist’s wanderings in Italy.

is here subject.

ture {and the Dutch masters.

reading the News (105) by Mr. C. Wilson.

way in the Distance (84) may be considered the
best.
Scene, Sunset, (497) is the best. Mr. Redgrave’s
Strawberry Gatherers in Norbury Woods (151),
‘and Domestic Ducks, after Nature (154), by Mr.
J. F. Herring, deserve especial attention.

In Mr. J. Gilbert’s designs there is always much
suggestive of poetic power.
Thomas a Beckett (161) remorse seems to have
seized the barons while gazing on the bleeding body
of their victim. The Disgrace of Cardinal Wol-
sey (464) is happier in its representation of the
haughty monarch than the stricken prelate. The
group of gratified and triumphing courtiers is well
imagined. Asmall picture by Miss J. Macleod, the
Interior of the Fisher’s Cottage (206) is well com-
posed. The Death of the Banished Lord (214) is
outrageous to the sense of those who delight in har-
monies of form’and colour. In Mr. R. 8. Lauder’s

Ei a ean aed)
SSS SS90.0..D eee

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The whole tone of
Study of

_ | eustomed truth, reflect disadvantageously on the
‘representation of thehuman forms and expressions.
‘The picture is of great power in colour and effect.
Mr. G. E. Hering’s principal work isa Scene on
\|\the Gulf of Spezzia (1). Itis firmly painted,and

|| Mear Reigate, in Surrey (185) are two capital
| studies of evening effects. The Lake of Orta (88)
and the Temple of Vesta at Tivoli (98) are con-

|| Jenny’s Lament (51), by Mr. F. Newenhamn, is
an excellently executed whole-length seated figure,
which has undergone the baptismal ceremony, to
relieve it from the prohibition to which portraiture

The Meadow Scene with Cattle (56) by Mr. J.
Dearman, is the work of one who has studied Na-
Two clever figures
jare Una (82) by M. H- Le Jeune, and A Girl
Of all

Mr. T. S. Robins’s works in oil, Fishermen pre-
paring to start from Gillingham Creek—the Med-

Of Mr. A. Clint’s two sea-skips, the Coast

In the Murder of

Burns and Capt. Grose (223) there is some excel-
lent imitation—in the still life especially. Mr. J.
E, Lauder exhibits his version of the Music Lesson
in the ‘ Taming of the Shrew’ (273). Lucentio is
happily expressed both in physiognomy and gesture.
—Mr. A. J. Woolmer’s My Pretty Page look out
afar (238) is the best of his three contributions.—
A Bit of Effect (247) isa caricature without wit
to redeem it.—Mr. R. Evans’s Monk in his Cell
(85) is one of the best things of its class here.—
A nocturnal subject by Mr. Phillips, is one of the
few pictures expressing sentiment, imagination,
or taste in the exhibition.—Admonition (318), by
Mr. E. V. Rippingille is very successful in its
form of presentment.—Mr. Maguire’s study of a
Lavender Girl (329) is exceedingly good.— Mr.
Frost’s little study of a Waiad (859) is a very
graceful production.—An excellent little picture is
the Road-side Barn (336)by Mr. J. Middleton.

Mr. A.'T. Derby’s Agnes with the Picture Paper
(373) isa capital portrait study.—Mr. R. M‘Innes
has a clear and well-executed exposition of En-

Forcing the Sanitary Laws (383)—children being
‘washed at a pump.

Full of expression.—Mr. A.
Fraser has represented the village artist in A
Painter of Still Life (386). Working on a sign,
to the inexpressible delight of a gaping multitide,
he stands on the steps in the full consciousness of|
superiority—and puts in his finishing touches with
all the extravagant action of conceit. The Litéle
Fife-player (894) is a clever study by Mr. C. W.
Hart.— Heloise Musing (395); by Mr. F. Williams,
claims attention by the truthfulness of its effect,—
Moonlight on the Thames, near Pangbourne (406)
by Mr. E. Williams, sen., is one of that artist’s best
works; and Mr. H. Havell’s Pilgrim returning to
the Valley of Elz Castle (410) has one of the at-
mospheric effects in which he excels.—There is

smartness of handling in Mr. Jutsum’s Rabbit| |

Warren (439), but much monotony of colour.—
A View on the French Coast, near Havre (458),
by Mr. J. Wilson, is, with all its fidelity, injured
by the severity with which the lights are loaded—
more especially in the sky.— Love in Humble Life
(459) isan advance on Mr. Rankley’s former efforts.
Cymon and Iphigenia (480) is illustrated anew by
Mr. E. Morris, an indefatigable student.—Mr. E.
Williams’s Coast Scene, 490, and Mr. Dawson’s
Trent Lock, on the Grantham Canal, near Not-
tingham, 492, are the last landscape views that we

have to commend for their truth.—A_ study of Zo.|,

raida, by Mr. Carpenter, jun. is a remarkably well
painted figure—showing a decided improvement
on that artist’s previous efforts.—Of the pair of
pictures by Mr. Shayer, the Scene on the Moors,

Devonshire, 444, is the best.—By a Florentine ar- |

tist, the Chevalier Bezzuoli, there is here a picture

of the old story, Giotto on the eve of his Departure| |

from his Parents to accompany Cimabue to Flo-
rence, there to Study as an Artist.

Of the Sculpture at this Exhibition, there is, as'
usual, little to be said. Mr. Foley’s beautiful re-
cumbent group of Ino and the Infant Bacchus,
executed in marble for the Earl of Ellesmere, and|
engraved in the Sculpture Companion to the Ver-|
non Gallery, is here; and there is a marble statue
of A Satyr, a work of great excellence, by Mr.|
Marshall. Twelve other pieces, of no particular
mark, complete the sculptors’ contributions to this
collection,

It has merit.| |

a I SN SL a
ee

200

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. kw

The Cbhronotyyptst.

A most appropriate application of the money
subscribed for a memorial to the late Mrs. Fry, has
been determined on at a mecting of the committee
for its management. The sum raised is to be ap-
propriated tothe opening of an assylum for Gis-
charged female criminals, to be called the ‘‘ Eliza-
| beth Fry Refuge,”—and to be situated within two
miles of the Royal Exchange. An additional
ten mile of the Whitehaven and Furness Railway,
from Mirehouse to the River Calder, was opened
‘on the 28th, ult. The lineis a dead level with easy
curves, and is furnished with numerous coal depots.
Between February, 1848, and the same month
1849, there have been 35 new Journals started in
England, ‘19 stamped and 16 unstamped, of these,
13 have now ceased to appear, viz.,.—8 stamped,
and 5 unstamped. Upwards of £1,200 has been
already subscribed for the numerous families be-
jreaved by the explosion of the Darley Main Col-
liery. The Admiralty have resolved on another
Arctic Expedition, in search of the missing one
under Sir John Franklin. The ‘ North Star,’ a
“donkey frigate” in ordinary at Sheerness is fitting
out, and willstart for Baffin’s Bay, very shortly.
——A portion of the Leicester and Swammington
Branch of the Midland Railway, extending from
the West Bridge Station, Leicester, to Burton on
Trent, was opened for passengers on the Ist inst.
A French paper states that an autograph Me-
moir by Fénelon. hitherto unknown, has been dis-
covered amid a heap of old papers deposited in the
Museum of Douas, by the librarian of that insti-
‘tution, M. Duthillceul,—who has caused it to be
'\printed. The prior’s tomb, in the chancel of the
church of St. Nicholas, Yarmouth, was opened on
_\Monday week, and found to contain, in a white
_ Purbeck marble coffin, a skeleton in good preser-

vation, but evidently disfasted during a previous
| opening, it is supposed in 1650. No challice, pas-
toral staff, &c,, were found, though other traces of
"high ebelisiasticnl rank are said to have been noted.
| St. John’s Church, Hurst, was consecrated on
\Monday week. It is in the early English style of
ithe 13th century. Internally it is about 69 feet
“long; by about 45 feet wide, and divided into a
|mave and side aisles. The proprietors of the
Sheffield Times have offered a prize of £10 for the
Ibest essay on the present condition and future pros-
|\pects of the staple trades of Sheffield. Final
arrangements have been made for the removal of
| the screen in front of the British Museum. During

| ae

|
|
|
!

‘ever, the following method will certainly answer.

| the week, the materials have been brought to the

hammer—and, in the preliminary sense, “ knocked
down.” Ina few days, the pile behind will be-
come visible to the passer-by. At the Institute
of British Architects, February 5th, some remarks
were made by Mr. Fergusson, in support of his
published theory that the Mosque of Omar, with
its pointed arches, was the Church of the Holy Se-
pulchre built by Constantine; which gave rise to
some discussion, the author of the paper expressing
his opinion that pointed arches were not to be
found in buildings erected by that Emperor.

Co Correspondents, Ke.
On April the Ist, will be published, Part I,
Price One Shilling, of The
SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

Vi 0
WRAWING BOOK,
WITH DIAGRAMS,

Showing the position of the hand in describing the
primary ornamental curves, &c., and general
rules for Drawing Ornamenta | Foliage,
with a letter-press description.

To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

CONTENTS OF PART 2 oF

Che Wook of Ornamental and Warlp
Penglish Alphabets,
Published on Thursday last, March ist.
Alphabet of Flourished Cyphers, commencing from
A. A. to A. Z. (This Alphabet will be continued

oily till the whole is completed, down
to Z. Z.

Two Alphabets of the Fifteenth Century.

Initial Letters, A. and U. Also an Ornamental
Border-piece, Fifteenth Century.

To be printed in colours, and stitched in a neat
wrapper, price 6d. To be continued monthly.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

Grind the best lamp black up with copal varnish,
and use it rather stiff. If it does not then dry
sufficiently quick, add a little gold size.

“ J. Bell,” (Belper.)—Accept our thanks for
the sketches sent. The. y will be of great value to
us, and we shall be happy to receive the others
mentioned at your carliest convenience.

“A, B.”—You will find the impostures of the
metropolitan lazzaroni fully exposed in a well-
written serial—“‘ The Mendicants of London.”

Part 23 is now ready, Price 10d.

* * Parts I & 2, are re-printed, and will in (future
be "charged at 10d. each. }

—————

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THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[Marcu 17, 1849.

Wow is Art to be Studicy.

: E have on several
occasions expressed our conviction, that to be-
come adequate judges of the perfection or de-
fects of ancient painters and sculptors, the
student must forsake the dead to seek the
living,—not only the living artists, but all per-
vading life. nature is alone the standard by
which Art can be judged, a long and diligent
study of her laws will alone enable him to ar-
bitrate. Every artist has doubtless in his ex-
perience felt humiliated in the presence of this
monitor, after having done all in his power to
rival her, and may have observed, the more
attentive he has been to her instructions the
more sensible he has become of falling short of
excellence ; he may recollect, too, after having
neglected the study of nature for any consider-
able time, in again contemplating his per-
formance, which before disgusted him, while
in the habit of referring to his arche-types,
that he found his acuteness of perception
blunted: the odious comparison forgotten,
he wondered at his own power. To the
thoughtful, this self-satisfied condition is a
strong symptom of decay, and a powerful in-
citement to future diligence. If we find the
artist’s power of discrimination falls off when
the study of nature is neglected, how shall we
estimate the authority and judgment of those
who never receive the impetus to observe with
the constant and minute attention of the prac-
tical man? [It may be suggested that art may
be understood in theory without the power of
practice ; we do not believe it possible. Sha-
dowy nothings may, perhaps, be possessed ;
[but such a theory never rises to that power of

perception which appears to be an extension
of sensibility, in the direction in which sense
is continually exercised by the practical man.
How often is wonder expressed at his subtle-
ness of discrimination; his detection of flaws
and imperfections quite imperceptible to the
ordinary observer?—many consider it to be
only an ill-natured disposition to find fault.
On the other hand, the practical man regards
the want of discriminating power as blindness
in those who cannot detect the subtle merits
and defects which he does. A man must cer-
tainly have some sort of theory before he ad-
dresses himself to practice, to preside over
action; he must have a pre-notion of the
means to attain the end proposed, which may
be right or wrong, as results will reveal to him.
In his first efforts, his theories are constantly
meeting with contradictions,—thus in theo-
rizing, practising, failing, practice and theory
mutually act and re-act on each other, till,
‘« dangerous” being marked on every side, he
discovers a safe path between. Practical men
may record, and by this means critics, perhaps,
pick up a species of theoretical experience ;
but it is knowledge at ‘‘ second-hand.”” Books
can never give allthe ramifications nor vitality
of real experience, for, says the proverb, “ex-
perience taught is never equal to experience
bought.”” It is amusing to hear how men of
parrot information lecture those from whom
they have imperfectly derived it. Theory and
practice are soul and body; separate them,
practice is dead—theory soars into impracti-
cability.

We advocate a national collection of pictures
and sculptures arranged chronologically, but
not an eXtravagant outlay to obtain the origi-
nals of past epochs. Let good copies be com-
missioned of those pictures and sculptures
considered the chefs-d’auvre of each period of
development, to teach men that art, like other
emanations of life, is progressively developed.
The Glypthothek at Munich is a model for
arrangement. Commencing with Egyptian,
the rubble on which the superstructure of
Greek art was raised, the visitor passes on to
view remains of Greek sculpture, which bear
on them more or less the types of the gods
imported by the Asiatic and Egyptian colo-
nists; passing on to the marbles of Egina,
thence to the Hall of Apollo, containing the

————_ ~
rr

202

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

—. =

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remains of productions which more immedi-
ately preceded the age of Phidias, and in
which the rigidity of former periods relaxes ;
and thus leading him on to the climax of
Greek art, and, afterwards, to witness its de-
cline. The contemplation of these sculptures,
or those of our own British Museum—of the
works of painters, from Giotto to Raffaelle,
and the decadence of Italian art—do they not
all inform us of an ancient and foreign influ
ence first cast aside, then of a servile and rigid
adherence to particular forms in sculpture, in
painting, hair, wrinkles, and every minute in-
dividuality, and that as experience increased,
handed down from master to pupil, Art ob-
||tained the power of discriminating and se-
lecting? It may be observed that Art has
always advanced steadily on the inductive
principle—rising from particulars to generals,
—a system that has always been attended with
good practical results. In all branches of
knowledge, the final effort being to systematize
the accumulation of experience into order and
unity, the perfect understanding of the whole
involves the knowledge of its component parts.
When the study of Art was substituted for the
greater authority of nature, and principles for
guidance were attempted to be deduced from
it, Art fell. Let it always be remembered that
nature was the antique of antiquity.

The slow though certain progress of induc-
tive attainment is opposed to the selfish and
mistaken ambition of the present day, which
is, too often, we fear, content with the sem-
blance of a front of strength which must be
conscious of a frightful hollowness within;
failing the strong skeleton and vitality of truth,
the fear of being crushed is ever present. To
avoid this, let every man walk obedient in the
path of duty for truth’s sake, always with
hopeful delight, reflecting that whatever his
attainments may be, the next age will surpass
him; recollect there is always ‘to learn—man
at his highest is but scholar, never master.

Geometrical Proportion.—At the conversational
meeting of the York Philosophical Society, on the
25th ult., Mr. F. Jones read a paper on the geomet-
rical proportion of Gothic architecture, as intro-
duced by Mr. Griffith in his work on that subject;
and showed by examples that there was no doubt
of the application of the system in the plan of
York Minster, Selby, Skelton, and other churches.

On the Abuse of Werandahs, &e.

In our rambles through some of the avenues,
streets, and thoroughfares lined with villas, cres-
cents, terraces, detached and semi-detached
houses with which the suburbs of our great
metropolis abound, we fell to meditating on our
changeable seasons that give us a taste of the
climates of every country. The day which
commenced with an intense frost, with a glim-
mering of sunshine, turned to rain, giving an
appearance of gloominess to everything, which'
was considerably increased by our passing a
crescent with balconies and verandahs to the
first-floor windows, and, in addition, a plan-|
tation of trees in front. We shrugged our)
shoulders, and thought how dreary must be
that sitting room that excluded the slightest
natural warmth of the sun. Weare no enemies)
to verandahs, as in summer they are agreeable ;'
but for that very reason in winter they are very;
disagreeable. Again, the window itself comes)
down to the floor, and opens on to the balcony
—vastly agreeable in those months when we
may lounge outside and peruse a book, but as
disagreeable on a winter's evening, as its many)
draughts prevent the room getting thoroughly
heated by the largest fire. ‘ What, then! are
we to have our windows plain enough for a
workhouse?”’?—-some one might exclaim. No;
for a summer room should be shaded and open
to the air, while a winter room should be open)
to the sun. Verandahs should be used only in
the summer months, and removed on the near
approach of winter. We are in favour of bal-|
conies, especially when graced by a few flower-|
ing or creeping plants, and would suggest that,
in small houses, instead of the common cill to;
windows, a stone shelf should project about a
foot, with light iron work round it. This would
enable all who had a taste for flowers to place
their pots without endangering the heads of
those below. We are no friends to creepers
against brickwork, knowing their destructive
powers; yet we confess that Albert and Victoria
villas become almost pleasing when covered by
verdure. Who does not recollect the old Ivy
House, in the Upper-street, Islington? The
destruction of that house did more to bring Is.
lington into London, than all the plastered
houses built before its demolition.

| G@Aorks of Art in Waris.

— ee

In Paris, the Exhibiton of the works of living
artists is fixed to ppen in the Palais National on the
15th of May. Here,as in so many other direc-
tions, the republicanism of a year ago has under-
gone aserious modification. That calenture of the
national brain to which all impossible things seem-
ed easy, has cooled down before the lessons of an
instant experience. ‘ Every man an artist, and to
every man the first place in Art,’”” being found not
to work, asa principal, tothe glory of French Art,
has been formally ignored. A year ago Parnassus
was open grouud—like Icarie: now sentinels are
again established on the pathways leading fo im-
mortality, to examine the credentials of candidates.
Works of Art, areonce more admitted to exhibi-
tion on the verdict of the jury .—but the artists
themselves are constituency by whom that jury are
directly elected. The new regulations prescribe a
special jury for each annual exhibition. Every ar-
tist on sending in his work may deposit in an urn
the names of the jurors of his choice. The urns
will be three in number: one for Painters, Engra-
vers, and lithographers—one for Sculptors and En-
eravers of medals—and one for Architects.— Every
artist in the first or these categories may write fif-
teen names on his bulletin—in the second, nine—
in the third, five. The-urns will be opened by the
|Director of the Fine Arts in the presence of the
President of the Academy of Fine Arts, the Presi-
dent of the Commission of Fine Arts, and the
Director of the Museums. Out of their contents
three special juries will be formed: the first con
sisting of twelve painters oramateurs, the two en-
gravers, and the one lithographer, who shall have
the relative majority in that section—the second, ot
the seven sculptors or amateurs and the two medal]
engravers similarly indicated—the third, of the
five architects or amateurs.
thejudge in its own section ; determining by the
majority, and an equality of votes being a decision
in favour ef admission. Certain works are ex-
empted from this ordeal—but the cases are those
only which denote “foregone conclusions” of the
\highest kind. The privileges are those of recogni-
sed genius—such as members of the Institute, the
grand prize-men of Rome, artists who have been
decorated for their works, and medalists of the
first and second classes. These are titles of art-
nobilty ; and the works of such are to pass un-
questioned on the strength of the old testimonial.
The “ hanging” (as wellas the judging) is to be
done by the jury—under the presidency of the Di-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

mens of recent British manufacture and decorative

sence of the Duke of Buccleugh, who was expected,
members on the important character of the pre-
into some particulars as to the award of prizes.

gold and silver, to which her Majesty, amongst

others, has contributed.

who were not professional wood carvers, with the
view of encouraging a home occupation. The re-
sult appears satisfactory as a commencement: the

Each jury will be

2038
rector of the Fine Arts. After the close of the Ex- "
hibition, all exhibitors will be summoned to an
annual sitting, at which rewards of varions degrees
will be conferred, {The organization is ingenious—

and as republican as is compatible with the effect-
ing of its objects.

Mlanutactures and Decorations at the
Soctety of Aris.

A LARGE number of persons assembled in the
Society’s rooms on Wednesday evening at the
opening of the third annual exhibition, of speci-
art. Sir John Boileau took the chair, in the ab-

while the energetic secretary of the society, Mr.
Scott Russell, read a report, congratulating the

sent collection, and the progress of the society
(it now numbers 569 subscribers), and entering

The exhibition is particularly rich in works in

At the suggestion of Prince Albert, prizes were
offered for wood-carvings, executed by artizans

first prize was awarded to G. Cook, son of the
gate-keeper, at Hyde-park-corner.

A Bowling Saloon, on the American principle,
has been recently got up at Liverpool, in a very
showy style, it appears; and with five bowling
alleys, and, of course, ‘a commodious bar,’ and
suitable lounges and refreshment-rooms, &e. “The
entrance,” saysa Liverpool paper, ‘consists of a
vestibule, enriched with windows. of stained glass,
and profusely decorated with ornaments in white
and gold, and communicates with the interior by
handsome folding-doors. The internal appearance
on entering is extremely handsome and striking,
the walls being divided into compartments, in each
of which is a landscape, drawn ina masterly style
by an artist of celebrity, and ornaments of papier
mdché and gutta percha gilded are introduced in
abundance, and with great skill and effect. The
bowling-alleys have cireular projections at the ends}
surmounted by statues. The saloon is fitted up in
the richest style of splendour.” The whole con-
cern was designed and executed by Messrs. Furness
and Kilpin.

=|
THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 205

d
}
'
ROMAN HELMET, FROM THE ARCH OF CONSTANTINE.

pease ie Se

206 THE

Professor Wockerels BWeetures on
Architecture.

THE Professor delivered another lecture at the

| Royal Academy, on Thursday, the 25th ult., on
the two cardinal principles in design, namely, first,

precedent or authority, and second, invention exer-
cised by new elements. With regard to the first,
he said that it was the great duty of institutions
jike the academy to direct attention to the’mode!s
of antiquity, and to indicate the authors who were
to be consulted. It was its office to stand, in the
full conservative spirit, in opposition to all depre-
ciation of tried experience. On a proper under-
standing of these models depends the true value of
the precedent. The love of it must not, however,
be allowed to hold entire possession of the archi~
tect, or it would easily degenerate into superstition.
Two states of the mind, therefore were necessary,

we were to dispense with neither one or the other:
each kad claims—each defects.

We might reflect that the intellectual man /was
compounded of knowledge, stored up in his early
days. The appetite was suited to the age. The
time came when he repented of every idle hour,
and when he had to employ the knowledge he
might possess. He would become deeply sensible
of the value of information, and would be impres-
sed with a wholesome reverence for precedent, but
feeling these, he must guard against the danger of
superstition and pedantry, which might tend to the

-|dogmatic belief in no other model than the parti-

cular one he set up for himself, or no other master
than the one from whom he gained his assumed
precepts. Some inthe love of novelty might de-
preciate former things; but it was hardly possible

for an artist of sensibility to contemplate, without

emotion, the monuments of former art, such as so
powerfully impressed the mind of Brunelleschi in
the grand monuments of ancient Rome.

We'must enter into the considerations of struc-
ture inour buildings, and turn peculiar require-
ments into peculiar advantages.

We must impress our works with a character pe-
culiarly their own, and not afford the opportunity
of a contrast, such as that between the old truth
and beauty of the portraits of the old a and
the portraits of our grandfathers.

On the other hand, the professor continued, we
had to deal with the innovators in art, and these
were of two kinds. We had those} who professed

have discovered some entirely new principle, or

the one retrospective, the other prospective, and |

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

made some new invention, and who argued with a
certain shew of reason. . Such theories tight, or
might not, be correct, but we were not able to get
ourselves to understand and assent to them. The
injustice to the authors of such theories could not
be avoided, and they must be content, if able, to,
rank themselves with Socrates, and others who!
were before their age, and whose opinions sooner or
later might prevail. Others there were who la-.
boured to shew the defects in the present practice
of the art, and what ought to have been avoided
in this work or the other. But these gave us no-'
thing in the place of what they condemned,—no|
stable principles,—but confessed that they must be) |’
left to time to unfold. It must of course be recol-
lected that there were two parties to all inventions,
namely those who originated, and those who re-
ceived the invention, that was to say, the public.)
The elements of our art, indeed, were few, but were
capable of a multitude of combinations.

|
}

The professor then, to illustrate the snbject fur-|
ther, glanced at the progress of invention, as seen’
in some of the most important examples of archi-.
tecture. Commencing with the trabeated, or post.
and-beam system, he showed that this, whether,
amongst the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Druids, o,
other nations, continued for a long period to hold’
possession of the art. Variations of character!
were effected by variations of size, or by other
means, as for example, sculptured decoration, and)
the arch known to the early Egyptians, and used)
at an early period by the Romans in works of utility,
did not for centuries create any change in the deco-
rative character of buildings. Instances of the,
importance of the arch in Roman architecture,|
were shewn in one of the sections of the temples
at Bialbec, and in that of Venus at Rome. In the
latter, the vault which formed the ceiling was 70
feet inspan. Before alluding to the use of the arch
in the Roman therme, he described the correspon-
ing buildings of Greece, or gymnasia. He said,
we must still hope for further enlightenment on the|
arrangement of these buildings, which, existing at
such places as Hierapolis, and Alexandria Troas, it
would be extremely interesting to find contempo-
rary with Alexander. He gave a striking instance
of the importance attached to gymnasia, and of
their magnitnde, in shewing that the gymnasium)
at Ephesus was one of three which existed in that
city, and, by one of his clever comparative plans,|
that the building would cover a square space ex-
tending from the back of the Horse Guards up to)
the enclosure of the park. He also showed how
Mr. Wilkins, who was the first to clear up the diffi-)
culties of the other commentators of Vitruvius,|
developed the plan of the building in accordance)

Sau pas sea ca cS ccc I RR

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

plana ality chiseled ssatinlbypeet der bnirivisi hile i een ee eee

with the description of the author. Passing on to
the therme, he showed the vast extent of the baths
of Caracella, which would cover a space equal to
that enclosed by Pall Mall, St. James’s-street,
Piccadilly, and Regent-street. He pointed out the
beautiful forms, and the variety in the plans of the
different apartments, and the effective introduction
of apsidal and circular forms, and showed the im-
mense size of the cella solaris,the dome of which
‘was second only to that of the Pantheon. He also
spoke of the ingenuity in providing the necessary
abutments for those vast vaults, by disposition of
the walls of the different apartments.

Photogenic Mratoing.

THE idea of photogenic drawing appears to have
been originally suggested by the celebrated Wedge-
wood, who conceived the possibility of devising
some mode of rendering the singular property—
which has been long known to chemists—possessed
by nitrate of silver of discolouring, or darkening,
when exposed to the violet rays of light, subser-
vient to the retention of the beautiful shadowy fi-
gures formed by means of the camera obscura.—
Mr. Wedgwood communicated his conjectures in
this respect to Sir Humphry Davy, and the two
then engaged in a series of experiments (recorded
in the Journal of the Royal Institution for 1802),
which, however, terminated in failure from the in-
ability they laboured under to restrain the further
action of the light after the reflection had been
produced, or, in other terms, so to arrest a conti-
nuous action as to prevent the same natural process
which had formed the picture from also destroying
it, by blackening the rest of the paper. M. Niepce,
a French chemist, about the year 1814, next de-
voted some attention to this subject, and, after pro-
secuting his researches for several years alone, he
formed the acquaintance of M. Daguerre, whose
studies, it so happened, were directed to the same
object. These two gentlemen then continued their
experiments in concert, and philosophical acumen
and perseverance were ultimately rewarded by
their being enabled, in 1839, to announce the com-
pleted discovery of the Daguerreotype, and effec-
tually to remove the chief cause of the unfavour-
able result of the previous efforts made by Mr.
|| Wedgewood and Sir H. Davy.

kept until the month of July in the same year,
when the French chamber of Deputies granted an
annual pension of 6,000 francs to M. Daguerre,
and one of 4,000 franes to the son of M. Niepce,

The secret of the Daguerreotype process was |

207

with a reversion of half the respective amounts to
their wives, in consideration of their making pub-
lic the details of so important an addition to the
powers of science.

But, as it has been subsequently proved, the con-
joint discoveries made by the Frenchmen, M.*Da-
guerre and M. Niepce, were only contemporaneous
with those of a countryman of our own, Mr. Fox
Talbot. Thus by one of those singular coinci-
dences which sometimes produce the association of
the same leading idea at the same time n different
minds, it now appears that the three gentlemen
above named were each pursuing, unconsciously to
each other, a course of experiments almost iden-
tical, and, yet more surprising, that their respective
researches were simultaneously rewarded by similar
results. One obvious difference, however, between
the thus contemporaneously-discovered process of
MM. Daguerre and Niepce, and that of Mr. Talbot,
was that the former had metal plates on which to

receive impressions, whereas the latter used pre-| |

pared paper.

A review of these circumstances demonstrates
the fact that it was known that an image or picture
might be produced by the action of light on ni-
trate of silver more than a quarter of a century
since by Wedgewood and Davy, but that the prime
difficulty was to fix the image, and in this consists
the value of the discovery made by Daguerre,
Niepce, and TaJbot.

To this mere outline of the history of photogra-
phy we shall only add that it has been much in-
debted to the subsequent researches of Sir J. Her-
schel, Fyfe, Hunt, Penton, Donne, Draper, Bac-

querell, Redman, &c., and proceed at once to make, |
our readers acquainted with the principal modes of,

practising the science itself, according to the diffe-

|rent processes recommended by Talbot and Da-||
. We shall best satisfy the curiosity of such,
of our readers who may hitherto have merely had|
their attention excited in this respect by availing, |

guerre.

ourselves of the opportunity of abridging, and ex-
tracting from, the directions contained in an admi-
rable little manual now before us.

We will, next “week, first describe the Talbot

‘Cart and mystery” of photogenic drawing on pa-|'

per (the simplest form of photography); then the
Daguerreotype process of obtaining pictures on
metal plates; and, lastly, the beautiful process of
the calotype.

\ |

Ar the weekly meeting of the Society of Anti
quaries on Thursday last, an announcement was:
made from the chair that will give general satisfac-
tion. Itwas stated that Viscount Mahon had re-)
solved on giving an annual summary of incidents, |
and an obituary notice of distinguished fellows.

208

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

An Llustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used th Architectural and
Entevior Mecoration, Ke.

(Continued from page 198.)

LasBeEt. In architecture, the drip or hood-
moulding of an arch, when it is returned square.

LABYRINTH. A building full of numerous and
intricate passages. The most celebrated labyrinth
of antiquity was that of Egypt, which was situated
above Lake Merris, near Crocodilopolis, or Arsinoé,
in the district now called Fium. The builder of it,
or the use to which it was applied are unknown.

LABYRINTH FRET. A very ancient ornament,
in form of a labyrinth, with numerous turnings
and involutions.

Lacunar. Panels or coffers in ceilings or in the
soffits of cornices ; the flat roof of a room; a roof
when vaulted was termed camera.

Laconicum. One of the apartments of the
ancient baths, so called from its having been first
used in Laconia.

Lapy CHapeu. The name given to a small
chapel generally found in ancient cathedrals, be-
hind the screen of the high altar. It is usually de-
dicated to the Virgin Mary, called by the Catholics
Our Lady.

LANTERN. In Gothic architecture, a turret,
placed above a building, and pierced with windows.
Beautiful specimens of the ornamented open lan-
tern are preserved in the cathedrals of Peterboro’,
and Ely. Lanterns of open stone-work, erected on
lofty church towers, of 2 more recent date than the
Anglo-Norman era, are supposed by some writers
{to have been intended to hold lights in aid of the
traveller. The lantern of the steeple of Boston
church, Lincolnshire, Mr. Britton says, was no
doubt, intended to be lighted at night for a sea-
mark. The church of All Saints, at York, has a
lantern much resembling it, and tradition tells us
that anciently a large lamp hung in it, which was
lighted in the night-time as a mark for travellers
to aim at in their passage over the immense forest
of Galtres to this city. The name of lantern is
also given to a square cage of carpentry placed over
the ridge of a corridor or gallery, between two
rows of shops, to give light.

LARARIUM.

A kind of domestic chapel in the

Roman houses, dedicated to the worship of their
household gods.

LatH Bricks. A particular sort of brick,
made in some parts of England, of twenty-two
inches in length, and six inches broad. They are
used for drying malt, for which they are well adap-
ted, and retain heat a long time.

LATTICE. A reticulated window, made of laths
or slips of iron, separated by glass panes, and only

used where air, rather than lightis to be admitted,
as in cellars and dairies,

Lavra. A collection of little cells, or monkish
habitations contiguous to each other, in which in
ancient times hermits lived together in a wilderness. ||
Of the most celebrated Lauras of antiquity were
that of St. Euthymius, four or five leagues from
Jerusalem ; the Laura of St. Saba, near the brook
Cedron; and that of the Towers, near Jordan.

Layer. A stratum or row, one laid upon ano-
ther: applied to stones or bricks, and synonymous
with courses.

LAZARETTO. A hospital for the reception of
persons sick of contagious diseases, the wards of
which are quite isolated.

LEAN-To. The name given toa small building

-whose side-walls and roof project from the wall of,

a larger building.

LepcGers. The horizontal pieces fastened to the
standard poles or timbers of scaffolding raised
round buildings during their erection ; those which
rest upon the ledgers are called putlogs, and on
these the boards for working upon are laid.

Lees (of an Hyperbola). ‘The two parts on each
side the vertex.

(To be continued.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

209

Rewards for Art-Manutfactures.

——

WE insert the following remarks which were ad-
dressed to the Builder, as a proof of the system
which is too often adopted, of rewarding wealthy
manufacturers for their productions, instead of the
talented workmen employed in their invention and
execution. At the exhibition of recent British
“manufactures and decorative art, at the house of

the Society of Arts, there is a copy of the famous |

shield modelled by Pitts,and the catalogue states
that a prize has been awarded to Messrs. Hunt and
Roskill for the exhibition of this shield of Aineas-
It would be interesting tothe public to know on
‘what ground this prize is awarded ; is it for the
| excellence of the electro-type deposit, or simply
| for the exhibition of the work of another? I pre-
| sume the latter,—as numerous wealthy manufactu-
ers and dealers figure prominently in the list as
exhibitors, while little is said or known of the ar-
tists whose works they parade. The wording of
the catalogue with regard to this shield is so ambi-
‘guous that many persons may suppose Pitts never
completed the same ; and it is desirable that the
public should know that he did so. Pitts after
modelling this shield, executed a cast, finely finish-
ed, in plaster of Paris, and this cast was seen by
,many of the Royal Academicians, and most mem-
bers of the Graphic Society,—and, if my memory
‘do not fail me, it was exhibited at Somerset House.
After the completion of the plaster shield, he com-
enced the execution of a copy in silver, after the
old manner of working silver—viz., by taking a
cast, in pitch and resin, of one of the compart-
ments of the shield, and laying over it a sheet of
‘Silver, and by continual hard pressure and ham-
mering bringing the silver to the form of the pitchy
model. The work was then finished by the punch
and graver, and such tools as are employed in sil-
ver-chasing. He had completed several of these
plates, when, in a fit of bodily and mental anguish
and despair, aggravated by poverty staring him in
the face, he terminated his existence. He left be-
hind him, besides this shield, another, called by
‘him the shield of Hercules; and it would be curi-
‘ous to know what sum his poor widow and children

received for these models 3 also what went with his

‘beautiful group—the Pleiades adorning Night—
|\and some other of his works. The shield of neas
‘is the finest composition in the present exhibition :
| and it is melancholy to think that wealthy exhibi-
tors are receiving a testimonial for the work, while
\the poor artist, whose poetical genius entered into
the spirit of Virgil, and gave form to this grand

eee lies forgotten in his grave.

The Chronotpyptst.

PLANS are required for the erection of a corn
exchange and other buildings in the town of North-
ampton, at an outlay not exceeding 8,0007.——St.
Mary Redcliffe church, Bristol, is now kept open
for visitors the whole day, free of any fee-——A
proposition has been laid before the Senate of the
United States to construct a telegraphic commu-
nication through the Atlantic Ocean, from the
coast of Newfoundland to the nearest cape of Ire-
land.——A correspondent, writing from Naples
under date of the Ist ult., savs—‘‘ Within the last
month Versuvius has been singularly active, and
two large. streams of lava issued forth, taking the
direction of Boscotrecase and Ottaiajano. After

-cansing much fear and injury, the mouths whence

these issued, closed again. Within a day or two,
however, the mountain has become particularly
active, and a large stream of lava is coming down
the east side, in the direction of the villa of Prince
Ottaiajano, which it threatens to destroy, having
already entered the grounds.”——At a recent
meeting of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Prof.
Smyth gave a short account of an electrical clock
fitted with a new apparatus, which may enable an
observer to divide:a second into a hundred parts in
taking the transit of astar. It is the invention of
an officer in the American navy, and consists of a
dial plate (attached to the clock), with a scale in
which a minute of time occupies a space of nearly
aninch. On this scale the moment of transit is
marked instantaneously by touching akey. When
two towns, however distant, are connected by the
wires of the telegraph, their difference of longi-
tude may be found with the aid of this invention,
by two observers taking transits of the same stars
at the two places, and with great accuracy. Prof,
Smyth thinks that the apparatus promises to be
very useful, though it may not probably realize all
the advantages anticipated by the inventor.——
We have to announce the death of Mr. David
Robinson, at Wickham, Hants—whither he had
gone for the benefit of his health. Though little
known by name, Mr. Robinson was for many years
a contributor to the leading magazines: his wri-
tings in which often displayed great power and ex-
cited much attention. Mr. Robinson was however,
one of those victims with which the bye places of
literature abound,—for want of ‘some institution
within the republic of letters itself on which the
sick and the destitute might have a citizen’s claim.
After years of hardly requited toil, his latter days

———————————

210

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

were tortured by an amouut of distress and des-
titution such as seldom falls to the lot even of the
suffering class to which he belonged.—HHe has left a
wife and aged mother to an inheritance of his suf-
ferings aggravated by the memory of his loss, ——=_=
There is a great scheme on foot for an extensive
excavation of the ancient remains of Assyria, at
Babylon as well as at Nineveh, in concert with the
Sultan, who is himself forming a National Mu-
seum. After having acquired for our country at a
nearly nominal expenditure a collection of such
rare treasures as the Nineveh Marbles, valued ata
price varying from 40,0001., to 50,0007., our Go-
vernment has granted the insignificant sum of
1,50007. ‘for further researches. This is not in

||the spirit with which Mr. Layard’s book has been

received by the public: for a second edition of
2,000 copies has been sold to the trade before they
were ready for issue.

Institute of British Architects.—On March the
5th, T. Bellamy, V.P. in the chair.—R. L. Sibley,
Esq. was elected an Associate.—A paper was read
‘On the probable Form and Design of the Temple
of Solomon at Jerusalem,’ by E. J’Anson, Jun.
Mr. I’Anson alluded to the numerous and unsatis-
factory couclusions of the various authors who have
written on this subject or attempted to make de-
signs for the restoration of the building in question ;
and also the circumstance of its still occupying the
attention of the curious, has no less than eighteen
works on the subject have been recently advertised
in a German catalogue. He describes his restora-
tion as partaking more of a Tyro-Egyptian style of
architecture than that of Greece,—as been sugges-
ted by the late Mr. Wilkins, in his Preface to ‘The
Antiquities of Magna Grecia.’ In the discussion
which ensued it was suggested that the discoveries
at Nineveh might eventually throw much light on
the subject.

SOCIETY MEETINGS FOR THE PRESENT
WEEK.

Mon.—Geographical, half past 8, P.M.—Royal
Academy, 8.—Sculpture.

TuES.—Zoological, 9—Mr. Huxley, R.N., ‘On the
Animals ‘of Trigonia.’—Mr. G. R. Gray
‘On a New Species of Glareola.’—Mr. A.

White ‘ On the Species of Fish known to
Ancients,’ &e.—Institution of Civil En-
gincers, 8—Royal Institution, half-past
8—Dr. Carpenter ‘ On Paleontology.’

Weps.—Literary Fund, 8—College of ee
4—Lumleian.

TuuRs.—Antiquaries, 8—Royal, half-past 8—Sta-
tistical, 8—General Anniversary. —Royal
Institution, half past 8—Dr. Gull ‘On
Physiology of Digestion.’—Royal Aca~-

demy, 8—Painting.

Fri.—Royal Institinion, half-past 8—Prof. Cow-
per ‘ On the Mechanism of Telescopes.’—
College of Physcians, 4—Lumleian.

Sat.—Royal Institntion , half-past 8—Prof. Brande
‘On Chemical Philosophy.’—Asiatic, 2.

Ho Corresponvents, Ke.
On April the Ist, will be published, Part I,
Price One Shilling, of The
SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

CRAWING BOOK,
WITH DIAGRAMS,

Showing the position of the hand in describing the
primary ornamental curves, &c., and general
rules for Drawing Ornamenta | Foliage,
with a letter-press description.

To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

CONTENTS OF PART 2 oF

Che wook of Ornamental and Barly

English Alphabets,
Published on Thursday last, March Ist.
Alphabet of Flourished Cyphers, commencing from
A. A.to A. Z. (This Alphabet will be continued
monthly, till the whole is completed, down
to Z. Z.
Two Alphabets of the Fifteenth Century.
Initial Letters, A. and U. Also an Ornamental
Border-piece, Fifteenth Century.

To be printed in colours, and stitched in a neat
wrapper, price Gd. To be continued monthly.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

“ Samuel Burnett.” —Accept our thanks for the|
sketch sent.

“< J. Karby,’—Address to No. 145, Praed-st.
Paddington.
QUERY.
Can any of our readers inform us how Stearine
is applied to produce a shining appearance on
plaster casts?

Communications, Books for Review, Specimens
of Inventions, &c., to be addressed to “the Editor
of the DecoraTor’s Assistant, 17 Holywell-
street, Strand, London.” —We shall at all times
be extremely obliged to such of our provincial
readers as will favor us with local information
connected with lectures delivered at Mechanics’
Institutions, the fine arts, science, Sc.

* *Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them.

*,*Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in futare
be charged at 10d. each.

bse AD ISS OE 2 eNO Y BIBe Sa te PE ER SP rere

Bee
1

No. 98.—Vot. 1V.]

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR AN ALTAR CRUCIFIX.

SaTURDAY,]

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[Marcu 24, 1849.

Bene ee eee ——e

Peraldic Grrorvs
ON THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.

LTHOUGH royal com-
missioners have been appointed, and premiums
offered and awarded for the most perfect de-
signs for decorating the interior of the new
Houses of Parliament, it seems strange, “‘pas-
sing strange,” that the heraldic adornments of
the exterior should have been left to those who
were evidently incompetent to the undertaking ;
and, although many of the inaccuracies have
been pointed out in the proper quarter, no at-
tempt has been made to correct them, even as
far as it were possible to do so; and how these
egregious errors have been explained away
and suffered to remain, is a complete mystery.
It seems that the royal commissioners had no
control over the decorations of the exterior,
and have, perhaps, no power to correct its
errors.

Every gentleman is not a herald; and if
those intrusted with the selection of the he-
raldic decorations of the exterior were not suf.
ficiently acquainted with the science of heraldry
to judge accurately of the correctness of these
designs, the College of Arms was certainly the
legitimate source to obtain the information ;
and the heralds would have furnished the ne-
cessary designs with scientific accuracy and
proper arrangement, instead of the sad jumble
of hieroglyphical, nondescript, ill-formed de-
vices with which many of the shields, sur-

mounted with royal diadems (or what are)

meant to represent such), are charged, and

which would even disgrace the leaden dump of
a school-boy, rudely designed from a still ruder
imagination.

Architecture, History, and Heraldry are so
nearly allied, and so closely connected, that it
is as necessary to preserve the accuracy of the
one as the other; for want of this systematic
arrangement the two latter might easily con-
tradict each other,—and, if the strange devices||
upon the exterior of the new Houses of Par-
liament be called heraldry, it would be equally
correct to jumble the different orders of archi-
tecture together, with other whimsical fancies
that could not be traced to any of them, and
call the heterogeneous mass an architectural
building. and it certainly would have been
more consistent to have selected known de-
vices, however ridiculous—placing them on,
shields, calling it heraldry—than the nondes-
cript charges which appear on many of them.

Writers who have attempted to prove the
very great antiquity of heraldry, have failed in
the attempt; and, although Holy Writ has
been quoted in support of it, the standards
mentioned in the Book of Numbers, which
the Rabbis ventured to describe, seem merely
to have been taken from the allegorical des-
cription by which Jacob, on his deathbed,
characterised the families of his children;
giving to Judah a lion—Issachar an ass—
Benjamin a wolf—and the like. It has also)
been asserted that Noah gave arms to his sons;
other writers have assigned the origin of arms,
to the Egyptians; but, amid these conflicting
opinions, one thing is certain, that much of
our heraldry came in with the Conquest, and
was not generally borne, or systematically or-
ganized, till the first Crusade in the time of
our first Richard, in the twelfth century; and,
though heraldry may be said to have originated
in the earliest feudal times, it only gradually
arose into a complete system, under the ma-
nagement of officers of arms, about the time
of Henry I.; and the heralds did not act in a)
collegiate capacity till the reign of Edward VI.!
—nearly four centuries after the first Cru-/
sade.

In England the honourable and gentlemanly
science of heraldry never has attained to the
rank it held in other countries. The days of
chivalry are past—the wager of battle, single
combat, the joust or tournament, and other

212

martial excrcises of arms, have long since been
laid aside, and knight errantry forgotten, or
remembered only in romance or ancient le-
gends; but, although this has been the case,
will it be said that heraldry is no longer to be
of any consideration in this country—a mere
bauble only with which triflers can alone be
pleased; and that it is now unnecessary to
hand down to posterity the heroic deeds of a
zvelson or a Wellington, upon their shields of
arms, to stimulate others to future acts of bra-
very, recording such acts in history only, and
to be borne no longer upon the shield as the
proud emblem of heroism to after ages? But
\if heraldry is thus to be set at nought by mo-
dern architects, and any kind of hieroglyphic
or ridiculous device is to be placed on shields
merely for the sake of ornament, rather than
the proud trophies of heroic actions, there will
very soon be nothing left to record to the eye
what may soon be forgotten by the heart, and
kings, princes, nobles, and the heroes who
have fought our battles by sea and land, and
bled in defence of their country, will have no
exterior trophy left to show their merit, and
define their dignities above the level of ordi-
nary men who can boast neither the one nor
the other—a kind of levelling system which the
destruction of heraldry would go far—very far
indeed—to accomplish

Having said thus much upon the science of
heraldry, and the contempt it is likely to be
brought into by its subserviency to, or rather
degradation in, modern architecture, we will
next proceed to the more immediate object of
this address, by pointing out the many errors
and inaccuracies which presented themselves
upon a mere cursory view of the exterior of
the building, and which it is feared would have
been much more numerous and extensive had
better opportunities been afforded for obser-
vation.

Tee ET

Importance of the Stuy of Besiqn.

FREEMASONS OF THE. CHURCH.

At a meeting of this institution held on the
13th of February, at 49, Great Marlborough-
street, the Rev..G. Pocock, L.L.B., V.P., in
the chair, a vuluable paper was read by Mr.

a fn Ia RR a SS EPR PEE EE OVE gS RSS a Od OR a

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

W. Smith Williams, ‘On the importance of a}
knowledge and observance of the principles of}
Art by Designers,” a subject of the highest}’
importance to a civilized community, but pecu-|
liarly interesting to our readers. The lecturer]|
jn accordance with the scientific tendency of,
the body he was addressing, commenced by an
examination of those principles upon which
depends the success of architectural endeavours,
and gradually descended to a review of the|
sister arts in their intricate ramifications at the
present day, observing that an accurate imi-
tation of style is often mistaken for observance
of the principles of Art; but style is only aj
special part of a general comprehensive whole,
By studying the principles of Greek or Chris-
tian architecture and ornament, we may imi-
tate these styles to admiration; but somefhing)|
more is required in order to invent. It then
becomes necessary to investigate, understand,
and act upon those broad fundamental princi-
ples which form the basis of all Art, and
apply equally to every style, past, present, or
to come; for without a due observance of
principles, ingenuity becomes perverted, in-
vention runs wild, and then the types of past
ages must be the moulds in which alone the
ever active mind of genius can pour forth its
ideas with the certainty of their assuming)
shapes of beauty and dignity.

Two distinct movements in opposite direc-
tions are now observed in the world of Art :—
the one is retrograde, the other progressive.|
Upon both these movements Mr. Williams of-|,
fered some lucid observations which we should)
like to give entire, but we must content our-|:
selves with following him to a portion of his
subject which it is indispensable for us to lay
before our readers in a condensed form.

We will then pass to the department of Or-|
namental Art, in which there is most need of
principles to guide inventive talent and adap-)
tive ingenuity. ‘<The value of ornament con-|
sists in its being used to add beauty to common)
things, and to relieve the blankness of bare}
walls, floors, and ceilings. Since the Puritans)
banished colours from English churches until!)
the present time Decorative Art has performed}
perpetual penance in a sheet of whitewash,|
and our national ecclesiastical architecture has
been mutilated and deformed, not only by
tasteless churchwardens, but by accomplished)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

213

architects, who, in respect of English architecture,
were as ignorant as their employers. But let us
not forget what we owe to Wren; nor that to his
discerning encouragement we owe the develop-
ment of the genius of the greatest ornamentist this
country has seen, Grinling Gibbons, whose wood-
carvings have been so well appreciated and emu-
lated in our own day by Mr. W. G. Rogers.

“In entering upon the wide field of ornament,
it becomes necessary to draw a distinct line of de-
marcation between the several branches of orna
mental design; namely, the ornamentation of ar-
chitecture, of vessels, utensils, and implements,
and of textile fabrics. Hach of these is governed
by different principles, but in all the practice of
illusory imitation is alike objectionable. True Art
repudiates shams. The great blank space of raw
white plaster that shocks the sense as well as the
taste in almost every room we enter, from the poor
man’s garret to the gilded saloons of the wealthy,

{jis a relic of puritanical aversion to colour, and the

drab hues that make dreary our parlours and
dining-rooms are only a Quakerish compromise.”

(To be continued.)

Che Wook of Ornamental and Barly
Inglish Alphabets.

WE consider it necessary to make a few remarks
to some of our subscribers who have written to us,
complaining of the use of the Alphabets in the
above work, which had appeared previously in the
“DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.” We were induced
to publish the Alphabets in the form above men-
tioned by numerous applications from subscribers,
who were desirous of haying them in a separate
form, so that they could be easily carried about
from place to place,‘as their professional pursuits
might require. The numbers of the DECcoRATOR’S
ASSISTANT, when bound in volumes, were found
to be too cumberous for that purpose, and injury
often occurred to those portions containing the al-
phabets required. Another class were also anxious
to possess themselves of the Alphabets, who did
not care about the general information contained
in the work. However, in future, all difficulty as
to the originality of the work will cease; and we
may say that it will be henceforth of an original
character, principally through the kindness of a
gentleman placing at our disposal some four or
five hundred alphabets, initial letters, notarial

marks, water marks, autographs, &c., principally
of the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries,

which have been collected from public and private
manuscripts, and not having been previously pub-
lished, it will form one of the most unique works ||
of the present day, and its utility undeniable.—
The book is published monthly in a cheap form, so
as to bring it within the reach of the class whom
we have the honour to address, and the sincere de-
sire to serve—the workman. We refer the reader
to an advertisment in our last column.

@n AGAater-colours for Lluminating
Prints, Ke.

To make a good White for the Ground, for Water
or Oil-Colours, proper in Miniature.

TAKE a pound of glovers’ clippings, put them
to steep in water, and then boiling them in a kettle
with twelve quarts of water till it sinks to two,
strain it through a linen cloth into a new earthen
pan. This is called glove-glue, or size; and to
know whether it be strong enough, it is only ne-
cessary when cold to try whether it be strong
and firm under the hand.

The glue being made, take white chalk, and re-
ducing it to powder, and melting the glue, while
it is hot, put such a quantity of white in it as to
make it as thick as pap; then leave it to steep for
a quarter of an hour, and then stir it with a bristle
brush. Then take some of this white, put more}!
glue to it in order to make it brighter, for the first
or second layer: this must be applied by beating
with the end of a brush. Mind you let every
layer dry well before you put on another. If it is
wood you work on, you must put ona dozen; but
if it is thick paper, six or seven are sufficient.—
This done, take water, and dippiug a soft brush in
it, and draining it with your fingers, rub the work
with it, in order to render it the smoother. When
vour brush ‘is full of white, you must’ wash it
again, and also change the water when it is too
white. You may likewise sometimes make use of
a wet linen rag instead of a brush. Your work
being very even, let it dry, and when it is so, rub
it with shave grass, or a bit of new linen cloth, to
make it soft and free.

Crockford’s Club-house, St. James’s-street, is
being scraped down externally, and is about to be
decorated internally, for (as we are told) a Militia
Club. A correspondent remarks on the improve-
ment to the front of this building, which has seve-
ral good qualities, that might be made by the ad-
dition of a portico or porch. The suggestion is
well worth the consideration of those concerned
in the building.

214 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

GROTESQUE HEADS, SKETCHED FROM THE TEMPLE CHURCH.—( Continued from page 175).

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 21

PHP 99 FF Sf
tv ep?

ALPHABET FROM A CHANCERY MS.—(For Cupitals see No. 95, page 185.)

eee reser,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Kopal Academp.

PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

LECTURE I.
(Continued from page 197.)

“IMITATION,” says Coleridge “ is the mesothesis
of Likeness and Difference. The difference is as
essential to it as the likeness; for without the
difference it would be copy or fac-simile. But, to
borrow a term from astronomy it is a liberating
mesothesis: for it may verge to likeness asin pain-
ting, or more to diffence as in sculpture.”

It is of the utmost importance, however, that we
should come to something like a clear understand-
ing of this differance between the Painting and
Nature, as trom mistakes on this point have pro-
ceeded all the varieties of mannerism that have in
every age sprung up like weeds in the fair domain
of Art, and not seldom with their rank luxuriance
overrun its whole extent. Every fault arising from
indolence, from inability, or from conceit, may be
sheltered, as it has been sheltered, under the prin-
ciple that the object of Painting is not to deceive:
Defective colouring, mannered forms, impudent,
and tasteless bravura of execution, as well as ser-
vile imitation of that which is the easiest to copy,
the immaturity of early Art.

Perhaps the best safeguard against mistake on
this subject will lie in onr perception that the Art
of Painting is in no respect, except in what relates
to its mechanical instruments, a human invention;
but the result solely of the discovery and applica-

tion of those laws by which Nature addresses: her-}
self tothe mind and heart through the eye, and

that there is nothing really excellent in Art that is
not strictly the result of the artist?s obedience to
the laws of Nature, and not because he has willed
it to be excellent; justas in morals perfection con-
sists in obedience to laws which no man ever had
the power to make.

Now deception, excepting with extraneous as-
sistance, or but fora moment, is impossible. One
instant’s close examination of a wax figure which
we have just before believed to be alive shows us
to what an infinite distance it is removed from Na_
ture. And yet, such is the effect of its approach
to life, that even after we know what is, we feel as
much as ever its want of the power to move, and
which we never miss ina fine statue. In all Ihave
said, therefore, of deception of the eye, I have only
meant the deception of a moment or at a distance,

for nature allows of no copies that will bear conti-
nued or close inspection: And yet while she has
placed this beyond the reach of human hands, she
has intrusted Art with a peculiar mission—the
power, as I have said, of doing something for the
world which she herself refuses to do. How many} |.
of her most exquisite forms, graces and movements
—how many of her most beautiful combinations of
colours, of lights, and shadows that are
‘¢_instant seen and instant gone—”

does she not get the painter to transfix for the de-
light of ages! And indeed he is honoured with
another, and often an higher task, that of leading
us to a perception of many of her latent beauties,
and of many of her appearances which the unas-
sisted eye might not recognize as beauties but for
the direction of the pencil. These considerations,
alone, are enough to show that Art has a place as-
signed to it in thegreat scheme of beneficence by
by which man is allowed to be the instrument of
adding to his sources of innocent enjoyment.
“Painting and Sculpture,”’ says Richardson, “ are
not necessary to our being; brutes and savage
men subsist without them; but to our happiness as
rational creatures they are absolutely so.”

The reasoning of Lessing against the fitmess of
momentary expressions for Art, seems based) on the
inference that pictures should deceive. ‘All ap-
pearances,” he tells us, “of Nature which, im their
actual state, are but of an instant’s duration—all
such appearances, be they agreeable or otherwises
acquire through the prolonged existence conferred)
on them by Art, a character so contrary to Nature,
that at every successive view we take of them, their)
expression becomes weaker, till at length we turn
from the. contemplation in weariness and disgust.
‘La Mettrie, who had his portrait painted and en-
graved im the character of Democritus, laughs only
on the first view. Look at him again, and the
philosopher is converted into a buffoon, and his
laugh into a grimace. ‘Thus it is likewise with the
expression of pain. The agony which is so great
ag to extort a shriek either soon abates in violence
or it must destroy the unhappy sufferer. Where
torture so far overcomes the enduring fortitude of
a man’s nature as to make him scream, it is
never for any continued space of time; and thus,
the apparent perpetuity expressed in the represen-
tation of Art would only serve to give to his
screams the effect of womanish weakness or childish
impatience.”

Lessing argues in this way to show why the
sculptor of the Laocoon has not chosen to make the
victim bellow with pain, as in the description of
his sufferings by Virgil. The attitudes of the en-
tire group, however, are those but of an instant’s

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

duration ; and therefore, on the principle urged by

{the critic against a stronger expression, as inad-
|missible as if the sculptor had made the victim ap-
||pear to shriek with extreme agony. Theunpleasing
effect of a laughing portrait, to which Lessing al-
Indes, may be otherwise accounted for. Weall feel
how disagreeable an unmeaning laugh is in Nature,
and in a portrait unconnected with story or inci-
dent, a laugh is for this reason unpleasant ; and the
(more so, if as probably in this instance, the face
look at us. It is clear that Lessing alludes was in-
sensible, or blinded by his theory, to the privilege
i\which Art, when it does not pretend to be Nature,
possesing of perpetuating motion,—a power as un-
deniable as it is most evidently inexplicable.
At the bidding of Michel Angeolo life bursts from
ithe grave, and its tenant rise, fall, or struggle with
\the fiends who drag them down ; and on the can-
vases of Wilson or Gaspar Poussin clouds open,
lightnings flash, and the limbs of! trees are shi-
vered,—and we recur again and again to the con-
templation of images of terror and grandeur that
impressed, as they do us, past generations and shall
still impress those to come; and so far from
“their expression becoming weaker at every suc-
cessive view,” it grows, in reality, stronger and
eon ap ; for it is among the most remarkable
qualities of every work of genius that it gains on
us with time, while that which is merely specious
Strikes most at first, and never again with thesame
effect.

|
|

(To be Continued.)

Whotogentc Mralving. :

(Continued from page 207.)

| We now redeem our promise of laying before
our readers the art and mystery of photogenic
drawing, as practised by Daguerre and Talbot, as
also a clear elucidation of the beautiful calotype
_| process, in the hope that a study of the same may
‘not only tend to amuse, but by possibility to de-
velope still farther the wonders and capabilities of
the art.

|
| Preparatory Apparatus for Photogenic Dranw-
ing.—A few frames of wood, (similar to those used
for the common slates), rather smaller than the
‘sheets of paper on: which the drawingsare to be
‘made, two or three soft camel-hair brushes, some
sheets of white blotting paper, glasses for holding
the phetogenic solutions, and a glass stirring-rod.

9217

Photogenic Solutions or Washes.—Dissolve a
quarter of an ounce of chrystallized nitrate of sil-
ver in two ounces of water, and forty grains of
common salt, or muriate of ammonia, also in two
ounces of water.

Selection of the Paper.—The best paper for
photogenic drawing is that termed blue-wove, care-
fully selecting those sheets which are free from
spots and uneven texture, such defects being easily
ascertained by examining the sheets before a lamp
or other strong light.

Preparation of the Paper.—First, slightly damp
the paper by placing it, for a short time, between
the previously wetted blotting-paper; then care-
fully paste a sheet on one of the wooden frames,
and set it aside until the paper is perfectly dried,
when, with the camel’s-hair brush, itis to be wash-
ed over with the solution of nitrate of silver, ob-|
serving, however, to pass the brush in an uniform,
direction over the sheet, removing it as seldom as
possible. and avoiding the outward edge of the p2-|
per (which should not be moistened)pasted to the)
frame ; set the paper aside as before ina dark place,
until it is once more dry, and then use the solution
of muriate of soda, or ammonia, in the same man-/
ner as the first applied solution of silver. After)
this, cut the paper, when dry, out of the frame, eal
it may be preseved, in a condition suitable for use,
a considerable time if kept as much as possible
from the light and the consequent action of the
atmosphere.

Photogenic Drawing Apparatus.--These con-)
sist simply of two pieces of plate-glass, the size or
somewhat larger than that of the intended drawing,
either separate or fixed ina hinged frame, so con-
trived that the two plates can be compressed to-
gether by a screw or weight, and a thin deal board
covered with two or three thin folds of flannel.

Objects to be drawn.—The smallest objects,
either natural or artificial—such as plants, leaves,
flowers, mosses, wings of insects, prints, drawings,
lace, &c.—can be easily copied on to photogenic
paper, provided they can be flattened without re-
ceiving any injury.

Mode of Drawing.—Place a sheet of the paper
on one of the pieces of plate-glass, the prepared
side (easily to be known by a previously affixed
mark) being upwards. Next place the object
to be drawn on the paper so as to face it, and then
compress the two together by means of the other
piece of plate-glass. This done, expose the whole
to the light, the object of which you desire an im-
pression being upwards.

218

mainly depends upon the texture of the paper and
the state of the weather ; but ten minutes in bright
sunshine, and half an hour in a clear day generally
suffice. By gently sliding the upper glass partially
off, without disturbing the position of the drawing,
and adroitly raising the part uncovered by the glass,
you can ascertain whether a complete impression
has been made; if the copy is not sufficiently dis-
tinct, replace the glass, and expose it some time
longer to the action of the light.

Fixing the Photogenic Drawing.—Directly an
| |impression has been obtained, wash it in clear wa-
ter, and then partially dry it between two folds of
blotting paper. Next pour into a fat dish, suffici-
ently large to contain the drawing, a previously
||prepared solution, composed of one ounce of soda
dissolved in a pint of water. Soak the drawing in
this solution for three or four minutes, and after-
wards well wash it in separate portions of water
till the water running from it is tasteless. This
done, the picture is fixed, and, having been dried,
'|mnay be exposed to the light without sustaining any
| |injury.

To Copy Raised Objecis.—A correct impres-
sion of objects that are not flat, such as leaves,
||butterflies, and so on, may be obtained by the pro-
cess above described, interposing a buard covered
with flannel between the lower glass and the pre-

pared paper (slightly damped), by which means
||the object will be gently imbedded in the sensitive
paper.

Negative and Positive Photographs.—The first
impression of an object, a print for example, will
have contrary “‘ lights and shades” to its original,
because the solar rays pass more readily through
the light part of the object, and thus produce
shades on the paper, than through the thick or
opaque parts, which consequently transfer little or
noimpression. These reverse shaded impressions
are termed negative ones, in contradistinction to
those which have similar lights and shades as the
original, and are, therfore, called positive pho-
tographs.

By substituting, however, the negative copy for
the original, and then submitting it to the same
process as was used in its production, any number

of positive copies may be obtained from that one
| negative impression, because as will be readily
perceived, the shades are again reversed, and a
fac simile of the original thus obtained.

We learn with pleasure that Lord John Russell
has appointed a son of the late unfortunate artist,
Mr. Haydon, toa clerkship in the treasury.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Time Occupied in Producing a Copy.—This |

An Elustrated Glossacp of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
Entervtoy Decoration, &e.

(Continued from page 208.)

Ligut-HousE. A high building, on the top of
which lights are placed to guide ships at sea. These
erections were called by the Saxons beens or bea-
cons, originally signifying signals, and serving
either to prevent shipwrecks, or to give notice of
invasions. For the latter purpose, the green flame
and the fire cross were peculiarly,adapted. The
light-house is generally erected upon a cape or
promontory on the sea-coast, or upon a rock in the

sea. Lamp-lights are on many accounts preferable’
to coal-fires or candles; end the effect of these
may be increased by placing them either behind
glass hemispheres, or before properly disposed
glass or metal reflectors; which last method is
now generally adopted. The accoinpanying en-

graving represents the Bell Rock Light-house.
LABYRINTH Mounpine. <A monlding used in

Norman and Saxon Architecture.

Ligurna. A species of Roman swift ship,
with two sets of rowers.

Like Arcs. Segments of circles which are
contained by equal angles.

LIKE FreuRESs. Suchas have their angles equal,
and the sides about those angles proportional.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 219,

When one side of a tri-

Lzes of a Triangle.
angle is taken for the base, the other two are called
the legs.

LenetH. Both length and breadth are under-
stood as applied to the ground, or the floors, or the
horizontal plane which the building occupies: the
dimensions of an ascending vertical line is called
height; and the same line measured downwards,
gives what is called the depth of an apartment, or
a building.

LescHE. Amongst the Greeks, the name.of a
‘building or hall, used for public resort.
|

LEvEL. A strface which inclines to neither
side. There are several instruments used to take
\levels; as the air level, water level, pendulum le-
vel, reflecting level, mason’s level, carpenters’ or
\bricklayers level, spirit level, &c.

LEVELLING. The art of discovering a line pa-
rallel to the horison at several places, to determine
‘heights or depths.

Lisprary. An apartment fitted to contain
books, prints, &c.

i, Lrxg Sourps. Such as are contained under

| Jike planes.

| Linz. That figure which has only length. (See
‘GEOMETRY.)

|| Limi Kiun. Cato has given us a description of
| an ancient lime-kiln. Its form was that of a cone;
| ‘its height commonly twenty feet, its breadth at the
| base ten, at the top three. The greater half of the
base consisted of a ditch dug in the ground; the
part above the earth was constructed of bricks or
stone, plastered with mould. At the summit was a
large opening to let out the smoke. In the kiln a
\vault of limestone was formed over the fire, and
afterwards all the superior part was filled with
| limestone. Under the emperors certain criminals
,were condemned to work at the lime-kilns.

| Linrne. Covering for the interior, as casing is

covering the exterior surface of a building.

_ Lrnine (of a Wall). A timber boarding whose
‘edges are either rebated, or grooved and tongued.

_ Linine-out. The marking lines where timbers
are to be cut.

LintEus. The horizontal piece which covers
'| the opening of a door or window.

List, or ListeL, A little square moulding,
‘| serving to crown or accompany a larger, also
‘termed a fillet.

(To be continued.)

The WMhronotyyptst.

A Capirat little piece by Mr. Planché, has |
been produced at the Lyceum Theatre, calle d |
“A Romantic Idea,” in which Mr. Charles Mat-'
thews, Mr. Hall, Mr. Roxby, Miss Fitzwilliam
and others play admirably, has given Mr. W. Be-
verly an occasion for two architectural paintings of |
considerable excellence. The first is the ruins of
a roofless hall in a German castle, with the tower.
at the back, and the whole bathed in the mild
moon beams, a beautiful piece of effect, and in no!
way offending an architectural eye in the details.
The second shews the hall restored ; and remem.
bering the “ villanous compounds” which Gothic’
interiors some years ago usually presented on our)
stage, claims for Mr. Beverley great praise for con-
gruous design as well as good painting. The sud-
den re-transformation to the ruin is very striking
and effective——A correspondent informs us a
testimonial has just been completed to the Rev. Dr.
Duncan, the founder of Savings Banks in Scotland,
by the erection of anew house for the Parish bank
in the town of Dumfries—to which has been given
the title of “The Duncan Monument.” A full
length statue of the Doctor, as clothed in the
official costume of a Moderator of the General As-
sembly of the National Church of Scotland, fills a)
niche in the second story of a chastely ornamented
facade-——The Art Journal, says, that a superb!
colosal statne of Sesostris, in red granite entirely,
covered with hieroglyphics, has just been received)
at the Egyptian Museum, recently constructed on
the ground floor of the Colonnade of the Louvre.
———Government consented on Thursday last to the
appointment of a select committee of inquiry into
the best means of extending the establishment of
libraries freely open tothe public. This is an im-
portaat commission, and its proceedings will be
watched with interest. The British Museum Li-
brary contains, it is stated, 52,000 duplicates. ——
An American printer of the name of Moreton, the
French papers say, has recently died at Paris,—be-
queathing £40,000 for a premium to any one who
shall construct a machine capable of striking off;
10,000 copies of a newspaper in an hour.——It is| |
truly a subject of congratulation to find the Coun-
cil of the Society of Arts, holding out hopes of
power to induce Her Majesty’s Ministers to consent
to the first of a series of grand national qninquen-
nial Industrial Exhibitions being held in 1851. If
the Society of Arts attain this object, and had it
already gained no other, it would ke sufficiently
entitled to our admiration and our gratitude.

220

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The first part of the Stowe sale of engraved British
‘portraits terminated on Wednesday last. The
prices were good to the last.——Mr. Peto the mem-
ber for Norwich has, we understand, just given
two commissions of five hundred guineas each to
Mr. John Cross the painter of the celebrated pic-
tures of Richard Coeur de Lion—for two pictures
of large dimensions, the subjects to be derived
from English history. Mr. Peto has, we learn, also
‘commissioned Mr. Maclise to paint him a large
and chivalric composition from English history.

the parties —-—The new Adelphi drama, by Mr.
Buckstone and an Adelphi drama isa thing per se,
and has been so foras many years as we can re-
member, consisting of exciting mystery, injudici-
ous love, streaks of broad fun, dreadful murder,
and O. Smith, contains three well painted scenes ;
—the Hall of Raynham Castle, with columns and
entablatures; the Hop grounds; and a night-scene
in the open country; ‘The Cross Roads.” The
disappearance of the castle on the hill, in the back-
ground of the latter, in the increasing darkness,
and their re-appearance, illuminated by the moon,
isa striking point, and shows consideration. The
wheel-tracks in the road give much completeness
tothe scene. Mr. Pitts is the chief artist here.
——Five pounds are offered for a plan (to be ap-
proved of by a committee) for the erection of a
school-room at Deptford-——We have to record
the death, of Mr: Anthony White, the late eminent
surgeon, onthe 19th ult. His professional abilities,
which placed him on many occasions in the Presi-
dentship of the College of Surgeons, would alone
justify such a notice at our hands ; but Mr. White
possessed a higher claim to our regret in that ac-
tive benevolence which led him at all times to place
his skill at the service of men busied in the pursuit
of science, literature, and thearts. ‘To them,’—
to use the words of a contemporary, ‘‘ not unfre-
quently his purse was as open as his hand in: the
hour of their distress.”——-The National Printing
Office of France has just published a work entitled
‘Chronology of the Kings of Egypt,’ by Lesueur.
This is the first book in which the new hieroglyphic
types of that establishment have been used at any
lgreat length. They are said to be extremely deéli-
late and beautiful—very superior to anything put
forth by the English or German presses. ‘The
work is also the first bearing the new formula used
under the Republic to distinguish a book printed at
the cost of the Government.

THE commission entrusted with the restoration
of Rubens’s pictures at Antwerp, was duly installed
a few days since by the governor of that province,

This speaks well for the taste and discrimination of |

To Correspondents, Ke.

On April the 1st, will be published, Part I,
Price One Shilling, of The
SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

CRAWING BOQK,
ae WITH DIAGRAMS,

Showing the position of the hand in describing the
primary ornamental curves, &c., and general
rules for Drawing Ornamenta | Foliage,
with a letter-press description.

To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

CONTENTS oF PART 3 OF
The Wook of Ornamental and Barly
Pnglish Alphabeis,
To be Published on Monday, April 2nd.
Two Grotesque Initial Letters of the Twelfth cen-
tury, C. and I.
Marks used in stamping paper in the reign of Eli-
zabeth.
Alphabet of Cyphers.

Elizabethan Alphabet, (Capitals.)
German Alphabet, (Eleventh century.)

To be continued monthly, price 6d..—Office, 17,
Holywell-street, Strand.

~OGheap Seconvehand Woks.
G. HEARL’S

CHsAP CATALOGUE

Is just published, and may be had, gratis and
postage free, by application to his Warehouse, No.

17 a., HOLYWELL STREET, STRAND,
LONDON.

It contains a Collection of Works on Architec-
ture and General Literature, at prices unusually
low for Cash.

“A, J.” (Wolverhampton,) — In No.95 we
gave some illustrations of Eurly English Capitals
from the Temple church ; we intend illustrating
the whole of them. The parts 3 and 5 can be
obtained through your bookseller. Alt the num-
bers and parts are on sale. Please to forward
us a sketch of the description of Boss you require;
we will endeavour to assist you. No. 97 contains
an original design for a Gothic Boss.

“J, Butler.” (Brompton.)—We do intend to
report Professor Leslie’s excellent lectures in ex-
tenso. The History of Sculpture will be con-
tinued, with illustrations of the tools used by
sculptors. Thanks for your recommendation. An
increased sale would place us in a position to be-
stow a greater benefit on our subscribers.

“ Alpha.”—Two parts of the Alphabets have
appeared. They will contain some choice spert-
mens of early English Alphabets, Initial Letters,
&c. presented to us by a gentleman for publication,

“J, J.’ (Manchester .)— Your bookseller has de-
ceived you—ALL the numbers are in print.

(*NVIIVIT)—

“TANVd WO HOWIRd-HUINDD V WOK NYISHG IVNIDIUO NV

[Two-PENCE.

0. 99.—-VoL. IV. }

Fone

Pees rena
Sn ees

&
1
*

SaturpDay,]

The Self&Lustructing Ornamental
Brawing wwook.

N Saturday, March the
31st, if is our intention to publish a Drawing
Book under the above title, and to give our
Subscribers an idea of the plan which has
been adopted in its production, we will quote
the words of the preface.

“‘ The increasing desire manifested for the
proper education of the workman in ornamen-

ital design, and the very small provision that
||has hitherto been made for that purpose, would
||furnish an ample apology, if any were needed,

for the production of the present work, it
having this especial end in view. Tue Orna-
MENTAL DRAwineG Book will be published for
the purpose of imparting a knowledge of the
correct principles of drawing ornament, also to
introduce examples of the greatest merit of
every description of ornament used in Deco-
ration, either for the Arts or Manufactures.
Outline examples will first be given for draw-
ing the primary curves, &c., with the neces-
sary directions for holding the pencil and
placing the hand, to be followed by more ad-
vanced drawings, in which those curves will be
clothed with beautiful and appropriate foliage.
A due distinction will also be drawn between
the various styles and periods of ornament,
and the uses to which they have been, or may

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[Marcu 31, 1849.

be, applied; for by instructing the workman
in the various periods of Art, much of the
confusion of styles which designs of the pre-
sent day exhibit, will be avoided.

The pages will be arranged with the view of
affording immediate instruction to three classes
of students ; two pages will be devoted to those
desirous of learning; two to those who possess
a slight knowledge of drawing, but require
practice; and, lastly, an example of one of the
prevailing styles. The Ornamental Drawing
Book (which is to be continued monthly), will
also contain specimens of Fruit, Flowers, &c.,
not omitting the Human Figure, as in some
cases it is indispensibly mixed with ornamental
foliage. In fact, the Ornamental Drawing
Book will be made fully to bear out its charac-
ter of “‘Sntr-INstrucTING,” aud to those
engaged in Industrial Art, it will be found one
of the most useful publications of the present
day.”

“* Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand,

“ April 2nd, 1849.”

We intended to have carried out a similar
plan in the columns of the Drecoraror’s As-
SISTANT, but upon putting it into practical
effect we found that our space would not admit
of it. We have therefore determined on the
present publication, and we offer it to our Sub-
scribers with sanguine expectations of its use-
fulness, and the correctness of the principles on
which we intend to establish it, and that it will
assist in conferring a great benefit on all who
are desirous of possessing a knowledge of Or-|
namental Design.

Enwportance of the Study of Besiqn.

FREEMASONS OF THE CHURCH.

(Continued from page 213.)

Here followed some just, but too lengthy
to be here introduced, observations on painted
ceilings in general; whether of historical or
decorative character, and the lecturer conti-
nued :—‘‘In painted decoration, and in the
patterns of paper-hangings, curtains or carpets,
form ought to be regarded chiefly, if not
wholly, as a vehicle of colour. How tiresome
and tantalizing is the reiteration of patterns in

222

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

||a paper-hanging; especially when great blotches
‘lof red or'some other powerful colour) are scat-
tered over it, or cutting lines of positive blue
divide the walls into strips. Intense colours
ought to be used sparingly and distributed
skilfully, so as to enliven the mass of secon-
dary tints; for a room is made to seem smaller
by strong contrasts of colour or harsh outlines,
as ceilings are apparently lowered by deep
mouldings or powerful hues. Indeed, vivid
colours are not. essential either to the elegance
or cheerful aspect of a room; the walls should
form a chaste but not dull background to the
furniture, pictures, and occupants. Gaudy
earpets of large patterns are therefore objec-
tionable; if positive colours are used, these
‘should be subdivided by the intricacies of a
small and undefinable pattern, like the Persian
and Turkey carpets which have never yet been
equalled for richness and sobriety combined.

“Tn designing patterns for textile fabrics the
uses to which the drapery is to be applied re-
‘quires to be more considered than is commonly
the case. Obviously, the pattern for a dress
‘should not be so large as that for a curtain»
yet one sees silks and satins in the mercers’
windows, the wearers of which would certainly
‘appear asif robed in window-curtains or wall-
hangings. The elaborate imitation of flowers
in dresses is wrong upon principle, because the
effect is to direct attention from the ensemble
presented by the dress and the wearer; the
nondescript patterns of India shawls in which
the effect is seen in the mass, are still superior
to modern designs. A great nosegay of flowers
on a shawl, or adress sprinkled with bouquets,
is only a degree less absurd than the horns
and trumpets which decorate the dressing-
gown of Signor Lablache in ‘II Fanatico per
la Musica.’ The effect of harmonious combi-
nations of colour is what the pattern designer
should rely upon; and of these the variety is
endless. Form is the medium for displaying
colour; in draperies that hang in heavy folds,
like curtains, it is evident that the shape of the
pattern is not seen truly; its effect as shown
in the play of colour is infinitely varied by the
folds, and therefore a large bold pattern, as in
damask, is preferable.
folds are smaller, and especially in scarfs, an-.
gular patterns are not only admissible, but

pleasing, because the wultitude of cross folds:

In dresses where: the

not only destroys the formality of pattern, but}
gives rise to sn infinity of piquant combi-|
nations.” |

Nothing could be more just than Mr. W1il-
liams’ suggestions with regard to designs for
hard-ware, in which, he observed .—‘‘Form
and proportion are paramount; no ornamen-
tation, however rich or fanciful, can redeem
bad proportion or ungraceful form, while a
beautiful form unadorned is. itself ornament of,
the most refined and pleasing description.
Neither should ornament be so prominent as to’
overlay or prevent the full development of
form; while neither form nor ornament ought’
to interfere with utility. The shape of Greek)
and Etruscan vases, beautiful as they are, are)’
not more adapted to) moderm pottery or hard-
ware than is the decoration:of the fictile wares.)
We do not want to:convert lachrymatories into
scent-bottles, funeral urns into tea pots, vases
into flower-pots; nor are the forms of am-
phore suitable for decanters, or of paterz for
caudle-cups. ‘The material and uses of the
vessel should determine its form; tea-pots that
will not draw, jugs that can never be washed
clean, glasses and cups that one cannot drink
out of comfortably, however elegant their
form, are essentially defective. And the adap-
tation of the thing to its purpose, so far from)
producing ugliness, tends to beauty, and it also.
induces new forms, The problem to be solved)
is simply this,—‘ Given the use and material of
the article, to find a beautiful shape.’ In the
commonest, rudest, and oldest implements. of
husbandry—the plough, the scythe the sickle,
—we have examples of simple yet beautiful
curves. The most elementary and simple forms,
if well-proportioned and of graceful contour,
are the most pleasing.”

The lecturer, then, after entering into vari
ous points of design connected with the taste-
ful manufacture of porcelain, and deprecating |
many practices which are only tolerated from)
habit, remarked in conclusion; —“There are}
other points that need to be touched upon, and}
those that have been adverted to need fuller in-
vestigation, but enough has been said; I trust;
to prove the importance of a knowledge’ an
observance of the principles of Art by’ on
signers; and perhaps to show also that these
principles are easily ascertainable by studious
attention and rational reflection.”

SSNS aE go pups as Sanaa SorERNSSagRaSEMSTOUagiS oan eS eG a a aT ea

THE

Professor Gockerell’s Weetures on
Architecture.

(Continued from page 207.)

As Brunelleschi—when questioned by the pope
as to his celebrated boast, replied, * Yes, give me
a fulcrum and I can move the world ;” so, in the
next step in the progress of the areh, the architect
of the church of Sta. Sophia might have said,—
*¢ Give me an abutment, and I can suspend a dome
in the air.”’ The professor gave a clear explanation
of the manner in which this was effected, by means.
of “ pendentives ;” he then alluded to the night of
darkness in which Europe existed subsequently,
and the use of the Byzantine'style, and showed how
the pointed arch—the next step—might have ori-
ginated by omitting the crown of the lofty vault of
the hall of the baths, and prolong the lines of the
haunches, which would then meet in a point. He
also showed how naturally the column placed
against a pier, in the same apartment, and sup-
porting the portion of the vaulting here concen-
trated upon it, might have led to the clustered co-
lumns and shaft supporting the groining in Gothic
buildings. So, said the professor, here we saw in-
stances how, from one link to another, the gradual
chain of architectural progress was carried for-
ward.

After describing the plan of Ely Cathedral, he
passed to the condition of the art in Italy. In the
earlier period of Italian architecture, we found that
each house was a kind of fortress, and whatever
decoration was practised was reserved for the in-
ternal courts. But when, with the revival of learn-
ing in Italy, a state of comparative quiet accom-
panied it, then a new field was open for the inven-
tions of architects. Bramante, for instance,
adopted a double order; and this, perhaps sug-
gested by previous works, was certainly not found
in the antique. Vignola emploved cantilevers in
an entablature, as afterwards practised by Sir Chris-
topher Wren. Vignola might have gained some
idea of this method from ancient paintings, but
certainly not from the temple at Baalbec, where a
similar method is fonnd. for Vignola had never
heard of that place. Another feature, the win-
dow, underwent important modifications. Pre-
viously small, and shuttered below ;—in the palace
at Florence, it was ornamented with a pediment,
and other decorations. At first, so great an inno-
vation seemed as if it would occasion nothing but
|\ridicule, but this method of treating the window

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

-every other important consideration.

223
had endured ever since. These features, therefore,
and others like these, had never previously been
seen in architecture: this, then, was truly inven-
tion, and this the only description of novelty which
could be successful.

These instances, the professor concluded, he had
cited to show that, by attention to points arising
out of structure, in our buildings, we might best
attain exeellence ; but we must, at the same time,
impress the character of the nineteenth century
upon our works, and whilst recognising the value
of precedent and authority, not shut our eyes to

In delivering the next lecture, the professor be-
gan by expressing a hope that, im speculating on
the subject of classical art, he had not disseminated
an idea that no other school was worthy of our re-
gard. Each system had its proper application.—
He believed that the supremacy of classical art was
as incontrovertible as was our superiority in mental
and moral philosophy, and every discovery tended
to the establishment of this fact. The Greeks ever
would be our masters in art, and those who fol-
lowed them, as the Romans and the artists of the
revival, had their proportionate measure of our
regard.

The progress of investigation, from ‘time to
time demanded fresh examination of all subjects.
In the history of Greece and Rome, all early his-|
tories were now as waste paper; in mediaeval ar-
chitecture, the statements of the early writers,
since the labours of Professor Willis, would have
to be re-cast. It was to the abuse, and not the
use, of classical architecture that certain of his
strictures had been directed.

On the subject of proportion, the professor re-
marked that each master had a theory of his own.
In some measure we all judged by a natural in-
stinct, and we flattered ourselves that we had an
eye for proportion. But whilst, as Vitruvius said,
other men than the artist could discover the good
and the bad, the difference between the artist and|
the workman was, that one could foresee, and the
other could not. He urged the importance of the |
study of proportion, in order to avoid ‘those la-|
mentable failures of which there were such frequent
instances. The architect of a building often found
too late, that with more modesty, and with good
advice, and repeated study in drawing, and above};
all by models, he might have better attained the’
effect which he sought to impress upon the child)
of his hopes.

(To be continued.)

224 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Society of Arts Sxrhtbition.

| Fig. 2. Fig. 3.

Fig. 1.—A Smver Equivenant CHamper CanpuesticK.—The Silver Equivehant Chamber
Candlestick, manufactured and exhibited at the Society of Arts by Messrs. J. H. and
R. Ferryman. It istermed Equivehant, from its carrying itself even, or upright, in what-
ever position the Candlestick may turn, thus ensuring additional safety in cases of acciden-
tal fall.

Fic. 2.—Venettan Wine Guass.—Manvufactured by Messrs. Richardson, Stourbridge.

Fig. 3.—Winr Guass-—Manufactnred by Messrs. Pellatt & Co.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

TRON WORK TO DOME.—-CHESTER CATHEDRAL,

226

THE . DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

@n Lacguering.

LACQUERING is the laying either the coloured
or transparent varnishes on metals, m order to
produce the appearance of a different colour in
the metal, or to preserve “it from rust and the inju-
ries of the weather.

Lacquering is therefore much of the same nature
with japanning, both with regard to the principles
and practice, except that no opaque colours, but
transparent tinges alone are to ‘be employed.

The occasion on which laequering is now in
general use are three; where brass is to be made
to have the appearance of being gilt; where tint is
wanted to have resemblance of ae metals, and
where brass or copper locks, nails, or other such
the air or moisture. There was, indeed, formerly
another very frequent application of lacquerine,
|which was colouring frames of pictures, &c. previ-
gilding, but this is now mostly disused. These va-
| tious intentions of Jacquering require different
compositions for the effectuating each kind ; and,
as there is a multiplicity of ingredients, wren may
be conducive to each purpose, a proportional num-=
ther of recipes haye been devised and introduced
‘into practice, the more especially for the lacquer-
ing brass work to imitate gilding, which is a con-
‘siderable object in this kind of art, and has been
improved to the greatest degree of perfection.

| each, as they are all which are necessary ; the
_ others being made too complex by ingredients not

of such as are expensive, or inferior in goodness
from the improper choice or proportion of the com-
‘ponent substaness.

The principal body or matter of all good lac-
quers used at present is seed-lac; but, for coarser
uses, resin, or turpentine is added, in order to
make the lacquer cheaper than if the seed-lac,
which is a much dearer article, be used alone. Spi-
‘vits of wine is also consequently the fluid or men-

peal oils will not dissolve the seed-lac, and it is
|proper that the spirit should be highly rectified for
this purpose. Asit is seldom practicable, never-
| theless, to procure such spirits from the shops, it
| will be found very advantageous to use the method
above given for dephlegmating it by alkaline salts ;
but the use of the allum, directed in that process,

of the alkaline salts would otherwise be the turn

/nishiannatto, each two drams.

| wery strong yellow tineture will then be obtained,
'| ‘the bottle, three ounces of good seed-lac, powdered
grossly, must be added, and the mixture placed

lac be dissolved); or at least such part of it as may.

matters, are to be defended from the corrosion of

\ously silyered, in orderto give them the effect of

We shall, however,,only give one or two recipes for |

| essential to the intention, or too costly by the use|

strum of which lacquers are formed; as the ethe-

Must not be forgotten on this occasion, as the effect |

ing the metal of a purplish, instead of a golden||
colour, by laying on the lacquer.

The following are excellent compositions for
brass work which is to resemble gilding ;

“Take of turmeric gronnd, as it may be had’ at
the drysalter’s, one ounce, and of saffron and Spa-
Put them into a
proper bottle, with a»pint of highly rectified spirit
of wine;and place them inva moderate heat, if con-
venient, often shaking them for~several days. A

which must be strained off from the dregs through
a coarse linen cloth; and then, being put back into

again ‘in a moderate heat, and shaken till the seed-

The lacquer must then be strained as before, and
will be fit for use ; but must be kept in a bottle
carefully stopped.”

Whiere it is desired tohave the lacquer warmer
or redder than this composition may prove, the
porportion of the annatto must be increased; and
where it is wanted cooler, or nearer aatrue yellow,
it must be diminished.

The above, properly managed, is'an exceeaingly
good lacquer, and of a moderate price; but the
following whichis cheaper, and may be made where}|
the Spanish annatto cannot be procured good, and)||
is not greatly inferior to it:

“Take of ‘turmeric root ground,:one ounce; of
the best dragon’s blood halfa dram. Put them to
a pint of spirits.of wine, and proceed as with the,
above.”

By diminishing the proportion of the dragon’s
blood, the varnish may be rendered of a redder, or
truer yellow cast.

Saffron is‘ssometimes used to form the body of
colour in this kind of lacquer, instead of. the tur-|
meric ; but though it makes a warmer yellow, yet
the dearness of it, and the advantage which turme-
ric has in forming a much stronger tinge of spirit)
of wine, not only than the saffron, but than any)
other vegetable matter hitherto known, gives it the)
preference ; though being a‘true yellow, and con-|
sequently not sufficiently warm to overcome the |
greenish castof brass, it requires the addition of||
some orange-colored tinge‘to make a perfect lac-||
quer xfor this purpose. Aloes and gamboge are,
also 'sometimesused inumaking lacquers, for brass;
but the aloes is not necessary where turmeric or
saffron ‘is used; and the gamboge, though a very
strong milky yellow in water, affords only a very
weak tinge in spirit of wine.

(To be continued.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. ; 227|

The Process of Painting on Welv
UMAoey UHork.

As the knots in wood (particularly deal) are a
great annoyance in painting, great care should be
jjtaken to kill them, as the painters termit. The
|following methods have by experience been found
{to have the desired effect. Upon those knots that
retain the turpentine, it is necessary to lay with a
||stopping knife a thick substance of lime, immedi-
ately after its being slacked, for the purpose of
burning or drying up the turpentine. After the
lime has remained on about twenty-four hours it
should be scraped off, and washed over with size
notting, which is made of red and white lead,
ground very fine with water on a stone, and mixed
with strong double size ina liquid state, which is
done by holding it over a fire for a few minutes ;
it must be applied to the knots while warm.—
Another method is to grind white and lead in the
same proportions in turpentine, to the consistency
of dough, and then reduce it with japan gold size
till it becomes like thin paint. Lay it smoothly on
the knots, observing to cover it entirely, otherwise
a defect will be visible. Another plan sometimes
adopted is to apply japan gold size to the knot,
and. previous to its drying apply a piece of gold or
silver leaf upon it. There is a patent knotting now
being advertised, which has not been found to fail.
It is necessary that the knots should be rubbed
|on with fine sand paper every time they are covered
to prevent their appearing above the surface.—
When the notting is thoroughly dry, the priming
colour must be laid on, which is made by breaking
up (technically speaking) the white lead in linseed
oil, the fnllowing being the proportions of the mix-
ture. Toevery 10lbs. of white lead add a quarter
of a pound of dryers and a quarter of a pound of
red lead; then lay it all over the work required to
be painted.

After the priming is thoroughly dry, use a bit of
sand paper and rubit gently over the work, so: that
no lumps or skin may adhere to it. Then apply
the second coat, which is mixed in the following
\manner:—Break up the same quantity as before,
with half a pound of dryers in two parts of linseed
‘oil to one of turpentine. After rubbing it down as
‘before directed, when thoroughly dried, the third

the same quantity as before in hali linseed oil, and
half turpentine; proceed as before. If a fourth
coat be given, break up the same quantities, and
use two parts linseed oil to one of turpentine. If
the work is required to be flatted, the lead must be

‘what Mr: Stirling has so aptly designated as the

coat is applied, to be mixed as follows:—Break up |

thinned entirely with turpentine. In painting
stuceo it is necessary to give one coat more than
wood. The more the colours are mixed with oil,
and the less with turpentine, the better, as turpen-
tine is more adherent to water than the oil, and
consequently not so well adapted for preserving out-
side work. For inside work, the above proportions
are correct, and in general use.

Amone.the many beautiful objects exhibited at
the Society of Arts, to:dwell on which particularly
would occupy too much of, our limited space—we
noticed with great pleasure the bronzes of Mr.}
Hatfield, the exquisitely dyed and woven silks a
Messrs. Walters, the admirable racing plate made
by Messrs. Hunt, Roskill, and Garrard, the aaa
of Messrs. Watson and Bell, the glass of Messrs.|
Oster, Richardson, and Pellatt, and the greatly im-
proved castings of the Colebrook-dale Iron Com-
pany. Among the designs submitted in compe-
tition to the Society are many of considerable beau-
ty, and the preparation of which must have invol-,
ved. great sacrifice of time and labour. We have,
heard much complaint touching the adj ndication!|
non-adjudication, and reduction of these premiums. |
Would it not be more considerate towards the)
younger members of the community if the Society
were to ciminish their promise and increase their

performance ?

Tue Murillo at present on view at Mr. Walton’s,
studio in Bond-street, will, we apprehend, fail to!
satisfy those acquainted with good examples of the |
master. Once, it{is said, an ornament of the Alca-|

|
zar, this picture has been confided for sale to some|

Spanish merchants’ in London by the Senor Don!
Jose de Loyzaga, of Madrid. That it has been sub-|
mitted to the English eye without the intervention
of the impairer we cannot bring ourselves to Hes!
lieve; missing in it those diaphanous and sweet-
coloured tones which reconcile those acquainted
with Italian treatments to the peasant-like pre-
sentments of the artist. A careful investio'ation of
the contours leads to the belief that the rn ae
observable, more especially in the heads of the Vir-:
gin and of the cherubs by whom she is surrounded, }
is the result of restorations effected by a hand)
which had little knowledge of, or sympathy with|

{

vapoury peculiarities of the prince of Sevillian
painters.

Tuu daily papers report the death of Mr. Poyn-
der, whose name has been long familiar to the
public for the exertions made by him in the Court.
of the India House and elsewhere, to procure the.
abolition of human sacrifices and other cruelties;
attending the worship of Juggernaut.

{

oS a eS

{

:
|
|

a SS

|
iz
|

228

An Elustrated Glossary of Technical
Cevms used in Architectural anv
Entertor Decoration, &e.

(Continued from page 218.)

Listing. The cutting the sapwood out, from
both edges of a board.

LirHostraton. A Greek term for a species of

_|mosaic, consisting of pieces of marble of a certain

size.

Lossy. An open space, surrounding a range of

_|chambers, or seats in a theatre ; a small hall, or
||waiting room.

Lock. An instrument for fastening doors.

Lock Werr. A deep basin or reservoir, in a
eanal, closed at each end by gates, which, suc-
cessively opening and shutting, allow the water to
rise or fall, in order to afford the means of raising
boats as they pass up the course of a canal, or
lowering them as they pass down.

Lopez. A small house in a park or forest.

Locxum. | The pulpitum, or wooden stage of a
theatre, placed upon the proscenium, or perma-

||nent stage.

LoguHousz. Temporary habitations, made of
branches of trees, or logs of wood.

Logistic Sprran, or Proportional Spiral. A
spiral whose radii are in continued proportion,

_|where the radii are at equal angles,

LonGImerry. The art of measuring lengths,

'jaccessible and inaccessible.

Loop. A small narrow window.

Lorimer. The name given toa square mem-
ber, under, or forming part of, a cornice, which

(projects, and has a groove in its under side.

LosanGe. A figure of four sides, with two acute
and two obtuse angles.

“Lotus. <A plant of great celebrity amongst the
ancients, the leaves and blossoms of which gene-
rally form the capitals of Egyptian columns.

LUFFER BoARDING. Boards nailed on the
sides of buildings or lanterns, or across apertures,
arranged and fixed so as to admit air, but to
exclude rain.

TUN DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

lights in the nave of St. Paul’s Cathedral, in
London.

Ly1ne Panets. Those which are cut out with’
the grain of the wood, not, as is usual, with the
grain in a vertical, but a horizontal direction.

LANTERN. A stand used to place books upon.

Lysis. <A kind of plinth, or step, above the cor-
nice of the podium of ancient temples, which sur-
rounds or embraces the stylobate, as may be
observed in the temple of Fortuna Virilis.

Lion.
The strongest and most magnanimous of four-
footed beasts. The lion was consecrated to Cybele,
and we find it sculptured upon many monuments
erected to that mysterious deity. Sometimes she
is borne upon a lion, at others they draw her car,
and occasionally are found standing by the throne
on which she is seated.

Listez. A small square moulding, which serves} |

to crown or accompany a larger, and to separate
the flutings in columns.

Lustre. A kind of chandelier suspended by a
cord or chain from the ceiling, which was the
fashion in which the Romans used their lamps.
This elegant piece of furniture is often introduced
in public places, such as churches, theatres, &c.
and is sometimes made of bronze, sometimes of
gilt metal, and sometimes (its most beautiful mate-
rial) of crystal.

(In antique painting and sculpture.)||

LYSICRATES. Thechoragic monument of, com-
monly called the Lantern of, Demosthenes.

LEGEND. The motto or words engraved, in a
circular manner, round the head of a personage
or other representation upon a medal or coin. The
meaning of this term is similar to that of an a
scription, but the latter relates chiefly to the wri-
ting placed in the middle of the coin, while the

Lenerte. Cylindric, cylindroidic, or spherical | legend, as we have just observed, surrounds it.

apertures in ceilings, of the same form as the upper

(To be Continued.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Sctentific Mlectiras.

coos eee

Society oF ANTIQUARIES, March 1.—H.
‘Hallam, Esq., V.P., in the chair. A letter was
read from Mr. Bruce on the singular brass not
long since given to the Society by H. W. Dimond,
Esq., representing a man in armour with a crown
on hisleft shoulder. Mr. Bruce contended that it
was the figure of a yeoman of the crown; and he
.| mentioned several other instances of brasses or
| paintings with a similar distinction. It is to be
observed, however, that one or two of these were
| not what is heraldically termed yeomen of the
‘crown, but servants of the king.—Mr. B. Nightin-
gale sent a drawing of a spiral bronze, once the
‘ornament of the staff of an early ccclesiastic ;
which Mr. J. Y. Akerman, in a paper on the sub-
ject, stated to be of date asearly as the seventh or
eighth century.—A letter by Mr. T. Crofton Croker
to the President was read,—the main object of
which was to establish that the ancient superstition
| regarding mermaids was derived from the custom
| of the northern seamen, in very remote times,
‘making their way to Ireland and Scotland in small
hide- boats, in the middle of which they sat aud
paddled themselves through the waters. This
| custom, it was urged, accounted for the appearance
| of a human form and a fish’s tail. The notion did
| not seem to meet with much countenance in the
| room; and one gentleman asserted it was not new,
and offered to produce at the next meeting the
volume in which it was first broached. Mr. Croker
entered a good deal into Irish antiquities; and
strove to support the belief that the relies of combs,
&c. found at Kilmainham had some connection
with mermaids. There seemed more of fancy than
of reason in his positions, and his paper produced
a corresponding impression.—The Society at their
meeting on Thursday evening received a con-
vineing proof of their President’s desire to promote
its welfare. Lord Mahon having announced that
Mr. Stapleton’s continued indisposition compelled
him to vacate his office of Vice-President, nomi-
nated as his successor in the vice-president’s chair
\Mr. J. Payne Collier, a gentleman who, as our
readers well know, has pursued the study of one
important branch of our national antiquities—that
of our early poetry and drama—with.a success that
jhas' procured. for him a wide and well-merited
jreputation.

ARCH AOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, March 2:—Sir
||J. P. Boileau, Bart., V.P., in the chair.—Amongst |
\|objects exhibited: not the least interesting were
some full-size tracings of the remarkable mural

paintings recently laid bare in Broughton Church, |
near Newport Pagnell. These frescoes, which
appear to have been originally executed about the
reign of Henry the Sixth, probably have reference
to some monkish legend ; for in no other way can}
the extraordinary and heretical design represented |
by one of them be accounted for.—Mr. Hawkins |
exhibited a curiously formed bell, one of a set |
which is used in the parish of Congleton, in
Cheshire, in ringing what are called the “ chains” |
on the eve of the day of the annual wake or fair.
This custom is stated to be connected with a dedi-
cation similar to that of “ St. Peter in Vinculis ”
in Rome; but the local tradition is somewhat
vague.

ELECTRO-TELEGRAPHIC PROGRESS. — Mr.
Brotherton, of Preston, has recently patented an
invention for prevention of accidents on railways.
It consists of an electric apparatus fixed beneath
the rails, on which the wheels of the train act as
they pass over it. A wire connects this apparatus
with any station or junction which the train may
be approaching, and at which an electric alarm is
fixed. By this invention the attendants at any
station or junction may, it is said, be apprised of
the approach of a train any number of miles off,
and in case any obstruction exists, a signal can be
immediately forwarded to the train.—The pro-
jectors of the great submarine line across the
Atlantic propose to construct it between the coast
of Newfoundland and the nearest cape of Ireland.
They state that there is every reason to believe that
asubmarine bank extends from Newfoundland to
the British Isles, to which they propose to anchor
the wires, supported in cork tubes, at intervals of
ten miles. They have appealed to Congress to aid
them in the enterprise, by appropriating a public
vessel for their use, to ascertain the truth con-
cerning the nature of the bottom. Should they
not find soundings, they state they could still
manage to anchor the buoys by means of buckets,
&e. They exhort: Congress’ “not to allow the
British Government to anticipate the United States
in this sublime project.”

A Buock oF GoLp.—An extraordinary report,
emanating from a highly respectable source,—and,
possibly, the information about which the New
York Herald expressed itself incredulous—is, that
the United States Government has received in-
formation of a single block of gold, worth £12,000,
having been obtained in its new Pacific territory ;
the weight being 2501b., whereas 20]b. to 301bi
is, we believe, the heaviest ever discovered in any
other part of the world.

The following receipt for restoring old oak to its| |
original whiteness, has been used with success—
viz.,, two ounces of oxalic acid dissolved by friction
iw one quart of cold water. If the oak has been)
varnished, it) must’ be seraped clean before using
the acid.

Among other artists who’ are to be employed: on;
subjects from English history, by, Mr. Peto, we
have heard that Mr. Horsley has received a coms
mission.

The Mbhronotyptst.

In the Rolls Court, a decision has just been
come to, which if not reversed in a higher tribunal,
will confirm in favour of the Institution of Civil
Engineers a variety of shares in public companies,
&c., bequeathed by Mr. Thomas Telford under his
will, but resisted by his heir-at-law under the
statute of mortmain. A French paper states—
we hope too confidently and broadly—that the
friends of Art are profoundly grieved by the pillage
and devastation directed by the Romans against
the monuments, pictures, and statues which are
the glory of the Eternal City. According to Le
Pays, the republicans raise money by the sal2 to
English and Russian merchants of the great
masterpieces of the human mind that have made
Rome the seat of a wider worship and more exten-
‘lded pilgrimage than her religious throne. A
company, managed by a board in London, is being
formed, with a capital of £600,000, in 300,000
i|shares of £20 each, with £2 per share deposit, to
supply Amsterdam with water from the Rhine.
The privilege has been conceded in perpetuity to
this company, who are to be entitled to a maxi-
mum charge of twice the amount believed to be
capable of yielding a return of 24 percent. The
| {responsibility is limited, it is said, to the amount
subscribed.——-We commend to the notice of our
readers a house in Holborn, between Great Turn-
stile and Chancery-lane, whose entire front has
beeu daubed over with a blue that is anything but
cerulean in itstint. It is a pity that among its
numerous clauses, the Building Act does not con-
tain one to prohibit public nuisances and oifences
of this description, and to prevent our being over-
run with blue bores.——The water-colour drawing
of the late Lord Auckland, by Mr. Lowes Dickin-
son, now on view in Bond-street, is obviously made
up from a larger study; and we think with no
great advantage, from the introduction of a figure

which has too quadrilateral and cramped an ap- |

pearance—wanting more contrast in the position
of the arms. This would have given a more libe-
ral rendering of the physique of the original--——
Mr. Archibald M‘Donald, of Aberdeen, some time
ago discovered a process for reducing Aberdeen
granite to a fine clay, whieh was moulded into
form at the Seaton Pottery, and presented an arti-
cle of the most beautiful and durable character.
Since then, Mr. M‘Donald has had an experiment

tried of working the calcined granite into water |

pipes.

:230 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Co Corresponvents, Ke,

On April the 2nd, will be published, Part I,
Price One Shilling, of The
SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

ORAWING BOOK,

WITH DIAGRAMS,

Showing the position of the hand in descibing the
primary ornamental curves, &c,, and general
rules for Drawing Ornamenta | Foliage,

with a letter-press description. |
To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

CONTENTS oF PART 3 oF

Che Wook of Ornamental and Barly

‘English Alphabets,
To be Published on Monday, April 2nd.

Two Grotesque Initial Letters of the Twelfth cen-
tury, C. and I.

Marks used in stamping paper in the reign of Eli-
zabeth.

Alphabet of Cyphers.

Elizabethan Alphabet, (Capitals.) )

German Alphabet, (Eleventh century.

To be continued monthly, price 6d..—Office, 17,
Holywell-street, Strand.

“ P, Thompson.”

“ B. Burslem.”—We are much obliged for the,
trouble you have taken in recommending our work. ||
We made an attempt to imitate Wood and Stone, |
by printing in colours, but it turned out a failure, |
we therefore abandoned the idea. We do intend|
giving designs for the purpose you mention, but.
you must really have patience; we will address} a’
letter to you in the course of a day or two, but
we must consult our artist first.

“<W, James.” (Chelsea.)—Banvard’s Exhibi-'
tion is still open at the Egyptian Hall, and con-
tinues to attract most crowded and fashionable
audiences.

Accept our thanks.

QUERY.

Can any of our readers inform “An Antiqua-
rian,” of the best method of transferring impres-
sions of Old Brasses to paper, the rubbings of;
black-lead being very imperfect.

**Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in future
be charged at 10d. each.

* *Any of our Readers having — complete
ALPHABETS Of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them. -

Part 24 is now ready, price 10d.

ear
Se

[Two-PENCE.

ree 1 A EE eC A CL CT AA A LT

No. 100 —Vot. IV.]

Sree ee
A pete me et ern

Acta nn il tilt a

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|\forgot its many claims to their attention.

SaturpDay, |

Art Iducation.

T may be said that of

||late years, Art has been more appreciated by

the English nation than formerly. Absorbed
in commerce and politics, her sons unconscious-
ly overlooked the enjoyment it supplied, or
Ge-
nerally speaking, painting and sculpture have
alone been regarded as productions of Art.—
Many, to whom their ancestors have bequeathed
works from the easel or the chisel, not having
that knowledge of Art, or that natural and in-
born feeling for it, which would prompt them
to seek gratification from its resources, sup-

pose themselves indifferent to, or unworthy cf

its claims.

The most indifferent are influenced by it in
a degree greater than they themselves imagine.
For all material wants the estate need consist

of nothing beyond what will supply sheep and

oxen, game, fruit and vegetables. The house,
with bare walls only, would yet shield from the
scorching or inclement seasons; a deal table, a
stool, a wooden trencher, a horn drinking-cup,
would be sufficient adjuncts to the repasts which
sustain life. The nobles of bygone days had

||little more. Now, however, who will be con- | ty, and yield its measure of truly pleasurable

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT. [Aprin 7, 1819. |
tent with such a limited supply? Let those’
answer who enjoy the luxurious contributions
of Art, and who are surrounded by its refine-

ments and its blandishments. Let such ima-|

gine their halls, their apartments, and their |

banquets suddenly bereft of all’ which Art has|
contributed to their adornment; let the elegant,
and sumptuous—the elevating beauty be ex-
changed for bare and blank necessities—Would
they then feel as now they feel? Could they
in their deserted halls feel as the same beings?
Impossible! ‘These questions apply equally to
those who have the smallest share of Art, as
to those who have the most abundant; the
same reply will be given, All are subject to

the pleasing impressions of Art, and all seek),
| it as a necessity in some shape or other, altho’
it be often acknowledged as a luxury only, or||
its presence recognised but in pictures or |

statues.
It is not necessary here to describe and de-

fine distinctly the manner in which Art affects '
us, or its influence over us: sufficient that it is
daily, nay, hourly demanded, and that it is in-|/
dispensable to the comfort and pleasure of our ;
Without it, nations would lose half |

existence.
their sources of wealth and distinction ; wealth
its external manifestations, rank and refine-|
ment their insignia. Imprinted on all things

surrounding us, and perpetually the subject of |

our contemplation and conversation, it con-,

stantly adds lustre to our mental faculties, ele-|
| vates and refines our emotions, and ameliorates |

our social and moral nature.

The love of the beautiful in form would seem’
to be connected with that polish and refinement
which education generaily imparts to every fa-
culty and feeling, if “we may judge by the
Greeks, who have left a rich inheritance of the

purest form, universally admired. It may fairly |

be deduced from this that the production of
beautiful form is superior to colour, since the
barbarian may arrange or even produce beauti-
ful colour, but never beautiful form.

Art has an universal influence, greater in
proportion to the degree of beauty it presents.

The constant presence of beauty increases our|!

love of it, and our power to distinguish’ the
most perfect, or to observe the least alloy of
deformity. There is no object so trifling but
may receive its impressions of grace and. beau-

SSE Epa pasine ns oma ec aa oe

232

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

sensation. That study, therefore, cannot be
'}deemed unworthy which aims to enhance the
beauty of the most humble.

All having the means to obtain Art, strive
in various ways to possess it, though not
equally discriminating in their choice. All
jmankind is subject to its influence, more or
less; the civilized man and the savage. All de-
rive enjoyment from it, but not in alike amount
or degree. The full enjoyment of Art de-
pends, as in other cases whence mental enjoy-
ment is derived,—on EpnucaTion.

HMovern Town Wouses.

_ BY FRANCIS CROSS,
(Continued from page 137.)
CHAPTER V.

Aw ancient author asserted that timber is
not sufficiently dry to be converted into planks
and joiners’ work under three years. Of the
principal timber trees suitable for building
purposes, may be mentioned the elm, ati sorts
of oak, beech, poplar, willow, alder, ash, pine.
cypress, chesnut, larch, box, cedar, and ebony.
Each of these are, however, so various in their
nature that they can only be applied to vari-
ous uses, as some may be used with impunity
in external work, while others must be applied
only to internal finishings. Some harden by
exposure to the air; some will remain sound
for a lengthened period, even in damp under-
ground situations; some are peculiarly fitted
for flooring, others for beams and the main
timbers ; some are well adapted to support ex-
ternal coverings, and the alder for piles in
making a foundation in swampy ground, as
that wood will stand the wet, but willsoon
perish if exposed to the sun and air. On the
other hand, the beech will not stand against
wet at all. The elm in the open air hardens,
but in other situations splits and decays, The
pine underground will last a long time, but the
oak is a very hard and close wood, even to its
smallest pores, and it therefore absorbs but
very little moisture, making it excellent for
underground work, being capable of supporting
great weights. But though this wood, by its
e treme closeness of texture is admirably

One ancient writer recommended the nut-tree|

adapted for general building purposes, yet it is |
found when used above ground, as in window-||
cills, to warp and twist.

The beech and chesnut do not warp in water.||

(Negropont), for beams and rafters, because
before it breaks it gives notice by a crack,
which would probably save the lives of a great
‘many persons, as they would have a sufficient
time to escape after the warning. But the fir||
is the best adapted for general use, as the tree||
grows to a large size. It is possessed of a
natural stiffness that will not easily yield to
any weight laid upon it, but stands firm, and)
besides, possesses the rare quality of being!)
easily worked—in short, the eligibilty of this},
wood is very great. The cypress, among the}
ancients, was considered as most excellent, and
not inferior to ebony and oak, and attributed to}:
it the useful quality of resisting both the worm
and age. Mention may be made of the gates||
of the Temple of Diana, at Ephesus, which),
were of that wood. They lasted four hundred).
years, and preserved their beauty to the last
in such a manner that they always seemed to)!
be new; therefore though the fir was well!)
known and appreciated by our forefathers, yet
was the cypress preferred. The pine was also
well known and valued, as they considered it
to possess many of the properties of the fir;
but there is this wide difference between them,
that the pine, owing to the sweetness of its/|
juices, is liable to be injured by worms. The |
larch is durable, and was greatly employed in
ancient structures, and is said to possess the
united conveniences of the rest, being nervous,||
tenacious of its strength, immoveable by storm,
not troubled with insects, and further, in the
opinion of the ancients almost fire proof, its
only defect being that in sea water it is liable
to breed insects. For beams oak is considered
as improper, as by their own heaviness: they
would give way if much extra weight were
laid upon them. It is mentioned that the palm:
possesses the surprising property of rising, as
it were, against the weight laid upon it, and
strive to bend upwards in spite of resistance.
The chesnut is apt to split, but may be worked)
with great advantage.. Trees or woods with)
sweet juice easily take: fire, and are liable: to
decay and insects, while in those trees whose
juices are bitter the worm never enters; and

'
a

ela fez nn LAN eA en nre eee Nee Tn ee eae

cellent in doors, timbers, and the like, because it is
by nature dry and tenacious of the glue. Beech is
brittle; the chesnut, elm and ash are inclined to
split, and are therefore unfit for beams.
ja very hard and close texture can never be fastened
{securely with glue, neither can two woods of dif-
|ferent natures, as for instance, the ivy or laurel,
which grow in dry spots, if joined to any that grow
in moist places, would never hold long together.—
The ancients were so convinced of the impropriety
of joining together woods of different natures that
they would not so much as place them near to each
other. All writers agree that trees bearing no
fruit are by nature more strong and sound than
those which do, and that wild trees are harder than
those that are cultivated. Trees grown in an open
country, unprotected by hills, and shaken by
storms and winds, are stronger and thicker, though
perhaps shorter than those that may grow down in
a valley. Again, trees that grow in moist, shady,
damp places, must be softer than those that grow
in a dry open situation. The heavier the wood is,
the harder and closer is its grain; and the lighter
the wooa the more brittle; the parts nearest the
heart may be the hardest and the closest, but those
nearer the bark have more firmness, for a tree may
be compared to an animal—the bark is the skin,
the parts next the bark are flesh, and may be con-
sidered as a case enclosing the sap. Of all parts
\this alburnum or juice that nourishes it is the
worst enemy to contend against, because it is apt
to breed worms. (We shall next proceed to a con-
sideration of the different varieties of stone.

(To be continued.)

Hree Bxrhihition of MMovern Art.

Ow Monday, the Association for Promoting the
‘Exhibition of Modern Art opened their gallery. It
contains 531 works of art, of which fifteen only
have been exhibited before, and is far superior, as
a whole, to the collection in the same place last
year. At the private view on Saturday, the atten-
dance of visitors was very numerous, including
many distinguished names, and eighteen pictures
were purchased, being more, as we .understand,
than were sold there during the whole of last season,
leaving out the sales to the Art-Union of London.
The attendance of visitors since has been much
better than it was last year, and will doubtless in-
crease as the collection becomes known.
|| Nos. 6 and 7, On the Trent, and A Willowy

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 298

they certainly excludes all moisture. The fir is ex- | Stream that turns a Mill, are two nice landscapes)}

Wood of

by F. W. Hulme, at present better known by his|}
excellent drawings on wood than by his pictures }|
No. 14, Morning Prayers, by Marshall Claxon, is}}
more to our fancy than some larger works by the |
same hand. In No. 23, E. H. Corbould gives aj}
possible view of The \Old Hostelrie, High Road,
Knightsbridge, 1497, (anciently called Kynge’s
Brygg, or King’s-bridge, but more commonly}|
known as Stone-bridge. 55, Christ teaching Hu-
mility, a finished study for a large picture, by R.
S. Lauder, R.S.A., is one of the finest works in the
gallery, and is calculated to raise the artist’s repu-
tation. It represents that incident in the life of;
the Saviour, when, in reply to the question, ‘‘ Who}
is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” he ex-
horted his disciples to become as little children.—
Of the many works which have pretension in
poetry or history—and of the few which can boast
success—is No. 82, an illustration from the fourth
act of Lear, by Mr. F. M. Brown. It represents
the scene where Cordelia apostrophizes her father
when asleep.

Mr. J. E. Lauder exhibits two pictures, Yorick
and the Grisette—the Pulse, (103), and Columbus
(275), both of which are excellent. 146, Kilns at
Alfreton, Derbyshire, and 216, Bonsall Dale,
Derbyshire, are two of the best out of a number
of very powerful landscapes by Niemann. One of,
the best landscapes in the room, is 106, Lowering
Weather—Cader Iris, by A.W. Williams. This
was bought by Mr. Creswick, A.R.A. 295, Laug-
dale Pikes, Westmoreland, is by the same artist.
187 and 188 are two glittering views of the Eter-
nal City, by W. Oliver. 200, A Willow Bank,
well painted by A. Gilbert. Mrs. Criddle, in 221,
Juliet, has a head full of deep feeling. 253, an
excellent study of An Old Man, hy Mr. A. Fraser,
is entitled Old Mortality. Amongst the historical
works will be noticed 290, Claverhouse mortally)
wounded at Killiecrankie, by W. B. Johnstone,
R.S.A. Moss Dale Fell, by W. K. Briggs, is a)
clever piece of mountain scenery. 341, Don
Quixote prepares for his first Achievement, by R.
Buss, has much character. Mr. H. Parker’s
Alarm—Signal—Smugglers Off ! (354) is one of
those stirring scenes which the painter has made
his own—and which his coasting residence has so
peculiarly fitted him todesign. 260, The Ascen-
sion of the Just, is earnest and well-intentioned,
though defective in execution.

We must further mention J. D. Passmore, G.
Rossetti, W. and H. Barraud, Wingfield, Dukes,
Elen, Bullock, (whose Fruit is quite faultless, and
almost equals Lance), Desanges, J. T. Houlton, J.
Peel, and others.

an a

SILESIAN aL! We lA EE Fae
234 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

EARLY ENGLISH CAPITALS FROM TNE TEMPLE cnuncy.—( Continued from p. 18%.)

Ropal Acavewy..

PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

LECTURE I.
“(Continued from page 217.)

AND now we come to a great and unceasing dif-
ficulty of the painter,—the difficulty of choosing
from among the qualities of Nature that are most
within his reach, which he shall strive to the utmost
to attain, and which may be left out with advan-
tage, or but slightly indicated. All the most agree-
able traits of Nature as well as all the least, are so
variously modified by circumstances and by asso-
ciations, that to. attempt to give anything like ge-
neral rules for the conduct of selection and rejec-
tion—that difficult task in which the painter is
engaged from the beginning to the end of his work,
and on which all that the mind has to do with Art
depends,—to attempt to give general rules for this
would only lead to mannerism. Hogarth, in his
6 Battle to the Pictures,’ has with infinite humour
opposed his Bacchanalian scene in the ‘Rake’s Pro-
gress’ to a ‘ Feast of the Gods’; but, when we look
at these seriously, we see two subjects brought to-
gether in which, whatever they may have in com-
mon, the standard of form proper to each would
be wholly improper if exchanged.

Coleridge has well guarded the passage I have
quotod from him, by calling the difference from
Nature, which is essential to imitation a librating
difference. For example, Poussin’s fine picture of
‘The Plague at Ashdod’ jin the National Gallery,
you will observe, is more generalized in its execu-
tion throughout than most of his works. It seems
painted in haste, as if he dreaded to linger on the
scene, and though the style does not contradict
Nature, yet it is very far removed from matter of
fact, which would be intolerable in such a subject.
There cannot be a greater contrast to so general a
mode of treatment than that displayed in the cele-
brated picture of ‘The Bull,’by Paul Potter, in the
|Gallery of the Hague which approaches the nearest
to deception of any really fine work of Art I have
seen. The Painter seems to have omitted nothing
that he saw in Nature which Art could represent,
and yet its reality is free from. any still-life unplea-
\santness, It is admired for its truth, but to a cul-
tivated eye it has that something more than mere
truth that is indispensable to a work of Art; ithas
great taste throughout,—displayed no less in the
general arrangement of the masses and forms, than

_ | of a consummate artist, and not that merely of a

_to be more opposite than the styles of Poussin and

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

in the most minute particulars, The grandeur off
the sky and the beautiful treatment of the distant
meadow, show that the painter had the power of)
seizing the finest characteristics of the large fea-
tures of Nature, while the exquisite manner in
which the beautiful forms of the leaves of a dock)
and their colours compose with one of the legs of||
the young bull display as fine an eye for her most)
intricate beauties. Throughout the picture indeed|
we see that the hand has'been directed by the eye),

skilful copyist. :
Now, it is impossible for ee modes of treatment

Paul Potter in these two pictures, and yet both are
right, while in the treatment.of/subjects of horror
the-general practice of ‘the modern French school
is toaim at a style as literal as ‘that of the last.
Wtth them ,—

*- Nothingxis Jightly touched, much less forgot,
Nose, ears, and eyesyseem present on the spot.”

This is either the result.of a want of imagination,
or the neglect to exercise it by omitting anything
the artist sees ina model before him, or which he
knows belong to the subject in Nature, however
revolting. Reynolds, in his ‘ Death of Dido,’ indi-
cates the wound in her side bv a feint and slight
touch of red, while the French system of imitation
would draw our attention particularly to its size
and shape snd colour.

Such a plodding and indiscriminate mode of
copying Nature it is which places Gerrard Dow, to
me, much below the best painters of the Dutch
school. Where he would render with a scrupulous
exactness, every wrinkle in the face of an old wo-
man, greater artists, as his master, Rembrandt, for
instance, would expres the character of flesh, and
make the head a means of displaying a beautiful
effect of chiar-oscuro, and where Dow would count
the threads of a carpet, Terburgh, Metzu, or Jan
Steen, would express the ‘beauty of its surface or
the richness of its colour. . His art is, therefore,
exactly that which may be accomplished by a cle-
ver, a patient, and a laborious man, without imagi-
nation, and with but ordinary taste. Perhaps he
stands at the head of a class of such painters, and
a very large class it is; while the art of Terburgh,
of Metzu, and of Jan Steen, and I need not say of.
Rembrandt, like all sterling Art, is ideal,—Nature),
not altered, but

“to “abana dressed.” ii

It is not to the high finish of Gerrard Dow that}
I object, but to the tastefulness of his finish.)
Where the imitation of minutiz is to step it is not
easy to determine; but it is clear that the finish
that belittles, or that suggests, at the first glance,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

the labour or time employed in it must be wrong.

| Here, however, I feel a difficulty which must
jalways attend an address to a body of students of
different degrees of advancement, namely the im-
‘possibility of accommodating anything I can ven-
ture to o%er in the way of advice to the individual
wants of all. In the practice of drawing or pain-
iting from Nature, there can be little doubt that,
‘until correctness of eye and obedience of hand are
attained, the closest possible, the most minute imi-
tation, is the best.
no harm, until these power are matured ;

Nature into a picture before we venture to leave
anything out.
mence with generalization, affecting a contempt
for the attention to minutize of some of their con-
temporaries, the secret of which contempt lay in
‘their own indolence. But the result of this was
always, that a vague and uninformed style in the
jend consigned their productions to oblivion. No
jpainter ever generalized with more taste and mean-
ing than Velasquez, but his early works are re-
markable for precision of imitation,—of which
‘The Water Carrier,’ belonging to the Duke of
Wellington, is an admirable specimen. Indeed, it
may safely be assumed that no painter ever became
great who did not: begin with scrupulous finish.

It may be useful to dwell a little on some of the
peculiar characteristics of the best painters of the
Dutch and Flemish schools of the 17th century.
Their great masters of this period, with the excep
tion of Rubens and Rembrandt, have not been
much noticed hy writers, and for the reason given
by Reynolds, that their works ‘““make but a poor
figure in description.” They want indeed, what
language can best dilate on, importance of subject ;
and they are considered, therefore, as having no-
thing to do with what is called High Art. But we
‘find in their best. productions Art more perfectly
carried out, with reference toits aim than we meet
‘with in the works of any other school whatever,
and this aim is often a much higher one than is
‘supposed by those who have given to them but
slightiattention.

All who:know anything of Art admit the iets
nical perfection.of the Dutch and Flemish painters,
| but the drawbacks that are urged on such excel-
Jenee are, that it is often wasted on subjects offen-
\sive to decency and on others that have little of
‘interest. In reply to the first objection, no excuse
can be offered ; but in considering the second, it is
clear that the very want of importance in the sub-

|
|
1

ject enforced the necessity of the greatest possible | Ths-lacquering tin,may be performed in thesame,

‘are not too much wrapt up in theories of the sub-

boundaries of our innocent enjoyments. \|
The aim at deception can do}
tor, as |.
Fuseli remarks, ‘‘ deception is the parent of imita- |
tion,” and till the taste is well advanced it is, in a.
high degree, dangerous to attempt to generalize. |.
|We should be able to put every thing we see in|

T have known young painters com- |

237

refinement of treatment. It has been: remarked
that “ we derive the pleasure of surprise from the
works of the best Dutch and Flemish painters in
finding how much of interest in the Art, when
in perfection, can give to the most ordinary
subject. The great masters of these: schools, in
their most palmy days, have, therefore, for all who,

lime to take it their hands, greatly enlarge the

(To be continued.)

On Pacquering.

——s

(Continued from page 226.)

THE Varnish for tin may be made as follows.
‘Take of turmeric root, one ounce; of dragou 5 |
blood, two drams;
pint. Proceed as in the former.”

This may, like the former, have the red or yellow |

rendered more prevalent, by the increasing or di-
minishing-the proportion of the dragon’s blood.

Where a coarser, or cheaper kind is wanted, the
quantity of seed-lac may be abated; and the defi- |
ciency thence arising supplied by the same propor- |

tion of resin. The lacquer for locks, nails, &c. »
where little or no colour is desired, may either be
seed-lae varnish alone, as prepared above, or with |

a little dragon’s blood; or a compound varnish of |

equal paxts of seed-lac and resin, with or without _ |

the dragon’s blood.

The manner of laying on the lacquer is as follows.) |

and of spirit of wine, one |

First, let the pieces of work to be lacquered, be |

made thoroughly clean; which if they are new
founded, must be done by means of aqua-fortis.
Being ready, they must be heated by a small char-
coal fire, in a proper vessel, or any way that may
be most convenient; the degree must not be
greater than will admit of their being taken hold
of without burning the hand. The lacquer must
then be laid on by a proper brush in the manner of
other varnishes; and the pieces immediately set
again in the same warm situation.. After the lac-
quer is thoroughly dry and firm, the same opera~
tion must be repeated again four or five times, or
till the work appear of the colour and brightness
intended. For very fine work, some use a less pro-
portion of seed-lac, which occasions the lacquer to
lie more even onthe metal; but in this case, a

greater uumber of coats are required, which mul- |

tiplies the proportion of labour; though where the
price of the work will allow for such additional
trouble, it will be more perfect. for it.

| Served in the temple of Fortuna Virilis.

||cients, and represented in the hands of Terpsichoreg

238 -

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

manner as is here directed for brass, but being for
coarser purposes, less nicety is observed ; and fewer
coats (or perhaps one only) are made to suffice, as
the lacquer is compounded so very red, that the
tinge may have the stronger effect.

Locks, nails, &c. where lacquer is only used ina
defensitive view, to keep them from corroding, and
not for the improvement of the colour, may be
treated in the same manner ; but one or two coats
are generally thought sufficient; though, where
any regard is had to the wear, the coats of lacquer
and varnish should always be of a due thickness,
when they are to be exposed to the air; otherwise,
the first moist weather makes them look chill, grey,
and misty, in such a manner, that they are rather in-
jurious than beneficial to the work they are laid on.

The lacquering picture frames, &c., where the
ground is leaf-silver, may be performed in the same
manner as gilding leather ; the circumstances being
nearly the same, except with relation to the texture
of thesubject ; to suit which, the different manner
of treatment may be easily adapted ; but the lac-
quer, as was before observed, may be the same.

An Llustrated Glossary of Technical
Cervms used tr Architectural and
Euntertor sBecoration, &e.

Lysis. A kind of plynth, or step, above the
cornice of the podium of ancient temples, which
surrounds or embraces the stylobate, as may be ob-

LyRE. Astringedinstrument used by the an_

and other muses. It varied in shape, but the an.

nexed is the most general form in which it occurs.

M Roor. The junction of two common roofs:
with a vallum between. The letter inverted
would also correctly represent this kind of roof.

MADRIER. A term applicable to flat beams of
wood, placed at the bottom of a mvat, to support
a wall; to athick plank armed with plates of iron,
projected from a petard against the gate, or any
other part of a fortified place, to make a breach;
a plank of wood covered with tin and earth, for a
defence against fire, is also ealled a madrier.

MAENTIANA.

the forum, whence the spectators beheld the per-
formance of the gladiators.

MAnTLe TREE oR MAntLE PIECE. The
name given tothe beam of wood supporting the
breast work of a chimney. In modern buildings

its place is supplied by an iron bar, or by an.arch
of brick or stone.

MANtLETS. In fortification, a kind of move-

able pent-houses, made of pieces of timber sawed| |

into planks about three inches thick, nailed over
one another to the height of six feet, cased with tin,

Seats in the upper porticoes of];

and set on wheels, to be driven before the pioneers
or miners in a siege, to conceal them from the ene-
mies’ shot.

MACHICoLATIons. In old castles over gates,
are small projections, supported by brackets,
having open intervals at the bottoms, through

which melted lead and’ stones were thrown down! |

on the heads oi the assailants.

MAHOGANY. A wood sometimes used for doors! |

and window sashes, is seasoned by sawing out and
drying in the open air, after exposing to the wea-
ther during winter: it ought never to be exposed
to fire drying.

MAPLE. A very common treein almost every
part of Great Britain. The timber of the com-
mon maples is far superior to the beech for all the
uses of the turner; and when it abounds with
knots, as it frequently does, it is much esteemed by
joiners for inlaying.

MARBLE. A peculiar kind of stone, of a hard
and compact texture, and very fine g7ain.
rieties are almost innumerable. It is formed in
beds or strata in most of the mountainous coun-
tries of Europe. In England it is most abundant
in Derbyshire.
most valuable of any, particularly the black and

Its va-| |

That of Italy is, however, the|

milk-white marble found at Carara, in the Duchy}
of Massa.

(To be continued.)

ee ee

Whotogenic Mrating,

(Continued from p. 217.)

Time: occupied’ in’ Producing a Copy. — This
‘mainly depends upon the texture of the paper and
the state of the weather; but ten minutes in a
bright sunshine, and half an hour in a clear day,
generally suffice. By gently sliding” the upper
glass partially off, without disturbing the position
of the drawing, and adroitly raising the part un-
‘covered by the glass, vou can ascertain whether a
complete impression has been made; if the copy
| is not sufficiently distinct, replace the glass, and
| expose it some time longer to the action of the
| light.

_ Fixing the: Photogenic Drawing.—Directly an
impression has'been obtained wash it\in clear water,
and then partially dry it between folds of blotting
paper. Next pour into a flat dish, sufficiently

in a pint of water. Soak the drawing: in this so-
lution for three or four minutes, and afterwards
| well wash it in separate portions of water till the
_water running from it is tasteless. This done, the
| Picture i is fixed, and having-beem dried may be ex-
posed. to.the light: without:sustaining-any injury.
'| To Copy: Raised Objects:—A correct impression
\ of objects that are not flat, such as leaves, butter-
| flies, and so on, may be obtained by the process
I above described, interpusing a board covered with
flann_l between the lower glass and.the prepared
"paper (slightly damped), by which means the ob-
‘ject will be gently embedded in the sensitive
| paper.
_ Negative and Positive Photographs. —The first
“in impression of an object, a print for example, will
| have contrary lights and shades: to the original, be-
‘cause the solar rays pass more readily through the

on the paper, than through the thick or opaque
| parts, which consequently transfer little or nu im-
_ pression. These reversed shaded impressions are
| termed negative ones, in contradistinction to those
| which have similar lights and shades as the origi-
| nal, and are therefore called positive photographs.
_ By substituting the negative copy for the origi-
| nal, and then submitting it to the same process as
was used in its production, any nuraber of positive
i ‘copies may be obtained from that one negative im-

shades are again: reversed, and a fac-simile of the
(original thus obtained.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

signature still exists in the church books.

after a temporary darkness. .
nouneed to give two lectures on its commercial va-

Jarge to hold the drawing, a previously prepared’
_ solution, composed of one ounce of soda dissolved

The Edinburgh papers' announce the death of Mr,
but very little known, even’ by name, south of the) |
Tweed. His lastereat' work wasa large picture’ of
* Vasco de Gama ;’—but his best work was ‘ Para-

landscape engraver,—and he himself for some time

and cleverly about Art, and was an enthusiast in

gentlemen connected with literature and art who

light part of the object, and ‘thus produce shades:

| pression, because, as will be readily perceived, the

The Mbhronotypist.

A CoRRESPONDENT of the ‘ Leicester Mercury’
says- that a. subscription is on foot for erecting in
Westminster Abbey a monument with bas relief
and bust,.to the memory of the poet Cowper. It
is said, too, that measures are likely to be taken by
a committee at St. Ives to appeal to the country for
funds to erect a monument, to the Protector. St
Ives was the place at which Cromwell resided at
the commeneement of his public career, and his
Slepe
Hall (the site of his house) has, just been pulled
down, and a.portion of the inhabitants think that
upon: that. spot the- monument should be erected.
The Hlectric Light: is about. to) shine. again
Mr. Staite is \an-

lueat the Western: Literary Institution, where it) |
was first’ exhibited. to the public.——Among the)
great variety of sites which have been proposed for
the marble arch removed. from. the front of Buck-
ingham Palace, ai correspondent of the Builder,
now suggests the front of the British Museum.——

David Scott, an artist of reputation and promise—'

celsus in the Lecture Room.’ His father was a

followed his father’s: profession. He wrote: clearly:
his calling. His funeral was attended by the mem -
bers of the Royal Scottish Academy and by several

knew and understood his’ worth. He was in his
forty-second year.—-—-It'!s our task to record that
the pleasant Oriental novelist, Mr. James Morier,
died within the last fortnight, at Brighton. It will
be long, we fear, ere we have anything so racy, so
natnral, at once so Oriental and so sympathetic
with our tastes, as his ‘ Hajji Baba,’ * Zorab,’ and
‘ Ayesha’ :—and/ great in proportion is our regret
that the casket from whence these came is broken
for ever.——The Commissioners of Woods and
Forests. have aecepted the tender of Mr. Robert
Hicks, of Stangate, for the masons’, carpenters’,
and joiners’ work required in the repairs and ordi-
nary works to the royal palaces and public build-
of the metropolis. Most of our readers will be
elad to hear the Free Architectural. Exhibition
has hitherto more than realised the anticipations of

240
the projectors, the number of visitors having just
‘prior to the extremely cold weather reached to 560
and 670 in the day.. His Royal Highness Prince
Albert has honoured the association with a visit;
‘and among other distinguished visitors have been
the Marquis of Northampton, Sir Robert Peel,
Lord Codrington and others. The second and
last part of the Stowe sale of engravings of British
portraits terminated on Tuesday last. The proof
‘prints after Sir Joshua sold at very high prices.——
‘The ceremony of Mr. Macaulay’s installation in the
‘office of Lord Rector of the University of Glas-
‘gow took place in the Common Hall of the College
(on Wednesday in the week before last. If Mr.
‘Macaulay’s allusions to the close of his political

| life are to be accepted as a deliberte announcement

he may be considered as won back to the fields of
‘literature on which his earliest Jaurels grew.——lIt
has been urged, that while almost every house of

| ‘any respectability in the country, and nine-tenths

of the corn ricks and homesteads are insured,
‘scarcely any of the churches have had the same
‘precaution used with regard to them. It is said
that a legal opinion of high ecclesiastical autho-
rity was given in respect of Portsmouth Church,
not many years past, to the effect that “‘ the church-
‘wardens would be censurabe, I had almost gone
‘the length of saying punishable, for omitting the
‘necessary precaution of insuring the parish church
from fire.’’ Churches erected under the Church
‘Commissioners are all insured, and generally to the
amount of two-thirds of their costs.

New Saw-Filing and Setting Machine.—The
‘Messrs. Norton and Cottle, of Holme’s Hole; have
‘recently patented a machine for filing and setting
saws, enabling the operator to whet and set the
‘teeth of saws in such a manner that every tooth
will be equal in size and length, the proportion
being graduated by an index, and so adjusted as to
suit the teeth of sa wof every description. Saws
‘that have been used and become useless in conse.
quence of bad filing, can be re-cut. The set: is
‘attached to the machine in such a manner, that
when the filing is completed, no alteration is re-

||quired in the adjustment of the saw to complete

the setting. The inventors have found by expe-

\lrienee, that the hardest saws can be set without

breaking or injuring the teeth. Saws considered in
la measure useless having passed through this ma-
chine are said to work perfectly easy, and perform
'much faster than those filed. in the usual manner ;
and the teeth being all of an equal length, will not
require filing as frequently. These machines, if
not too expensive, we think, will come into exten-
'sive use.— New, York Mechanic.

Discoveries at Fountains Abbey.—In a, thicket
| |of underwood, near the lady chapel, and where the

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

river Skell is arched over, some interesting remains
of the abbot’s house have been discovered. In
repairing the arches, and on reaching a level jnst
above the perfect parts of the structure, the work-
men came to pavements of encaustic tiles, the bases
of two rows of clustered Early English columns,
and broken Netherdale marble shafts, similar to
those now to be seen in the choir and lady chapel.
Here, too, in what appears to:have been the com-
mon ash-hole, were found some Ralley or Railage
coal, and asilver tea-spoon! The remains seem to
be spread over an extent not much less than the
nave and choir of the Abbey Church, and, from
what has already been uncovered, it appears that
the whole ichnography of this important building,
may yet be retrieved by a careful excavation.

To Correspondents, Ke.

On April the 2nd, was published, Part I,
Price One Shilling, of The

SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

DRAWING BOOK,

WITH DIAGRAMS,

Showing the position of the hand in describing the,
primary ornamental curves, &c., and general
rules for Drawing Ornamenta | Foliage,
with a letter-press description.

To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

—-

The Wook of Ornamental anv Barly
nglish Alphabets.

CONTENTS oF PART 3.
Published on Monday, April 2nd, 1849.

Two Grotesque Initial Letters of the Twelfth cen-
tury, C. and I.

Marks used in stamping paper in the reign of Eli-
zabeth.

Alphabet of Cyphers.

Elizabethan Alphabet, (Capitals.)

German Alphabet, (Eleventh century.)

To be continued monthly, price 6d..—Ofiice, 17,

Holywell-street, Strand.

*,*Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in future
be charged at 10d. each. : |

* *Any of our Readers having commlece
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us
by lending, or sending copies of them..

Part 24 is now ready, price 10d.

eee ee eee ee ———

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FSV AW\ AWS
et V/A Noe aah
AS A FORE ‘ "yf
VAC ed WY }
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— SS

= TE. : Us HN SV
i} = df)!

A SKETCII TAKEN FROM A BOOK-COVER OF CARVED OAK, LATELY SOLD AT THE STOWE SALE,
SUITABLE FOR A PANEL.—(RENAISSANCE STYLE.)

No. 101 —Vot. IV.] [Two-PEzNCE.

" bale)
Eman}
He Calne heed
peep yar
era

weg

(agai yg wae op
th a4 * “ (aa *

| Saturpay, |

@n the Stuy of Matural
Foliage.

T would seem needless
to impress on the Designer of Ornament the
necessity for a constant study of the natural
growth of plants, their blossoming and fruitage,
as the true source of new and ever-varying
ornament, if it were not but too apparent that
this path to excellence and variety is almost
entirely neglected for less original, if less labo-
rious modes of study. The way to excellence
is the same in all arts: and it will be found
that our labours give pleasure to others in pro-
portion as we take an original view of things,
and are able to impress this on other minds.

Such original view, it is very certain, how-
ever, can only be taken by a direct reference to
the object itself, and is hopelessly sought in the
conventionalised treatment which the passage
through other minds is sure to produce; and
yet this latter method has been the usual course
of study of the ornamentist. He collects a
stock of examples in the Greek, Roman, Me-
dizval, and other styles ; and turning over the
pages of his authorities, selects here a Greek

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.
eee on Uc Toa Es “Lich Guaulisyespmaagica ao oars maa syste en TT SSS eNOS nN SepESnEomeme rontinseccanscesspsisaninmapeas sss

|toons of Raffaelle; yet on such practice has

[Apriu 14, 1849.

honeysuckle, and there an acanthus leaf,—a
ram's head from the horns of one altar, a fes-
toon of flowers from another,—happy if his
taste is sufficiently discreet to save him from
mixing Greek with Roman, or both with the
Revival ; introducing with ruthless said ieel
the ornaments of a sarcophagus into an epergne,|
or a wine cooler—not that he would intimate;
that there is death in the abuse of the juice of;
the grape, but that it matters not to him, so}
that the forms are agreeable, whether the Gaze
that inurned the ashes of the dead figures.
again as the cup of the Eucharist, or the altar’

{of a Greek deity aporns his church as a me-

mory-stone to his friend. How hopeless of,
producing anything new or original, sucha’
practice as this! What should we think of an
artist who selected his figures or groups from
‘The Last Supper” of Da Vinci, or the Car-

|
the ornamentist hitherto but too often been:
allowed to rest his claim for talent. We have,|
however, cause to hope that a change is taking.
place for the better, and trusting that ere long
Nature will be more constantly resorted to,—
that in her endlessly varied forms of beauty
and grace, we may find the true source of ori-
ginal ornament.

It is with this view that we attempt to turn
attention to the study of the natural untrained
growth of plants and flowers—to the graceful
lines of Nature’s handiworks—to the hints that
she is constantly holding before the eyes of,
men—that they who have long ‘‘ gone through:
the world with their eyes shut”? may be tempted
to open them upon wealth that may well shame
the niggard poverty of their former resources,
He that would be great as adesigner of orna-
ment must be in the hedge-rows and fields at:
all times, sketching with patient diligence the!
form and curvatures of leaves, fruits, aol
&c. their groupings and foreshortenings; study-
ing them as a whole, and in their minutest ae
tails, together with their growth and structure ;
not to repeat as a mere imitator, but to dis-
play them as ornament, to dispose them geo-
metrically, to arrange them to suit the various
fabrics or manufactures for which he may be
called on to design; and to give them life and
words as it were, by using them as emblems of,
some living thought or poetical allusion. And
this is, indeed, one of the most important parts!

{

242

of his study; one that will require the talent
of the artist, the powers of an original mind.
It is this that lifts the ornamentist to his true
place, and elevates him from being a mere pat-
jtern drawer, to take proper rank in the world
of art; for who would limit the art of the or-
-||namentist to the mere mechanism of drawing,
leaving out of the question the poetry of assv-
ciation which must be added to the skill re-
quired to adapt the forms and colours of Na-
ture to fabrics and textures, requiring a treat-
ment suitable to the powers of the manufac-
turer, or the qualities of the material.

HAovern Town Wouses.

BY FRANCIS CROSS.

(Conclued from page 233.)

CHAPTER V.

Stones.—An ancient authority advises that
the stone be dug in summer, and that it should
lie in the open air for two years, that it may
by degrees become hardened to the atmosphere,
and indifferent to changes of wind, rain, and
frost, all of which are unknown to it in its na-
tural bed. For if stone is used immediately
after it is quarried, it will, through being im-
pregnated with its native moisture and humidi-
ty, upon being exposed to severe winds and
sudden frosts, split and break to pieces. It
should be kept in the open air in order to
prove the goodness of each particular stone,
and how far it may be able to resist the attacks
that may befal it. The stone should not be
used until it has been subjected to this trial for
two years, in order that sufficient: time may
elapse to show such as may be weak and unfit,
and at the same time such as are fit for build-
ing; and this is most important when we re-
collect that there exists oftentimes a great dif-
?erence in one and the same kind of stone.
|While some will harden upon being exposed to
the open air, others will contract.a kind of
rust or vegetation, and so moulder and decay
away. But the best instructions that can be
given relative to the goodness of any particular
sorts of stone, and its fitness:for this or that
situation, are to be found from use and expe-
rience, and by strict examination into old build-

- THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

ings, rather than to deeply learned works. To
speak briefly however, of stones in general ; it
will be found that all white stone is softer than
red; the clear is more easily wrought than the
cloudy, and the more like salt the block looks,
the harder it is to’work. Stoneghat appears
as if covered with bright shining sand is harsh;
if little sparks are intermixed, it will be stub-
born; if it has little black points, it will be
hard to get out of the quarry. That which is
spotted with angular drops is harder than that
which has round ones, and the smaller these
drops are, the harder the stone will be; and
the finer and clearer the colour, the longer
it will Jast. ‘The {stone with the fewest veins
will be the most entire; the smaller the veins,
the more beautiful the stone; the more wind-
ing they run and knotty, the more inferior the
stone. A multitude of veins show the stone
to be deceitful and apt to crack. Upon break-
ing a stone the more fine and polished the frag-
ments appear, the closer bodied it is; and that
which when broken is outside the least rugged,
will be more easily worked than those that are
rough. If you wish to make the experiment
of how long your stone will hold out against
time, soak a piece of the stone in water; if it
increase much in weight you may be sure that
stone will rot if exposed to moisture, and that
which flies to pieces when exposed to fire,
will stand neither sun nor heat.

—

Bricks. —We find in buildings of the great-
est antiquity, that bricks were used in lieu of
stone. The original purpose for which they
were invented is almost self-evident. The
scarcity of stone, or the great difficulty of
working the blocks led man first to supply their
place with bricks in their buildings, and finding
how easy they were in working—how strong
and durable they were, they proceeded to build
not only ordinary structures, but even palaces),
of bricks. They are the best material that can
be used, provided they are made and baked in
a proper manner. Of soils, a whitish, chalky
earth has been much recommended, and reddish
earth is also much approved of. Sandy or
gravelly should be avoided, but anything like ||
a strong earth should be avoided more than all,
as in baking they are apt to warp and crack.
We should dig out the earth in autumn, and
leave it to digest during the winter, and convert
it into bricks in the spring ; for in winter it is

,|until the water has thoroughly impregnated every
||part ; then put itin some shady place, moderately

'\The gritty is useful, especially in foundations ;
'|the white is the worst.

|certain the frost would crack it, while in sum-
Jmer the excessive heat would make it peel off
|while drying.

\harder and stronger brick, and it is certain that
lif bricks were well mixed together before

|particles of stone,
{will attain the hardness of flint.

|the best for making lime, especially that dug
| out of ashady moist quarry, rather than a dry
Jone.

|fully saturated before it is used, so that if there
\be any lumps not sufficiently burnt, they may
|become dissolved by its laying in water; because

|and so spoil the neatness of the work. There is

\for by this process it is conceived that the mortar

| sands the best is that dug from under the rocks,

\|to dry thoroughly, is continually moist, and is

It has been noticed that the
ancients mixed sand with earth to make a

baking, like bread, until perfectly clear of any
after being burnt, they

Limes, Sanp, &c.—Stone from the quarry is

The lime considered best, is that which
\loses a third of its weight in burning. Lime
|may be soaked in lumps, but should be plenti-

if it is used too soon there will be found to be
small stones which will throw out little pustules,

no oceasion to flood the lime with water, but wet
little and little, sprinkling it several times over,

moist, clear from all mixture, aud covered over
with a little sand tillit has thoroughly fermented

will acquire the greatest strength.

There are several kinds of sands, as black, red
‘white, or gritty, known under three sorts, as pit-
gand, river-sand, and sea-sand. In the public
‘buildings in Rome, the red sand was chiefly used.

The river-sand is much
esteemed, and in some countries sea sand is es-
teemed very little inferior to pit-sand. Of sea-
and which has the coarsest grain. It takes long
apt to dissolve by reason of the salt. The river.
sand is somewhat moister than the pit-sand
which is the most easy worked, and well adapted
for plastering, being tenacious. That sand is
best that is sharp and gritty in the hand—not
mealy. Sand that has been dug some time and

exposed to the sun or frost, becomes useless and
apt to rot.

_ We, have. -now treated on timber, stone, lime,
and sand, but in some places these things are not |
to be found, especially with the qualifications we
have laid down ; but in different places there are
different conveniences ; therefore we should make

uge of such as offer themselves, and out of them | at the rate of 5 to 6 feet an hour.

|) : THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

243

it is our duty to select the best and the most|
proper, and finally we should allot to each its/
fit place and situation. It will not now be ne‘
cessary to treat of iron, brass, lead, glass, &c.,
beyond saying—haye them in readiness before|!
you begin building, so that the work shall not):
stand still for the want of them, We should)
consider the season of the year; for buildings)
begun in winter are apt to be injured by frost ;
and if in summer are dried up. For these rea-|,
sons we shouid begin according to the climate of
the country. Without referring to any of the
superstitions of the ancients, we should begin the
undertaking with a clean heart, that we may
have a prosperous and happy ending; and with
good wishes to the future inhabitants we con-
clude wishing them content of mind, increase
of fortune, and a successive continuation of good
things.

A Steam Stone-Drill.—Mr. Joseph J. Couch,
of Boston, has invented a steam-drill, which, it is
said, can be worked so as to apply the force at any|/
angle with the requisite rotary motion, and to do
the work of seventy-five to ciyhty hands at once by|!
the aid of two. The “Adlas‘” in describing it,|,|
says—“‘ The drill is attached to ashaft by means of) |
a socket. The shaft is made to play with great force)
by simple mechanism, and as the drill approaches):
the rock is detached as by throwing by hand, only |
moreshortly’ At every blow a rotary motion i5|'
effected by means of a small ratchet’ on the aril!
shaft. In horizontal positions the power depends)
on the momentum of the drill shaft; in vertical).
and inclined position the momentum is assisted by)
gravity. At the trial, the machine was placed in a
horizontal position, and perforated a block of the
hardest granite with a 4-inch drill at en average
rate of 22 inches in the hour ; with a 3-inch drill,
it executed from 25 to 30 inches ix the hour. A
medinm rate is 125 blows per minute. But by
heightening the speed, not only is the number, but
the force of the blows increased. The machine
can be seen at Mr. J. Fowle’s, No. 16, East
Orange Street.” A machine of a like nature, we
may here observe, but worked by hand or by horse, ty
with a crank and fly wheel, has been invented, or
improved rather, by Mr. E. Nicholson, of New- hy
castle. It appears, however, to be only capable of||:
drilling vertically. The drill is made to rotate||
also, and to-be detached in falling and griped;in
lifting. With large drills, four men, or a horse,
will thus cut a4-inch hole in hard stone, it is said,
at the rate of 23 to 33 feet an hour, and jtwo men,
with smaller machines, a 4-inch hole in free stone,

244 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

\\ \ | i
Ra / - Ly
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_——

CIRCULAR COMPARTMENT FOUND UPON A PLATE FORMERLY IN THE CABINET OF M. EUGENE PIOT.

Suitable for a Centre-piece.—(Italian Style.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 245

(FLEMISH STYLE.)

TWO DESIGNS FOR BRACKETS.

opal Academp.

PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

LECTURE I.
(Continued from page 237.)

Such painters as Ostade, Nicholas Maas, De
Hogge, the younger Teniers, Cuyp, and Ruysdael,
have shown us that, in the humblest spheres of life
and amid the homeliest scenery, the grandeur, the
beauty and the sublimity of Nature may be fouud,
for that she visits all these with the same splendid
phenomena of light and shade with which she looks
on the palace or on her own most favoured haunts.

It is well, too, for Art sometimes to draw our at-
tention to—

*¢ The short and simple annals of the poor.”

And though it is to be regretted that Ostade in
doing this is often grossly repulsive; and here he is
an instance of what we sometimes meet with,—a
union of the best and worst taste,—a fault more
or less shared with him by mauy of the most na-
tural painters,—yet his best works have always
redeeming traits of domestic interest by which he
penetrates to the heart—to where the cold me-
chanism of Dow never yet reached. ‘The hard
working, and therefore, prematurely old-look-
ing parents caressing their old-looking children
with that naturalsimplicity which this perfect mas-
ter of expression knew so well how to give, the re-
lish of their enjoyments increased by their fewness,
are, I confess, far more fo my taste than the cottage
incidents of many other painters who‘ more ambi-
tious of story, aim to be sentimentai; and though
snch painters avoid all that is objectionable in
Ostade, and take care to give beauty enough, yet
like Greuze, for instance, the best of the class of
which I am speaking, they carry the mind more in-
to the theatre than into true rustic life. And
here I cannot but look back to’ greater painter but
lately among us, whose exquisite pictures of the do-
mestic life of the peasantry of his own country are
wholly free from falsehood—need I mention the
honoured name of Wilkie!

Ostade’s predilection for ugliness is, however, a
serious fault, though it places in a strong light :his
redeeming power, transcendant excellence as a
painter, and which, to me, has but one drawback
—namely, that whether or not from the use of the
convex mirror, his figures do not suggest the size of
life, like those of Jan Steen, of Maas, and of De
Hooge, but seem of Lilliputian dimensions—a fault
also of Dow, of Mieris, of Wouvermans and others,

a a a

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTAN'T.

that with all his eccentricities there was something

lene are not, for anything else, to be named with
Ostade. This objection is not to be met by the
principle that Art isnot to be mistaken for Nature
For there is nothing more constantly to be borne in|
mind, along with this principle, than the rule than | i
whatever in Art contradicts Nature is wrong: a |
rule applicable even to supernatural, which must |
have a seeming truth to be tolerated.

Of all the Dutch painters of familiar life, JH
Steen is acknowledged to be the greatest genius. |
The humour and whim in his compositions disclose
to us a mind quite distinct from the rest, and the
love of childhood displayed in the frequent and
inimitably natural incidents of it in his works show) |

good in his nature; and, indeed, unless that be the
case, I doubt the power of any painter, whatever |:
may be his genius, to interest us deeply. You will |
all remember the very fine picture by this admira~
ble master belonging to the Duke of Wellington,
which was exhibited last summer at the British In-'
gtitution, I mean ‘The Wedding. Overflowing
with obstreperous mirth, its great charm to me is
that of its genial tone. Constable painted a view |
of agentleman’s house, which he called ‘ A Picture
of aSummer Morning, including a Houee;’ and to |!
me, this magnificent work of Jan Steen is a picture |,
of a summer evening including a rustic wedding. |
I know not that any other painter combines such
a completion of finish at so apparently small an ex-
pense of labour as this master does in his best pic- '
tures. But haste, perhaps occasioned by his neces- |
sities, towards the close of his life, made him throw |
off works which, though they might have made |
the reputation of other men, are scarcely worthy |
of him. . 1

All his pictures have, however, more than those fh
of most painters an apparent aritlessness of contri- i
vance,—the result not of ignorance, but of that |
originality which, disregarding common rules,
works out its purposes by methods of its own and
yet faultlessly. Jan Steen seems, indeed, from the
unmistakeable evidences of rapidity of production
his works present, to have had the whole of his art,
not only always present in his mind, but at his
fingers’ ends. He seems to have painted as quickly |
and as surely as Shakspeare is said to have written. ||.
Others have no doubt equalled him in this, but who
with such results? excepting only a still greater
genius, Rubens; nor must I quit Jan Steen, with-
out remarking that there is more of personal beau:
ty in his pictures than in those of any others of the | —
Dutch painters, with the exception only of Ter-
burg and Meizu, though it is beauty, as it should)
be, not elevated above the sphere of life from. |:
which is subjects are mostly taken.

(To be continued.)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

lye Method of Making 3namels
of Parious Colours for Cold or
Silver GHork.

The Ground Work of Enamels.—Take thirty
pounds of fine lead, thirty-three pounds of fine tin,
searse them when they are well calcined in a kiln,
‘boil this calx a little in clean water in earthen
vessels, and when you take it off decant the water
||by. inclination, and in it will be the finer part of
the calx; put fresh water on the remainder, boil
and decant it as before, as long as the water carries
off any calx, and then recalcine what remains
gross, and draw off the most subtile part of it, as
|before ; after that evaporate the water that carried
off the finer calx over a gentle fire, that the calx
may not fly out with it, but remain at the bottom ;
then take crystal frit made with tarso finely
‘ground, and of this calx, of each fifty pounds,
white salt of tartar eight ounces, powder, searse
and well mix them; put the composition intoa
new earthen pot, giving it a fire for ten hours;
then powder it, keeping it close covered in a dry
place. Of these materials all the ground of ena™
mels are made, of what colour soever. |

Materials or Utensils for this Work.—First, let
the pot wherein the enamels are made be well
'glazed with white glass, and that it bear the fire
well. Secondly, incorp rate, and mix well the
stuff and colour of the enamels. Thirdly, when it
comes to be refined, and the colour proves good,
and all well incorporated, take it off the fire with a
pair of tongs for the workman’s use,

The Manner of making Enamel.—Powder,
|searse, and grind well the colours, having mixed
|them together as occasion requires ; then with the
stuff of the enamel, set them in pots in the
furnace ; being melted and incorporated, cast
them into water, and when dry set them again in
the furnace to melt, which will be soon, so make an
essay, and if the colour be too high take out some
of it, and add more of the stuff of the enamel; if
too light, add more of the colour, till you bring it
to a due proportion.

White Enamel.—Take six pounds of the stuff
for enamel, forty-eight grains of maganese, cast it
thrice into water; being refined, melt it, and it
will produce a white enamel,

Turquoise-Coloured Enamel.—Take six pounds
of the stuff of enamel, melt, refine, and cast it into
||water ; then again set it in the furnace, and when
ite it-is melted, and well refined, put in three ounces
|lof calcined brass, at thrice, ninety-six grains of
|prepared zaffer, and forty-eight-of maganese like-

247
wise prepared ; mix these well every time, and let
them incorporate; make a proof with your eye as
to the colour, and when you find it right, take it)
out and keep it for use.
Green Enamel.—Take four pounds of the stuff
for enamels, place it in the furnace, and in ten or
twelve hours it will be melted and refined, so cast
it into water, and place it again in the furnace in
its own pot, and being refined, put in two ounces of,
brass thrice calcined, mixed with two ounces of
scales of iron well ground, put these in at three
times, mixing and incorporating them well every
time, and so work it up to a pure colour, and take
it from the fire, &c.
To' make Violet-Coloured Enamel.—Take six
pounds of the finest enamel stuff, three ounces of,
maganese well prepared, forty-eight grains of
thrice calcined brass, mix the powders very well)
together, and then do the like with the enamel|
stuff; put them into the furnace, cast them ito
water, and being dry, put them again into the fur-_
nace, and when the stuff is refined and well
coloured, make it up for use. |
To make a Sky-Coloured Enamel.—Take four
pounds of enamel stuff, brass of sky colour and sea,
green each two ounces, prepared zaffer forty- eight,
then in other reapeels|

crains, and mix them well;
use them as the former.
To make Purplish Enamel.—Take six pounds
of the stuff for enamels, two ounces of maganese
prepared, of brass thrice calcined, six ounces; mix
them very well together, set them in the furnace,
and in all things else use or order them as in the)
other.
To make Gold Colour or Yellow Hnamei.—To}
make this, take six pounds of enamel stuff, three

ounces of tartar, seventy-two grains of maganese |

prepared, grind and mix the powders well together,
and after that, with the stuff of the enamel, melt)
and order them as other enamels, and it will be of
a fair golden yellow, proper to enamel on gold; but)
it will not show so well there, unless it be worked on
with other enamels, that may make a pleasing
variety of colours.

To make a Black Enamel.—Take four pounds
of the enamel stuff, maganese and zaffer prepared,
each two ounces, mix them well together, and then
incorporate them well with the stuff; put the pot
with these materials into the furnace ; let the pot
be large, and when they are melted and refined,

cast them into the water ; then put them into the) |

furnace again, and they will quickly refine, and
become of a curious velvet black.

Another Black Enamel.—Take four pounds of
the enamel stuff, of tartar four ounces, well pre-
pared maganese two ounces, mix and grind them
well, and mix them well with the enamel stuff.

248

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

An Ellustrated Glogsaty of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural and
Entertor Mecoration, &e.

Masonry. The art of arranging and joining
stones together for the formation of walls, in the
construction of buildings. Vitruvius mentions se-
ven kinds, distinguished by the different modes of
arranging the stones: of these, three are of hewn
stones. The reticulated Masonry, consisting of
stones squared in their courses, forming a regular
appearance with the intersecting lines, parallel,
diagonally, and perpendicularly ; it is agreeable in
appearance, but the weakest mode of masonry.—
Bond masonry, is that wherein the stones of each
succeeding course are laid, not exactly over those
below, but projecting, as tiles of roofs are arranged ;
so that the joint that mounts and separates two
stones always falls directly over the middle of the
stone below. The appearance of this work is less
beautiful, but more durable than the net work
masonry.

ManrQuetry. Inlaid work of fine hard pieces
of wood of different colours fastened in thin leaves
ona ground ; called also inlayine.

MARMoRaTUM. A plaster of pounded marble,
or mortar of lime and marble beaten together,
mentioned by Varro as employed in walls, ter-
races, &c.

MARBLE. The polishing of marble, was well
||understood by the ancients, and performed differ-
ently in different countries. It is first brought to
even face, by rubbing with free-stone; afterwards
with pumice stone; and lastly emery, if of several
colours ; but white marble is finished with calcined
tin, The Italians polish with lead and emery.

Maurma. Originally a native bitumen, with
which the ancients plastered their walls. An arti-
ficial kind was made of pitch, wax, plaster, and
grease; another sort was composed of lime slacked
with wine, and incorporated with melted pitch
‘and fresh figs,

Mausoueum. A building erected by his wife
ito the memory of Mausohrs-king of Caria, whence
the term was afterwards applied to every sumptu-
‘ous sepulchral monument.

MEDALLION. Any circular tablet on which are
‘embossed figures or busts.

‘where the intercolumniation is enlarged.

MEDI4VAL ARCHITECTURE. Thearchitecture
of England, France, Germany, &c.during the mid-
die ages, including the Norman and early Gothic
styles.

MEGALOGRAPHIA. A name/applied by Vitru-
vius to a kind of painting, representing the history
of the gods and heroes, which the ancients em-
ployed for the interior ornament of their houses,

MEMBERS. The different parts of a building;
the different parts of an entablature; the different
mouldings of a cornice, &c.

MEMEL TIMBER.
that name, in Prussia.

Imported from the town of

MEMNoNIUM. A grand building which encir-
cled the celebrated statue of Memnon, in Egypt,

MENSURATION. The science which teaches us
to estimate the magnitudes of bodies, superficies,
and lines. The most important parts of it will in
general be found under their different articles.

Merton. In fortification, the part of a parapet

which terminates by two embrasures of a battery:
its height and thickness is usually the same as the

parapet; its breadth about six feet on the outside,
and nine within ; it serves to cover those on the
battery from the enemy’s attacks.

MENAGERIE. A building to keep rare and fo-
reign animalsin. The ancient Romans had gene-
rally private menageries, a kind of small parks, in
which they had all kinds of animals, attached to
their villas.

Meros. Atryglyph consists of six parts, two
and a half are on either side, and the meros is
in the centre, and constitutes oue part.

Movuupines. The small projecting ornaments
of columns, &c. The two annexed sections
are engraved (the full size) from a set of planes
comprising some twenty-six varieties of moul-
dings, manufactured by Messrs. Moseley and Son,

oe
|

New Street, Covent Garden, We have lately had

MeEpIANvus. The middle columns ina portico, | an opportunity of examining them, and were much

pleased with their beautiful style of workmanship
and finish.

annie

Wrofessor Gockerell’s BWeetures on
Architecture.

(Continued from page 223.)

YET the architect should not consult too much

|\his friend, ner too much his enemy, but rather
|/endeavour to avoid the prejudices of each. He
|/impressed upon his hearers the importance of
recollecting the wonderful power of proportion.
By it, not only character but magnitude was given
||to a building; it could make the small look large,
||and the large look small. In illustration of the
| |former characteristic, he quoted a passage from an
author, descriptive of a small figure of Hercules,
which, though it might be held in the hand, as
||you looked at it seemed to expand into a Colossus ;
and of the latter, he instanced the interior of St.
Peter’s, at Rome, which was so ill devised that it
actually appeared smaller than it was, a great
error, and in expense extravagant in proportion to
the result. Why were these opposite effects ?

Proportion, he defined to be of three kinds :—
Ist. Proportion of elements, expressed in the
orders; 2nd. Proportion of cubes and solids,
which would govern that of halls and apartments ;
and 3rd. The proportion of areas, courts, and
squares. In the orders we found expressed, in the
most perfect manner, the charm of quantities. The
best masters had constantly devoted their atten-
tion to these features of architecture ; so much so,
that Wren complained that.architects attended to
{them as though they were the whole matter of the
art. In considering the question of magnitude, it
was to be remarked, how in the early Doric there
were larger capitals and rapid!y diminishing shafts,
as compared with the late Doric, in which we
noticed a gradual tendency to the vertical and
pyramidal. Greek architecture was characterised
by a certain finality, and it resulted from that cha-
|racteristic, that where applied as a lower story it
was bad, as we saw it in Buckingham Palace. He
inferred that it was bad to diminish greatly the
Doric in street architecture, and that it was from
this application of it by the Romans that the
altered diminution resulted. He inferred, too, that
the large capital was found incompatible with the
altered position, and that it was intended to give
magnitude by being diminished.

The Grecian Doric order, when alone, would
never look large; whilst the Roman columns, as
‘that of Trajan, showed the perfect consideration
for this object of proportion, In the Corinthian
order, varying the height of the capital altered the
jappearance of length in the columns; a. lofty

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

| trom these illustrious personages, so well qualified

249

capital made the column look short; whilst by
diminishing the capital, magnitude was attained.|
Similar means were apparent in all three of the
orders. ° The system was found in the Parthenon
especially, He found from Vitruvius, that the
ancients recognised that the proportion should’
alter with the magnitude. In the temple of the
Giants at Agrigentum, the columns of which had a!
diameter of thirteen feet, we found base mouldings,
—an entirely new feature in the Grecian Doric. At,
Peestum, instead of the ordinary number, the
columns had each twenty-four flutes. But at
Suniam, where they were small, and where breadth)
of effect in the temple, viewed from the sea, was)
desirable, they had sixteen flutes. Iam not, said
the architect, raising a toy or a model, but a
building in which I must take into consideration,
all cireumstances of size and position. He thought, |
therefore, that had he large columns to deal with,
he shonld increase the number of the flutes, and
diminish the capitals, whilst in small columns he
might have sixteen or twelve flutes. As we found’
in nature, the youthful face had smooth outlines ;
but withthe new dignity of strength and manhood, |
the features became more marked. The oak, as a’
young sapling, differed in like manner from the
full-grown tree, with its arms set at right angles,
and the corrugated surface of its bark. To give.
magnitude, therefore, multitude of parts was
necessary. Comparing the front of St. Peter’s at!
Rome with that of the Parthenon, how inferior was
the former. The four columns in the front were of|
immense size, yet the fagade was one which would
have been better suited to a parish church than to
so vast a cathedral. It was to give magnitude that
the new Parthenon had eight columns, instead of
six, the number in the former building.

(To be continued.)

The Royal Cyclorama.—We spoke in terms of
commendation of the Cyclorama of Lisbon’s
Destruction by Earthquake, at the Colosseum,
when it was first opened, but its effect upon us
then was less powerful than it was on asecond visit
lately. Mr. Bradwell has the machinery more
under control now than at first, especially for the
management of the lights, on which much depends.
The sunrise in the opening view at the mouth of
the Tagus is beautifully managed, and the effect of
the storm is appalling. We were somewhat sur-
prised to hear that neither her Majesty the Queen.
nor the Prince, has yet seen this work. A visit

to judge of its merits, and usually willing to give
their countenance where it is deserved, would be a
gratifying reward to those who have carried out
this undertaking, and one which, considering the
elegance of the building raised for the exhibition

the extent of the painting, and the costliness of the
experiment, they might not unreasonably hope for,

% Se pT Uy
Senter etree ya AUGER LO GAEL G UT Ge hh ETT A eee ee |

arge.
2 ‘
arrived in the river, from Antwerp, with 990 cases

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

fo ions eu. MLAS AGE SHE a ee

The Cbdhronotypist.

Mr. Prto has presented a petition from Nor-
wich, praying for a reduction of duties on bricks
and windows.——The financial disputes in Wal-
brook being at last settled, we understand that the
parish have now funds in hand to repair and adorn
the church. We trust that no time will be lost in
commencing this mnch-needed work, and that it
will be done under proper direction, and thorough.
ly.--—It is stated that a fine stratum of clay suit-
able for Terra Cotta has been laid open in the
srounds of the Queen’s private residence at Os-
borne, and that some works are likely to be made
in it——We are glad to hear that the Society of

|; Arts have nominated a Special Committee to inves-

tigate the laws bearing on Arts and Manufactures.

|/It will be a most useful work if executed properly,

and in co-operation with manufacturers, who are
better qualified than lawyers to tell where the shoe
pinches—as the former wear it.——It is reported
that the restoration of Wells Cathedral is about to
be suspended, owing to a deficiency in the funds to
carry out that purpose.——A baptismal font has
just been added to the Holy Cross Church, Per-
shore. It was executed by Messrs. Gibbs and Son;
Oxford, and cost 30U. raised by the curate.——Cn
Wednesday evening a meeting was held at the old
Crown and Anchor, in the Strand, to petition Par-
liament for the immediate closing of burial places
in cities and towns. Lord Dudley Coutts Stuart,

|M.P., took the chair; Mr. Mackinnon, M.P., Mr_

G. A, Walker, Mr. lvat Briscoe, and others spoke,
and there were from 800 to 1,000 persons present
It was the most important meeting on the subject
which has yet taken place, and shewed clearly the
hold the question is beginning to take on the pub-
lie mind. Mr. Walker spoke with the earnestness
of one who feels his subject deeply.— —We under-
tand that the importations at the present time of
window glass, especially from Belgium, are very
One vessel, the Princess Victoria, has jnst

of the article on board, consigned to a firm in the
jmetropolis. The Tron Steeple at Glasgow being
out of repair, asmal part of the ashlar work gave

way, when some of the town council coolly pro-
posed to save all future trouble and expense by ra-
jzing this characteristic old feature of the Trongate
to the ground. Bailie Orr indignantly expressed
his astonishment at such a proposal, and the Lord
Provost warmly concurred in the bailie’s protest.
The proposal itself accordingly fell to the ground,
pnd the steeple was forthwith ordered to be re-
‘aaired by the Finance Committee.

To Correspondents, & c.

On April the 2nd, was published, Part is
Price One Shilling, of The

SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

DRAWING BOOK,
; WITH DIAGRAMS,

Showing the position of the hand in describing the
primary ornamental curves, &c., and general
rules for Drawing Ornamental Foliage,
with a letter-press description.
To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

Che Wook of Ornamental and Warly
nglish Alphabets.

CONTENTS oF PART 8.
Published on Monday, April 2nd, 1849.
Two Grotesque Initial Letters of the Twelfth cen-
tury, C. and I. ;
Marks used in stamping paper in the reign of Eli-
zabeth.
Alphabet of Cyphers. Ne
Elizabethan Alphabet, (Capitals.)
German Alphabet, (Eleventh century.)
To be continued monthly, price 6d..—Office, 17,
Holywell-street, Strand.

H. J. (Wolverhampton.)—Wo. 100 also contains
some early English capitals. We cannot comply
with your request every week; we should intrude
upon the variety. You must consider that we
have others to please.

Roots’ Query.— We have not forgotten you,—we
are in search of a piece of the ornament you re-
quire.

8. Seddon.— Thanks for your commendation of
the ** Self-Instructing Ornamental Drawing Book.” |
We are determined to spare neither time, trouble
or expense in rendering it completely that which
its name implies.

Blucher. (Oxford.)— We are very happy to hear}
from you again. You will perceive we have made
use of your information. Accept our thanks—
your design shall appear early in our next Vol.

Answer to Query in No. 99.

Heel-ball is preferable to black-lead for rubbing
off impressions from old brasses. It can be had}
of any leather-seller. nother method in use is,
common leather, with blackiug rubbed on it.

* *Any of our Readers having complete
ALPHABETS of an ornamental description, suit-||
able for decorative purposes, will greatly oblige us,
by lending, or sending copies of them.

*,*Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in future

be charged at 10d. each.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Royal Acavemp.

PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

(Continued from page 237.)

WHEN, indeed, Anthony and Cleopatra are

his hero and heroine, they naturally become in
his hands a Dutch tavern-keeper and his wife.
Of Cuyp and Ruysdael and the younger Te-
niers, in his landscape compositions, it may be
remarked that what is striking in their art is
the grand impression they often produce by
combinations of the fewest possible and the
‘simplest materials. Their breath is, indeed,
not emptiness. Most of you are well ac-
‘quainted with the small ‘Sunset’ by Cuyp, in
ithe Dulwich Collection. {thas not a tree, ex-
Iceptin the extreme distance, nor scarcely a
bush, but it has one of the finest skies ever
painted, and this is quite enough, for its glow
ipervades the whole, giving the greatest value
to the exquisitely arranged colour of a near
group of cattle,—bathing the still water and
flood in a mellow light, and turning into gold
ornaments a very few scattered weeds and
brambles that rise here and there from the
broadly shadowed foreground into the sunshine,
gaining great importance from their nearness
to the eve.
In the hands of Ruysdaela windmill and a
stunted tree or two are sufficient to enable him,
by the effects with which he envelopes them,
to display in an extraordinary degree the true
poetry of Art. Solemnity is the prevailing
charm of his pictures—and it charms because it
does not degenerate into melancholy. Though
I never saw a work of his hand that did not
command admiration, I confess I like him best
in the flat and open scenery of his ‘own coun-
try or of the sea that washes it shores—where
he shows himself by far the greatest of all the
marie painters of his time.

Of David Teniers, whose landscape compo-
sitions are, as I think, incomparably his best
works, there are admirable specimens in Dul-
wich, and one very fine one in the collection of
the Marquis of Westminster; and I may ob-
serve that the power of giving importance to
trifles which Fuseli ascribes to Rembrandt,

251

who, as he said, ‘could pluck a flower in
every desert,” is shared with that great genius
by those of whom I have been speaking ; while
the general character of their art, felt by all
true painters but little noticed by critics, is the
proof it gives that greatness of style, from
which, when we speak of them, we must omit
what relates to human form, is not dependant
on the square feet of thecanvas. I know a fine
picture by Nicholas Maas, of a kitchen, of
which it was not ill said that, had Michael
Angelo painted such a subject, he would have
painted it so; nor is the style of Emanuel De
Witt, the admirble painter of the interior of
churches, sometimes with a few figures and
sometimes with entire congregations, less
broad and grand.

In speaking of Rembrandt I cannot but no-
tice what appears to me a misconception of

his character by a modern writer, the author] |

of ‘ The Handbook of Painting for the German,

Flemish, and Dutch Schools,’ who repeatedly} |

ascribes to him gloominess of mind: a mistake
arising from confounding an admiration of the
grandeur of shade or of the breadth of noctur:
nal effects with metaphysical gloom. Instan-
ces might be cited of pictures exhibiting not
only gloom but wretchedness of mind in their
authors with very little shade in their treatment.

To me, the prevailing character of the art of
Rembrandt is sincerity, as clearly as that of
Raphael is urbanity, where the subject allows
him his natural disposition seems always to
have led him to tranquility,—serious, but as |
feel it, anything but gloomy. Gloom is rest-

less:—it is the character of Salvator Rosa’s!

art as it is that of the congenial school in
which he was reared. But Rembrandt, often
solemn in the highest degree, and often in the
highest degree pathetic, shows nothing of con-
stitutional melancholy, He is the painter of
repose, as Rubens is the painter of action; and
you will observe that in his portraits, as in
those of Reynolds, the expression is most fre-
quently that of calm thoughtfnlness. What-
ever else, therefore, there may be in common
between the style of Rembrandt, and that of
Caravaggio or Spagnoletto, the gloomy, the
melancholy, and the savage, are qualities that

it does not share with theirs. He delights in
the stillness of night, but not as one who hates
day; while Caravaggio seems inspired by ‘the
wish to turn day to night.

252 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Go Correspondents, & c.

The Abhronotppist.

—— On April the 2nd, was published, Part 1,

[ Peers a ea tine | Price One Shilling, of The
HE sale of the Stowe Manuscripts by Messrs. ‘i
Sotheby will, it is now understood, take place in SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

June next. The anxiety so generally felt by all Jer RX AN WY i Xl G B O @O Ky

who take an interest in our national history that WITH DIAGRAMS,

this collection should find a resting-place machin Showing the position of the hand in describing the’
the walls of the British Museum—an anxiety} primary ornamental curves, &¢., and general
hitherto founded solely on the general reputation rules for Drawing Ornamenta | Foliage,

of the collection—will, we have no doubt, be Fae ae a is oie ie ePE ae
: : 6 0 be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.
considerably increased when the importance and Office, 17, Holywell street, Strand.

variety of the manuscripts shall have been made HEI

||known by means of the sale catalogue.——-On The Book of Grnamental and $avly
;;ground belonging to Mr. J. Taylor, of West : a
|| Lodge, near Colchester, about 250 funeral vessels, English Alphabets.
‘and a great variety of other Roman remains,
have been found in such circumstances as lead to Mis

the supposition that there are at least twelve REET onitt Letters of the Twelfth cen-,

times as many urns in the same ground still un- | y7,.45 used in stamping paper in the reign of Eli-
jexhumed. Myr. R. Smith and some other mem-| zabeth.
bers of the Archzeological Association have been | Alphabet of Cyphers.

ae : vomaine a | Dlizabethan Alphabet, (Capitals.)
at Colchester inspecting these remains. A German Alphabet, (Eleventh century.) |

subscription has been raised, or rather partly | 7 he continued monthly, price 6d..— Office, 17,)
raised, as we have announced, for the purpose of Holywell-street, Strand.

erecting a monument in Westminster Abbey to
Cowper, the poet. If Westminster Abbey is to| W. Bennett (Camden Town).—We cannot give

be looked upon as a sort of Temple of Fame for| Y9% y more information at present than you
possess; we have consulted several painters and)

British worthies, une guuber of “ The Task” cer-| @7s9 books, and the result is the same. Do not
itainly deserves a niche in Poets’ Corner. Hig apply it so thick ; silk only requires a wash to
marble monument should be placed beside the} 7emove the glaze and sleekness. We cannot,

marble monument to Thomson; for “The Sea- undertake to answer letters privately ; it would
» “ ” Pane i take up too much time.

sons” and : The Task,” though different in style, T. M. (Liverpool).—Accept our thanks for the two
have much in them that is like,—and that which} designs for gravestones ; we will engrave them, |
is like is of the best sort. Cowper, who wasa| and shall be happy to receive anything suited to|

. 5 x e ° 7 . . |
Westminster scholar, observes in cone of his the publication. The word you mention is a)

? isprint; it was only printed so 4
charming letters that he knows all or most of the i BP? aoe nhetien

monuments in Westminster Abbey “by heart.’ | W.C. (Gloucester).— We presume your request will |
Since this was said, the labour of recollection has| 2ardly be complied with by any of our corres-||

Been econ ee _| pondents ; it is too muchto ask, without offering |
iderably greater—bad monu a remuneration for time, &c. Send us a deserip-| |

ments have increased more rapidly than the tion of the style you require, enclosing a postage
good. But Cowper, we are glad to think, has stamp, and we will endeavour to assist you.
little chance of suffering like his biographer| Original designs, if good, are expensive. —
Southey—for the monument to the poet of “The J.B.—The Ornamental Drawing Book is de-

i ressly, to teach without the ai
Task” has been entrusted to Mr. W. C. Marshall, oe aad recite Gael

A.R.A., whose works are seldom wanting in the| B. Burslem.— We will endeavour to meet your

poetry of Art.——The subterranean map of price regard to the ire of the design,

Pari z ent should you require one, and will engage that it
ao commenced ae shall be in a first-rate style. Gt. Hearl’s cata~||

completed, and will form an atlas of forty-five logue shail be forwarded.

Sheets. It will exhibit, quarter by quarter, all} Henry W. (Salford).—Yes, it can be done in the

the labyrinthine sinuosities of the ancient quar-| ™anner you mention. The Drawing Book is

ries “as tot . very much approved of by all parties who have
ag oe catacombs over which Paris is built, seen it, therefore we have the more confidenec in
with the corresponding edifices, squares, and recommending it. Buy Part I. and judge for

streets above ground. yourself.

CONTENTS OF PART 3.
Published on Monday, April 2nd, 1849.

——<—<———S = S =

GeaAive MDratoitng.

Wire Drawinc is the art of drawing out long
bars of metal, by pulling it through holes in a
plate of steel, or other fit metallic compound.
in order that a wire may be drawn, it is re-

}/quisite that the metal should have considerable
tenacity. Gold, silver, iron, steel, copper, and
‘their compounds, are most commonly used in the

arts. The process is of considerable simplicity.
A number of holes, progressively smaller and

‘smaller, are made in a plate of steel, and the
jpointed end of a bar of iron- being passed

through, one of them is forcibly drawn by strong

|pinchers, so as to elongate it by the pressure

arising from the reaction of the greased hole:
this is the wire, and it is again passed in like

manner through another hole a little smaller;

and, by continuing the process, the wire has its
length increased, and its diameter diminished, to
a very great degree. The largest wire may be
nearly an inch in diameter, and the smallest we
have seen was about one-thousandth part of an
inch; but we are assured, that silver wire has
been niade oneefifteen-hundredth of an inch in
diameter. The size of these small wires may be
ascertained from the weight of a known measure
of length, and the specific gravity of the metal.
Or, less correctly, the wire may be wound round
a pin, and the number of turns counted, which
make a given length.

Wires are drawn square, and of other figures
in their sector. In particular they are drawn
grooved, so that any small part will form the
pinion of a clock or watch work.

As the violent action of the drawing plate
renders the wire hard and brittle, it is necessary
to anneal it several times during the course of
drawing. Very small:holes are made by ham-
mering up the larger, and the point, in very thin
Wire, is made by rolling or crushing the end by
a smooth burnisning tool upon a polished plate.

Gold and silver wire is made of cylindrical
ingots of silver, covered over with a skin of gold,
and thus drawn successively through a vast
number of holes, each smaller and smaller, till at
last it is brought to a fineness exceeding that of
a hair.

That admirable ductility which makes one of
the distinguishing characters of gold, is nowhere
more conspicuous than in this gilt wire,

A cylinder of forty-eight ounces of silver,
covered with a coat of gold, only weighing one

ounce, as Dr. Halley informs us, is usually drawn

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

into a wire, two yards of which weigh no more

253

than one grain; whence, ninety-eight yards of
the wire weigh no more than forty-nine grains,
and one single grain of gold covers the ninety-
eight yards; so that the thousandth part of a
grain is above one-eighth of an inch long.

He also, computing the thickness of the skin of
gold, found it to be 1-114,500th part of an inch.
Yet so perfectly does it cover the silver, that
even a microscope does not discover any appear~
ance of the silver underneath.

M. Rohault likewise observes, that a like)
cylinder of silver, covered with gold two feet
eight inches long, and two inches nine lines in)
circumference, is drawn into a wire 307,200)
long —i%. e., into 115,200 times its former
length.

Mr. Boyle relates, that eight grains of gold,
covering a cylinder of silver, are commonly:
drawn into a wire 13,000 feet long.

Silver wire is the same with gold wire, except
that the latter is gilt, or covered with gold, and
the other is not. |

There are also counterfeit gold and silver
wires ; the first made of a cylinder of copper,
silvered over, and then covered with gold; and,
the second of a like cylinder of copper, silvered
over, and drawn through the iron, after the,
same manner as gold and silver wire.

Brags wire is drawn after the same manner as.
the former. Of this there are divers sizes, suited
to the different kinds of works. The finest is
used for the strings of musical instruments, as
Spinnets, harpsichords, manichords, &c.

The pin-makers likewise use vast quantities of
wire, to make their pins of.

Tron wire is drawn of various sizes, from half
an inch to one-tenth of an inch diameter. |

The first iron that runs from the stone when
melting, being the softest and toughest, is pre- |
served to make wire of. |

{

Institute of British Architects, March 19.—A;
Poynter, V.P., in the chair.—Mr. S. Smirke, |
V.P., gave some account of the contents of a
work by Sir Balthazar Gerbier, written in the
seventeenth century, and entitled “ Counsel and’
Advice to all Builders.”—Mr. J. Taylor ex-||
plained his patent mode of facing walls with!
stone, by which he professes to avoid the dis-
advantage existing in the usual mode—viz., the)
injurious weighting of the stone by the subsiding {
of the mortar joints of the brickwork. By his
method he suspends the stone on to the brick-
work, and securely binds each by weighting it by
the superstructure ; ; the .bed-joint, however,
| being left open until after the subsidence of the
brickwork, when the stone may be pointed up
and become a part of the construction.

| 254

Professor Leslie’s Lectures. —In illustation of a
portion of the last of his recent lectures on pain-
ting, he exhibited a drawing—a eopy from a por-
tion cf Michael Augelo’s ‘Last Judgment.’ It
represents that group which Charon has under his
|charge at the bottom of the fresco. By whom the
copy is executed we have been unable to ascertain
but it is a drawing of much conseqnence to artists
as an example of the great school. Its author has
given in it so much of the style and feeling of the
original, which presents such examples of the deli-
neation of the nude, asto make it desirable that y
\Should find a place in one of our public art insti-
tutions, where it might be hourly consulted by the
profession. Those who have not had the good for-
tune to see the Sistine, might thus form some idea
of the terribil via_as it has been called. In Paris
the government commissioned Mons. Sigalon ; who
|| Was many years employed on the copy of the great
picture—Ecole des Beaux Arts—and had after-
wards a pension granted him in consequence. The
acquisition of the drawing in question—if it is for
sale, and could be purchased—though but a portion
\of the picture, would be a worthy imitation of the
| example set by the French government.

Art Union of London.—We mention as news,
that the council of the Art Union proposes to elec-
| trotype the two rewarded bas-reliefs, and to issue
ja certain number of copies of them in bronze as
prizes, This is an excellent step. The illustrated
edition of “ ZL? Allegro,” haying been very success-

}

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Printed and Published by W. QiBBs, 17, Holywell-street, Strand,where communications are to
be addressed.——No. 102,—April 21, 1849.

ful, the council determined on illustrating Gold-
smith’s “ Traveller,”’ and issuing it to all the sub-
scribers. The Art Union of London has done good
service and will do more.

St. James’s Church, Clerkenwell.——The trus-
tees have given instructions to Mr. W. P. Griffith,
architect, to take the necessary steps} for the erec-
tion of a scaffolding to repair the steeple of this
church, which ig to be done by public contract, o
which due notice will be given.

Method of Making Flint Glass.—Mr. Cooper,
in his communication to the Royal Scottish Society
of Arts, states as a known fact, that crown glass, a
manufacture peculiar to this country, answers very
well for optical purposes; but hitherto there has
been great difficulty in obtaining suitable flint glass
of a uniform density, and free from striz, wreaths,
&e.; and this may be attributed to the excise
restriction formerly altogether preventing, by hea-
vy penalties, the necessary trials being made to
produce a suitable glass, and hence we were driven
to France and Switzerland for a supply, where no
obstacles exist in the way of making it. The mix-
ture given by Mr. Cooper was stated to produce a
glass suitable for optical purposes ; and the excise
restrictions being removed, and being possessed of
materials and every other facility for making it
equally good, itis expected that the manufacture
of optical glasses will be perfected in this country.

' ;
ge ae FG WTR a TE

Ee me ee eee

Address, 1

Archzological Institute, Salisbury, 169

Architectural Association, 59—162

Ornament, On, 121

Architecture, Professor Cockerell’s Lectures on,
27—135—144—157

Arts, The Fine, 99—152,

The Roman Period of, 9—11—29

|| Early Christian, 172

Artists, Society of British, 19

Beverley Church, 36
Bishopp’s Disc Engine, 179

Calceolaria, 144

Colours for Painting on Velvet, 123

Cremorne Gardens, 107

Chronotypist, The, 10—20—20—40—50—60—
70—80—90— 100— 110— 120— 130—140
150——160—170

Correspondents, Notice to, 10—20—30—40—50|'
60— 70—80—90—100— 110—120—130—
140—150—160—170—180—184

Colours, Society of Painters in Water, 39 —

Cutlery Manufacture, Progress of, 119

Caen Stone, Various Qualities of, 131

Design, On the Nature, Origin, and Progress of,
71—81— 109—l12—127— 137—143—-158
168—173

Metallic and Artistic, 53

Dulwich Gallery, 93

Designers, Education of, 21

Decoration, Uses of Cast Zine in, 142

E.
England, Wooden Roofs of Old, 86

Filagree, Gold and Silver, 22
Fac Similies of Busts and Sculpture, 67
Flower Pattern Paper Hangings, 152

IV.

Florence, Campanile at, 176.

Gold, Metallic Precipitation of, 33

Glass, Paintings on, 101—111

Gutta Percha Tubing, 119

Glossary, Illustrated, of Technical Terms used in
Architectusal and Interior Decoration, 8—
18—28— 38—48—56— 69—78—88—98—
105— 116—128 —138— 145—155— 165—
174—183

Houses Underground, 177

Industrial’ Knowledge, 79
Indian Method of Working Iron, 108

J.
John of Gaunt’s Palace, Sale of, 47

Mz.
||Metals, On the, 148—155
Metallic Work, and its Artistic Design, 53
Metallurgy, 2—16
Marbled Paper, Method of Preparing. 141

On the Style of Furniture in Use during the Reign
of Elizabeth and James I., 42—51—61
On Brick Mouldings, 184

INDEX.

Odour, Influence of Colours on, 161

Panorama of the Mississippi, Risley’s, 3

of the Nile, 152

Paragraphs, 3—7—17—23—29—33—36—37—42
43—49—57— 58—59—67—73 —77—79—
87—93—99—103-—107—108—421—123—
133— 136— 147 —149— 159—163 —169—
178 —182—183

Portraiture, 91—163

Prints, Colours for Illuminating, 13—26—49—57
77—89

Painting, Lectures on, 6—37—46—76—83—96
103—113—126

Porticos, On,

Review, 107—177—182
Royal Academy, Exhibition of Paintings, 66—
73

Scenery of the Stage, 11
Staining Wood, Method of, 181
Stained Glass at Leeds, 182

Tapestry, Manufacture of, 32—43
Taste, On the Cultivation of, 31
Tea, Chinese Method of Colouring Green, 167

U.
4
Useful Receipts, 39—47—53—89—97—11I8—140

INDEX. Vv.

LNustrations.

A.
Angels, Group of, 41
Alphabets of Different Dates, 55—124—171
Antique Jugs, 74—154
Architecture, 135—154
Antique Vase, 161

B.
Bosses, 44
Borders, &c., Gothic, 51
Blue Bell, 71

C.
Centre-piece, Grecian, 11—131
Chariots, Grecian, 121

Diagrams for Self - Instruction in Ornamental

Drawing, 5

E.
Etruscan Vase, 64
F.
Foliage, 94—104
G.
Gothic Window, 151
Water-spout, 3
Terminals, 91
ifs

Italian Ornaments, 14—21—95
Initial Letters, 1—11—21—31—41—51—61—_71

81—91—101 —111—115— 121—131—151] Tablet, Gothic, 61

161—171

Key-stone, 35
L,
Lamps, Gothic, 101—141
ibe |

Paneling from a Picture, 4
Porch, 65
Plants, Wild, 144 |

St. Peter and St. Paul, 25

St. Andrew, 58

St. Matthew and St. Thomas, 125
St. Bartholomew and St. Simon, 164

@riginal Mesiqns.

Bracket Lustres, Gothic, 85

French Ornamental Centre-piece, 31
Gable Cross, 1

Head-stones, 15, 75

Patterns for Glaziers, 35—134—180
Tessellated Pavements, 54—84—114

Vase, 24—81

:
|
:

oie

“>

doatuins a

etka on apc eh aseligihnets

bid» “ana iancetatl Hagia

5 aegis } otda |

bee

Lf 4 aiountdida i Wiatieass ri

HE Proprietor. of this
Publication has lately observed, with great
concern, the growing inattention of the public
to discussions connected with Designs and
Decorations in the Arts and’ Manufactures.

This is a matter in which the interests—nay,

the very existence of this periodical are obvi-
ously involved.

The Proprietor would, notwithstanding, have
the courage to persevere in his exertions, if he
thought that the time and abilities consumed
hitherto in this undertaking would meet with
a speedy recompense—a renewal and continu-
ance of the sturdy patronage hitherto awarded

AS I SEs cn OaDEN SEs eee eee eee

| a
OF POPULA

—_—

R SCIENCE.

to him. Of this he despairs. The little en-
couragement he has, for some time past, met
with, convinces him of tne utter futility of

perseverance.

But while making this confession, he con-|
ceives that this recent decrease of patronage is
a fault neither of the public nor himself, but the
result of adverse circumstances—the natural

effect of the general stagnation of trade.

Aware, then, of the present depressed state

of commerce, and convinced that even those

who are most willing to assist him, are com-
pelled, by the pressure of the times, to with-
hold their valuable patronage from him, he
stops at once, and abruptly—within but a few
numbers of the completion of the volume—
like a sagacious general, who precipitately re-
treats from the field immediately he becomes
persuaded of the inutility of rallying his forces,
and marshalling them in order of battle for

fresh encounters.

At the same time, the thought comes over
the mind of the Proprietor that it is at all
times, painful to part from old friends ; and,
above all, from such friends !—so kind and en-
couraging ;—so generous and indulgent ;—firm
in their jsupport, and lavish of their contri-

butions! To all and each he acknowledges

‘

Vili.

ADDRESS.

Sur ITETTnESD SSCS EIDnc TTT nnn nnn nn ne Ut tttIttyEIItI IIItttIIISISSIS SNS

his obligations, the more highly valuable, he
trusts, at this important and, to him, sad

lcrisis.

And now, one word more, before the axe is

laid to the root of the dear nurseling.

Though touched by the contagion of the
languid state under which all commercial spe-

culations are now labouring, the vital parts of

‘the ‘‘Drecorator’s ASSISTANT,’ it is to be
hoped, are yet sound. And should brighter
days ever dawn upon the trade of this country,
—and dawn they assuredly will, and briefly—
the ‘DecoraTor’s ASSISTANT” may, in all

likelihood, arise from its ashes, like a phoenix.

Then gathering strength from past experience,
and inspired by the recollection of its once
brilliant and successful career, it will, unques-
tionably commence a vigorous existence with

renewed regivenescence.

But whether this glad day should ever come
or not, the Proprietor respectfully bids, for
the present, all his friends, including subscri-
bers and contributors, with many deep and
bitter regrets for their sudden separation, a

warm, tender, and thankful farewell.
September Ist, 1849.

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A GABLE CROSS (GOTHIC).

BY J, W. ROBINSON.

[Two-PENCE..

No. 103-—Vot. V.j

PON issuing the
first Number of the Fifth Volume, we consi-
lder it a favourable opportunity to again express
our desire to serve as effectively as possible the
advancement of Decorative Art, and the more
general diffusion of a correct taste.

It appears] influence, is fraught with greater and more de-

to us, that it may be accomplished by sug-
gesting to the practical man the application of
new facts, not only in the Arts, but in Science)
as applied to the useful Arts. It rarely occurs
that the Artist or Art-Manufacturer becomes
acquainted with facts until a long period after
their discovery, unless some accidental circum-
and even then, a pe-
culiar order of mind, or 2 train of thought in

stance proclaims them ;

a given direction, affords the only chance of;
their speedy and appropriate application.

At the same time, we shall devote our pages)
to descriptions of the various appliances with
which the genius of past ages has enriched the
worlds of Art and Manufacture, it is our in-;
tention to record those facts both by pen and:

the great purposes of utility and refinement.
We hope by so doing to render real assistance
to both Science and Art, by playing the part
of a collector of information and designs from
which selections may be made, as the advan-
cing necessities of the age may demand such
aid.

In speaking of the importance of Art to the
manufacturer, and the beneficial results which
may reasonably and surely be expected from
the formation of more intimate relations, and
a close alliance between the artist and the ma-
nufacturer, we do not forget that there is
another large and important class most deeply
interested in the issue;—we mean the ope-
ratives. To them, we are persuaded, that every
enlargement of the sphere of artistic produc-|
tion, and every consequent extension of artistic

|
pencil, that come to our knowledge, which
promise—though remotely—to be available to

cisive advantages than to any other class of} These perfect metals. are three—gold, silver,

the community.

| Art affords the best antagonistic force to the
‘demoralizing and dementalizing results which
‘are, to some extent, necessarily involved in the
‘excessive division of labour; but this, to a
great extent, may be remedied by establishing
a connexion between occupation and intel-
lectuality of result. We have always urged
that the progress of Art in manufactures will
‘necessarily raise the wages of labour ;—skill
and training must always command their
price in the market, and the greatest service
jthat can be rendered to the operative is to show
‘him how intelligence can most largely be com-
bined with industrial pursuits. Good Art,
cheaply rendered, will serve the high purpose
‘of teaching the people, and improving their
‘powers of perceiving the beautiful as it exists
lin nature, and as it is reflected in Art.

By supplying this want, a taste for works
stamped with genius, will be created, and a
Jarge demand must be the result. With this view
‘we submit the first Number of our fifth Vo-
lume to our Readers, and trust that at the ex-
‘piration of the Volume our labours will have
the effect of advancing the peculiar Art it is
our province and pleasure to advocate.

Metallurgy.

| Tuts science comprehends the whole art of
‘working metals, from the glebe or ore to the
jutensil; in which sense assaying, smelting, re-
| fining, parting, smithery, gilding, &c. are only
branches of metallurgy. Under the general
name of metal we class not only those properly
so called, but also the semi-metals, or all mat-
ters which have the essential metallic properties
which we shall here recount. Thus the word
metal and metallic substance will be synony-.
mous in this article.

| Those metallic matters which when struck
‘by a hammer, or strongly compressed, are ex-
tended, lengthened, and flattened, without
being. broken (which property is called ducti-
lity or malleability), and which also remain
fixed in the most violent and long-continued
fire without diminution of weight, or other
'sensible alteration, are called perfect metals.

Se aN I

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

{the characteristic properties of metals, are

-and platina.

The metallic matters whieh are ductile and
fixed in the fire, to a certain degree, but which
are destroyed by the continued action of fire—
that is, changed into an earth deprived of .all
called imperfect metals. Of this kind are cop-
per, iron, tin, and lead.

The metallic substances, which, as well as
the imperfect metals, Jose their metallic pro-
perties by exposure to fire, but which also have|
no ductility or fixity, are distinguished from
the others by the name of semi-metals. Of;
this class there are seven—regulus of anti-
mony, bismuth, zinc, nickel, regulus of cobalt, |
regulus of arsenic, and of maganese.

Lastly, mercury, which has all the properties
of metals, makes a class separate from all the:
others ; because inpurity and gravity it is simi-
lar to the perfect metals, andin volatility to the,
semi-metals. Its fusibility also so far sur-
passes that of any other metallic matter, that
it is sufficient to distinguish it from all, and to'|
give it a distinct class. We have enumerated
in all, fifteen metallic substances, four of which’!
were unknown to the ancients, namely, platina,
regulus of cobalt, of maganese, and nickel.— |
The order in which metals compared with each.
other possess most eminently their principal ||
qualities, is the same as that in which they are
enumerated, beginning always with that metal |
in which the property is most considerable.

Specific Gravity.— Platina, gold, mercury,|
lead, silver, copper, iron, and tin. |

Opacity.—We cannot well compare metals |
with each other in this respect, because it is so
considerable in all that it seems complete. If, |
however, they differ in this respect, the same
order will serve for opacity as for density.

Metallic Lustre. —'The same observation
which was made concerning the last mentioned
property, is applicable to this also. We must,
however, observe, that as by polish bodies are.
rendered brighter, and that as whiteness con-
tributes much to the reflection of light, the)
whitest and hardest metals therefore reflect)
best. Hence, according to the best authorities,
platina ought’ to be placed first, and then iron,
or rather steel, silver, gold, copper, tin and
lead. THOT

Hardness of metals may contribute much to

aa ee

THE DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT’

the duration of their polish; but certainly soft
metals, if their texture is equally compact, are
no less capable of receiving a polish than hard
metals.S ome hard metallic alloys have been
found to be less liable to tarnish than softer
compounds, and have for this reason also been
chiefly used for speculums. The property of
these and other metals will be treated of more
fully in our next.

Co.

[i [=

| A GOTHIC WATER-SPOUT.

| Enormous Application of the Electrotype Pro-
\cess.—An enormous application of the electrotype,
‘or galvano-plastic process, has been made in the
‘sculpture of the Cathedral of St. Isaac, at St.
Petersburgh, by the architect. After having made
|very important experiments, he was authorized to
adopt this mode in the execution of the metallic
| Sculptures and carvings for the following reasons:
1. The identical reproduction of the sculpture
without chisseling. 2, The lightness of the pieces,
which enabled the architect to introduce sculptures
iof higher relief than any hitherto known, and to
fix the pieces suspended from the vaultings, with_
out fear of accident, or of their being detached.
3. The great saving of expense between these and
\castings in bronze. The gilding also was effected
|by the same process, and presented equal advanta-
ges. Theseven doors of the cathedral will be of
bronze electrotype, the frame work being of the
former, and the sculptural parts of the latter.
|Three of these doors are 30 feet high, and 44 feet
wide, the four others 17 feet 8 inches wide. They

contain 51 bas-reliefs, 63 statues, and 84 alto-relievo
\busts, of religious subjects and characters. The
quantity of metal employed in the dome is as fol-
lows: Ducat gold, 247 1b; copper, 524 tons; brass,
3212 tons ; wrought iron, 524% tons; cast iron,
Total 1,966% tons. Hf

1,068 tons.

Panorama of the Mlississippt Mider,
Petcester Square.

THE gigantic scaleon which Nature operates in
the regions of the Far West, no doubt, gave those
clever artists, Messrs. J. R. Smith, and Professor
Risley, the idea for the production of this Levia-
than Moving Panorama of the Mississippi River.
And right worthy of its subject is this Picture,
covering, as it does, some four square miles of can-
yas. The views extend from the fall of St. Anthony
to the Gulph of Mexico, representing at least, four
thousand miles of American scenery, passing as it
does through nine states of the Union, (16 degrees
of latitude, from the wheat of the north to the
orange of the south), and introducing the numerous
towns which have, of late years been ereated, as if
by magic on the banks of the mighty river. We
ean personally vouch for the extraordinary truth of
the pictorial representations of some of the pheno-
mena which are, at times, to be seen in the course
of the vast river—sunlight, moonlight, firelight,
explosions, &c. The huge dimensions, too, of the
giant river, are admirably depicted, causing us, for
the moment, to suppose, that we were once more
on board one of the steam craft which navigate it.
The exhibition lasts nearly two hours. We cannot
conclude without returning thanks for the lively
anecdotes related by the exhibitor, relieving, as
they do, the somewhat monotonous (monotonous,
only from its great length) pictorial voyage.

Floating Church.—The English Churchman de-
scribes an ecclesiastical edifice of a novel kind. It
is a real church afloat—a new Gothic structure with
tower and spire, belfry and bell—capable of ac-
commodating 550 worshippers. Its seats are all
free. Built of wood, it is painted to represent
brown stone. Its dimensions are 86 feet by 34,—
witha passage all round it. From the deck to the
ball on the spire is 80 feet in height. The whole
rests on two boats of 90 tons burden. It was con-
structed at New Jersey, for the Churechman’s Mis-
sionary Association :—and it isto be moored at a
wharf in Philadelphia, for the use of the sailors
and boatmen.|

Invitations from the University of Edinburgh,
the corporation of the city, and its Royal Society,
have been addressed to the British Association, sug-
gesting that the meeting of that body for the year
1850 shall be held in the northern metropolis.

The Thames Tunnel.—It is said that the num-
ber of passengers who passed through the tunnel
in the week ending March 31st, was 43,761.

| Amount of money received, £182 6s. 9d.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

PANELLING #OR A PICTURE, BY LEONARDO DE VINCI, THE PROPERTY OF LORD NORTHWICK,

NORTHWICK PARK.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 5

Che Selt-Instructing Ornamental Drawing Wook,

Fig. 2.

Fig. 3.

THE numerous letters we are daily receiving, enquiring relative to the plan of the Seur-In-
stRuctING Drawine Book, has induced us to adopt the present mode of showing and explaining to
our Subscribers and Friends the principle upon which we have acted in its production. The above
illustrations will at once convey the principle, the arrangement being so simple that anybody desirous
of acquiring a knowledge of Ornamental Drawing cau do so without the aid of a Master. The
whole of the primary lines are illustrated in the same manner. ‘The three illustrations are, Fre. 1,
Perpeudicular line. Fre. 2. Diagonal line. Fie. 3. Curve line. The others, embracing the Hori-
zontal line, the Reverse Diagonal line, the Reverse Curve line, Double Curve line, or Ogee, and the
Reverse. A full letter-press description is given of each method of drawing the lines; also five
examples for practice for those who possess a knowledge of drawing. The Work will be continued in
monthly parts, and will contain specimens of all the styles used in Decoration.

Ropal Academp.
PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

(Continued from page 251, Vol. IV.)

How far the style of Rembrandt grew out of
that of the Italian natwralisti, as they are called,
it grew at any rate into much greater importance,
and became for more interesting, and this was the
result not only of his superior taste in the imita-
tion of Nature, but also, as I think, of the placid
tone of hismind. I know no work of Rembrandt
that strikes me as more entirely after his own heart
than a night scene—an interior, in which a woman
is reading by a light which her person hides from
the spectator, to an older woman who has a cradle
at her feet, in which an infant is sleeping, and a
spinning-wheel by her side. In description all
this sounds very ordinary; but the picture is one
of the most impressive that ever came from the
hand even of Rembrandt. The shutters of a win-
dow near the group are closed—the world is shut
out—and it requires no stretch of imagination to
suppose that the book with which both are en-
eaged relates to a higher world—a thought with
which the sleeping babe is in unison. But how-
ever we may read the picture, its effect is in the
highest degree tranquilizing and soothing, and akin
to that produced by Cowper’s exquisite description
of evening, beginning with

“¢Tet fall the curtains,”

A higher subject by the hand of this great
painter, and a much more solemn one, ‘ Our Sa-
viour and the two Disciples at Emmaus,’ possesses
the same charm of the silence of night, broken by
a gentle voice which the painter makes almost
audible. In such Art I fancy I see the real tone of
Rembrandt’s mind; serious and meditative, but
placid, and as far removed from gloom as the sub-
jects of these pictures; and of all the portraits he
has painted of himself this is the character ; in the
Head particularly, in Her Majesty’s collection, a
mind at peace with itself and with all the world is
most charmingly expressed.

The treatment I have noticed in Dutch Art, and
in which Remembrandt led the way, of producing
a grand effect by the fewest and simplest materials,
is diametrically opposite to the principle of Rubens,
which is that of a magnificent profusion. Both are
however, equally founded in Nature, who delights
us at different times and under different cireum-

fe aS
a a a TE I eT

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

eae ee

stances by extreme simplicity, by few and small
things, as she does by luxuriant combinations and
varieties of splendour of which even a genius like
Rubens can convey but a faint impression. Still
there is one great end which both knew to be in-
dispensable, and which both equally attained—
unity. Every picture of Rubens is as single in its
effect as the most simple subject of Rembrandt;
for there is not on its surface a touch of the pencil
that has not reference to the whole as strictly as it
has to the smallest part. Hence, however com-
plicated are his compositions, it gives us no trouble
to look at them, for the eye is never fatigued or be-
wildered in attempting to thread a maze through
the intricacies of which it is led by Rubens.

When the want of taste of this great master in
form, and the much greater similar defect of Rem-
brandtis dwelt on, it must always be borne in mind
that human form alone is meant; and that in this
it is want of choice only, and not any want of
knowledge of its structure with which they are
chargeable. Of the beauty, the grandeur, and the
harmony of abstract forms they had the truest
perception, whether of single objects or the result
of combination. Thus, the shapes of their masses
of light and of dark, however simple or however
complicated, are always impressive in the highest
degree, and their pictures attract our admiration
at a distance too great for us to distinguish the par-
ticulars of which they are made, and have in them
that which would rivet the eye even were they
placed upside down. This sense of abstract beauty
and grandeur which is to be felt, but neither des-
cribed nor analy ed, excepting very impertectly, it
is true they but possess in common with every other
painter of a high order. The rounded outline of
the back of a boor, amounting to a deformity,
which we often see in the pictures of Ostade, is
always nade to contribute to the general beauty of
the composition,—while the contour of an Apollo
may, if ill-combined with other forms, or injured
by a bad choice of light and shadow, affect the eye
disagreeably.

The capability of delineating forms of specific
beauty is one comparatively of very easy acquire-
ment; and there are probably few eyes that may
not, by cultivation attain to the power of avoiding
what.is most offensive in accidental shapes ; but to
perceive at once and be able to transfer to canvas,
in their perfection those beauties in which Nature
leaves us a choice, as in the wreathing of smoke,
or the undulations of a flag, is the real test of a
painter’s taste. Such taste, I need not say, con-

stitutes a great charm in the art of Rubens. He is .
the master who most united ornament with Nature .
and though imitated with more or less success by

THE Lean anonees ASSISTANT,
—— hI ee

the mechanists of later times, yet the life and truth
of his style will always keep him entirely distinct
from that large class of painters.

It is not difficult to copy the general effect of a
picture, the forms of its masses of light and shade,
or its arrangements of colours, at the same time
varying all the materials that contribute to these,
substituting, for instance, a light object for the
‘light of a window, or a dark-coloured object for a
shadow; or we may farther disguise the theft of a
‘general effect by reversing or inverting it. We
imay thus get credit for what is not our own; but
‘this will not in the least help us to the power of
‘originating a fine general effect any more than the
‘copying incidents or expressions from pictures
‘merely, will enable us to invent stories, or to pour-
tray the passions. A sense of the one indispensable
thing in a picture to which all minor beauties that
‘would interfere with it are to be unhesitatingly
sacrificed, however captivating in themselves,—
‘which all the parts co-operate to produce, and
without which, though it be a painting, it is nota
work of Art,—such a sense the great masters no
doubt acquired by allowing their studies of Na-
ture and of pictures to go hand in hand; for as an
jartist, who himself possessed in an eminent degree
the power of rendering every production of his
pencil impressive as a whole, said to me, “‘ there
is such a thing as the Art, and Nature will no more
make a painter without it than the Art will without

Nature.”
|

Style is a comprehensive term applying to every-
thing in painting—to composition, to form, to co-
Jour, to chiar-oscuro, and to execution: of the
last, indeed, there are as many styles ag painters,
| and in all as many styles as schools. But there is
_ nothing analogous to these diversities of Art, in
‘Nature. Sun pictures might be made from every
variety of scenery in the world, and yet what we
may Call their style would be but one. Style, how-
ever, rightly understood, is so far from objection-
able in painting that it forms one among its valu-
able prerogatives. The observation of Reynolds
that “peculiar marks are generally, if not always,
defects,” is directed against manner—not style;
but as these are often confounded, it is well that
| we should clearly understand the difference.—
Style in form, in character, in expression, in colour,
and in light and shadow, is the result of the choice
of the best of these with reference to the subject.
‘It is, therefore, synonymous with the ideal, and
abstractedly considered, is Natural, but almost al-

ways above individual Nature, Manner is a de-
parture from Nature, sometimes resulting from a
dissatisfaction with her ordinary forms without the
ability of correcting them by comparison and se-

pee Ub LS

‘nexion between style and subject would lead me.

lection, but more often from the indolence that
adopts compendious modes of arrangement, ex-
pression, execution, &c, The styles of the greatest
painters are, perhaps, in no instance perfectly free
from some alloy of manner, while the manner of a
great painter, as Fuseli has remarked, in many
instances becomes the style of lesser ones.

It by no means follows, however, that because
styles are different—I take the word. now in its
highest signification—that some are right and
others wrong. Apart from manner, the style of;
every genuine painter is right: the difference con-
sisting in his giving some quality or. qualities of ||
Nature in more perfection than they have been
given by any other; and if it be asked whether ||
Nature can supply every individual with something!
which in the same degree is denied to the rest?—I_
would answer that if the principles on which Na-
ture works are simpler than we are apt to imagine,
the combinations of effects resulting from these,
principles are endless.

To enter now on any consideration of the con-|

beyond my limits; and I will merely remark that
they are sometimes confounded with each other by.
writers, and that in ordinary conversation, nothing
is more common than this mistake, the conse-
quences of which I trast I shall be able to point |
out at another time.

In regarding early Italian Art, to which atten- |
tion is now so strongly attracted, it is of great con-
sequence that we consider its distance from Na-|
ture not as a departure from her, but as the nearest |
approach the painters could make to her; a dis- |
tance they laboured to shorten, and which was |
gradually shortened with a remarkable steadiness |
of advance to its consnmmation in the hands of |
Michael Angelo’and Raphael. It seems to mea
creat mistake to ascribe so much as is ascribed in
the peculiarities of the styles of the medizeval |
That they were gene- |

painters to religious feeling.
rally influenced by sincere devotion to the degr ee |
attributed to them, I do not for a moment doubt, I
but the general character of their imitation is the
same as that of Chinese Art, and is evidently a |
style, if such it may be called, which must chiefly |
mark immaturity everywhere, and under all eir-| |
cumstances. |

|
ley

To Cast Steel.—Take about one pound of the |
finest steel and break it into bits, put it into a
strong crucible, and anneal it toa bright red colour. |
Then "add from sixteen to twenty-four ounces er

good common steel, and anneal it thoroughly, and |
add ten ounces of arsenic glass; give it a violent.
fire, and it will melt and flux. With this compo. |
sition you may cast what vou please. on
a!
arnt i

iim. a A

8 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

imitating the ends of wooden rafters, these are pro-
ae perly represented with a declination towards the
an Llustvates Glossary of Wechiical | font of the corona.

Germs used ut Architectural and MINsteR.- A monastery; an ecclesiastical fra-

Entevior Decoration, &e. ternity ; a cathedral church. This name is yet re-
tained at York, Beverly, and Litchfield.

Mirre. In carpentry, is the name given to the

MonstrAnce. Used in Catholic churches. Jt | joint formed between two pieces of wood fixed to

is a representation of ‘ The Glory,’ mounted on a | each other by the formation of an indenture in each

1 to correspond to the other, so that the two surfaces

may coincide when brought together. This mode

Lf, is sometimes employed to hide a dovetail, and is

called lap-and-mitre joint. It is also an angle of;
forty-five degrees, a half of a right angle.

Mopinuion. A projection under the corona of
the richer orders, resembling a bracket. The Gre~
cian Ionic has no modillions, and the Romau Ionic
but seldom. The modillions of the frontispiece of

||stand, it is carried by the Priest on particular occa-
sions, on ascending the altar.

| Munurons on Munnions. The frame-work of

i Nero at Rome, consist of two plain faces, separated
by a small cyma reversa, and crowned with an
ovolo and bead. In the frieze of the fourth order
of the Colosseum, the modillions are cut on the out-
side in the form of a cyma reversa.

nd ee

MirrRe Box. A block or frame for cutting
mitres.

Mopute. The semi-diameter of the lower part
of the shaft of a column equal to 30 minutes.
Vignola divided the module into 12 parts in the
Tuscan or Doric, and 18 in the other orders.

(nt

Moat. Ditch, fosse, or vallum, terms used to
express a hollow space on the outside of the walls
or ramparts of ancient fortresses. When the moat
was dry, there were sometimes subterranean passa-
ges, through which the cavalry could sally.

a Gothic window.

Mutue. A projecting ornament of the Doric
cornice, which occupies the place of the modillion
in the other order, and supposed to represent the

Mornzav. In perfect fortification, a little flat
bastion raised before a courtin which is too long.

Moug. A pier of stone, to shelter ships from the

violence of the waves. Amongst the Romans, the

— name was given to a kind of circular mausoleum, |
as that of the Emperor Adrian.

MopDULAR PROPORTIONS. Is atermapplied to!
building, in reference to the module, according to
ends of rafters.—As mutules had their origin from | which they have been erected.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 9

The Moman Berioy af Creek
Meceratibe Art,

IMPORTANCE OF SYSTEM IN STYLE, AND OF
TASTE AND SUBORDINATION IN ORNAMENT.

In pursuance of his course of lectures on Deco-
rative Art, 'at the Government School of Design,
Somerset House, Mr. Wornum proceeded to follow
up his remarks on the Periclean age of Greek Art,
‘with some account of its progress, or decline ra-
‘ther, under Roman auspices.

In the last lecture, said he, we reached the cul-
jminating point of Greek Decorative Art, illustrated
in the Parthenon, the Erectheium, and the Cho-
‘ragic monument to Lysicrates. We have now to
trace its decline, or point out that deterioration of
style which immediately followed the period of
Alexander, and which has caused this later age to
be termed the period of decline. The designation
‘appears to be just, though, as regards the mere
production of ornamental works, it exhibits not
only a more profuse expenditure, but even more
‘energetic enterprise in, perhaps, every species of
‘ornamental art, than any preceding age. The de-
cline was in the art—in the manner in which the
\decorations were applied —not in the ornaments
themselves. These were the same, and in most
‘eases, equally well executed; but that quality
which we term taste—that is, judicious selection
and arrangement—seems to have experienced a
total revolution. Quantity was apparently mis-
taken for quality; and the whole decorative art of
\this period, viewed generally, well illustrates that
deficiency of power in .the artistic mind which
Apelles so aptly exposed. If the Roman works
‘are not beautiful, they are at least rich. When I
\say Roman works, I by no means allude merely to
works executed at Rome, but to all efforts of ‘this
period in any part of the ancient world to which
Roman influence extended. And from the time of
the conquest of Greece, about a century and a half
after Alexander, few great works were undertaken
which did not owe their origin immediately to
Rome, though perhaps in nearly all cases executed
by Greek artists. 'The Romans even collected and
exhibited works of Greek art at Rome within a
century after the death'of Alexander, as the works
||brought by Marcellus from Syracuse, 214 B.c,
Under these circumstances we may, perhaps,
||safely term this period of decline—that is, from
||Marcellus to Constantine the Great—about five
}|centuries—the Roman period of Greek art. We

cannot call the art of these centuries Roman art,
but it was strictly Greek art under Roman influ-
ence, and its chief monuments, even in the Ori-
ental provinces, were raised by the orders of Ro-
man Governors or Emperors—as at Petra, Pal-
myra, Baalbec (Heliopolis), Athens, Pola, and
Spalatro.

The decline, then, which characterises this re-
markable period is not one of poverty, but rather;
of luxury; it was an embarrassment of riches—an
injudicious application of ornament, from the want
of that proper discrimination which we term taste,
or rather, perhaps, that want combined with the
ostentatious rivalry of aluxuriousage. And yet,
with all its enterprise and boundless expenditure,
this age has added but one single new form to those
which constituted the elementary types of the pre-
ceding age. This new form is the SHELL, which
we find cut on the modillions of the arch of Titus,
at Rome. This species of net-work is not new.—
Net-work of gold was introduced largely in the
funeral car of Alexander the Great. It appears to
be a mere imitation of basket-work, or what it
literally is—net-work. We have in this period,
also, vertical reeding, rare in Greek art, unless in
furniture.

Style and system may be looked upon as synony-
mous terms in ornamental art. Besides the orna-
ments themselves, we must have some system of;
applying them. And if the prominent and cha-
racteristie members of certain established styles
are promiscuously thrown together, the principal
features of one style applied as secondary to sub-
ordinate features of another, the value of all is
diminished or lost, and the general effect has but
its vagueness to characterize it. The same orna-
mental types may be used in the development of
new styles, distinction of style depending not so
much on the types themselves as on the mode of
using them. But in the development of any par-
ticular historie style of ornament we are strictly
limited to the elements belonging to that style ;—
and in combining styles, the various members be-
longing to the same style should preserve their re-
lative degree of importance.

The general decorations of the Roman period,
however, and especially those of Pompeii, exhibit
an utter disregard to these observances ; and thus
all distinetions of style and consequent peculiarity
of manner and character are lost. Systematic deé-
signing exhibits the art of the ornamentist in a
highly intellectual light. Whatever style prevailed
in a particular period, it is one expression of the
spirit of that age; and by thus attending to these
periodic or local developments of ornament, the
designer affords not only the complete delight and

THE DECORATOR’S. ASSISTANT.

gratification arising from the contemplation of a
beautiful work of art, but at the same time pre-
sents an agreeable and instructive record of the
past, full of the most valuable suggestions.

(To be continued.)

The Chronotpyptst.

THE chancel window of Crosscannonby Church,
near Maryport, has been filled with stained’ glass,
supplied by the parishioners. |The window consists
of three lancet lights; in the centre one of which
is represented the Crucifixion. In the left lancet
is St. Peter, and in the right, the saint to: whom
the structure is dedicated. The! remainder of the
window is fitted with flowered quartre-foils, enclo-
sed in circles. 'The designs were furnished and the
work executed by the Messrs. Scott, of Carlisle.
The church at Heywood, Westbury, built at
the expense of Mr. H.G. G. Ludlaw, of Heywood,
was consecrated on Thursday week. The building
is in the early English style, with open benches for
about 360 persons. The old parish eburch has
lately been restored at £2,000 cost.—-—-Work-
men have been boring near the centre of Mansfield
Market-place, to ascertain the nature of the pro-
posed foundation of a structure for the Bentinck
Testimonial, which is.to be erected from a design
by Mr. Hind, after an early English Market-cross.
——tThe repairs of the rood tower of Lincoln Ca-
thedral are proceeding. ‘The south and west sides
have been repaired, and the east side is in progress.
——The new chapel at Copston, near Monk’s Kir-
by, Warwickshire, was. consecrated on Tuesday
week. It is in the decorated style of architec-
ture, and capable of holding 200 persons. It has
been built at the expense of the Earl of Denbigh.
||The cost was £1,000 exclusive of carriage of mate-
rials by the Earl’s tenants, free.———A ‘hotel ‘built
by. Messrs. Grissell and Peto, near the Colchester
Railway station, at a cost of £12,000 to £15,000,
has been charitably converted by Mr. Peto into an
asylum for infant idiots. On Thursday week the
inscription scone of the Birmingham Free Indus-
trial Schools, in Gem-street, was, laid with the
usual ceremonies. The cost of ;the erection will be
upwards of £2,000, andthe accommodation suffi-
cient for 270 children of both sexes.—The founda-
tion of the Durham Mechanics’ Institute was laid,
on the 30th ult., by the leader ofa procession of
Freemasons. Some English portraits and. other
pictures, the property of the late Mr. Watt, of As-
ton Hall, near Birmingham, were sold at the Hall
on Tuesday last by Messrs. Christie and Manson.

Meee eee a ete ee eee eae en eee ec eee a aaa e a eee eee eee Se

| traits, chiefly of James the First, were in keeping

Aston Hall is a fine old Jacobean mansion, in the
spirit and style of Holland House, Kensington, and
Woolaton Hall, near Nottingham, and the por-

with the walls on which ae were hung.

To Correspondents, &e.

On April the 2nd, was published, Part I,
Price One Shilling, of The

SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

WRAWUNG BOOK,
WITH DIAGRAMS,
Showing the position of the hand in describing the
primary ornamental curves, &c., and general
rules for Drawing Ornamenta | Foliage,
with a letter-press description.

To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.
Part 2 will be published on Tuesday, May the Ist.
Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

The Wook of Ornamental and Barly
English Alphabets.
ContTENTS oF PART 4.

To be Published on Tuesday, May Ist, 1849.

Two Initial Letters of the Twelfth century, C. and
I., from the Record Office.

Two. Initials of the Thirtcenth century, F. and H.

Elizabethan Alphabet, (Capitals.) ;

A Centre-piece, and the Device of Richard Pynson,
supposed Assistant to Caxton, 14983—1531.

Alphabet, (Thirteenth century.)

To be continued monthly, price 6d..—Office, 17,

Holywell-street, Strand.

The Fourth Volume of .
The Mecorator’s Assistant,

Is now ready, price 6s.

J.C. M. (Old Ford.)— We will endeavour to ascer-
- tain whether there is'a cheap work on the sub-
ject you allude to, and give you an answer in our
next number. Weare informed that the com-
position used by grainers is a professional secret;
therefore you must pay to get the information.
Venice turpentine or rosin is used to a the bit)
into when soldering:
S. M., ‘(Sheffleld).— You should obtain the Laws of;
Cricket, with Explanatory Remarks and Tllus-

| trations, by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter
to Bell’s Life. It is published annualiy, early
in May, at 17, upg keh Strand.

* *Parts 1 and 2 are re- ered and, will in satire
be charged at 10d. each.

Part 25 is now ready, price 10d.

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Scenery of the Stage.

ERHAPS there are no
buildings so fully destined to influence public
taste as the temples of the drama; for therein
are nightly assembled a varying audience, who
come expressly to be pleased. When all that
can address the senses through the ear, impas-
sioned declamation, elegant language, and the
enchanting strains of music forming the staple
of the mental feast, it would be but an actually
abridged gratification if the eye were abandoned
to absolute vacuity. Hence the necessity of
magnificent costume, appropriate scenery, and
an ornamental interior to perfect the unity of
illusion.

But apart from the theatre being a dispenser
of innocent amusement, or a mere relaxation
from the severer duties of life, it controuls the
habits and ideas of an attentive audience, a
similar power being exercised upon the organs
of vision by the dresses and scenery. The pro-
priety of attire gives the pictorial history of
costume in all ages more completely elucidated
than the painter or graver can supply, or the
movements of the actor elicit, an unceasing
variety of combinations in form and fold. The
scenic adjuncts are not less influential in in-
struction. .The architecture, interior and ex-
terior, of all ages and nations, becomes a rigid
necessity to develope the clime or epoch of the
action, and locality demands of landscape-art
that the mind should become harmonised by its

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[May 5, 1849.

beauteous tones and natural representation. —
There can be no doubt, either, that an elegant-
ly decorated hall has a cultivating influence on
the manners and the bearing of the uninstruc-
ted classes of the community.

Advancing beyond the merely pleasing influ-
ences of the pictorial art, and surveying it with||
higher aspirations, we cannot but regard some
of the scenic effects as of the highest interest
to all who desire by the magic influence of the) |
pencil to create new tastes and feelings, and||
learn to survey the beautiful and grand with
souls open to receive the holy agencies which,
like an atmosphere, surround the earth, and)
illumine all things with their radiations. __

In theatrical undertakings it too frequently ||
occurs that every thing must be done with pre-
cipitation, and time is not allowed for consi-
deration to create unity of design. To deco-||
rate the interior of a theatre is not a light un-
dertaking, if Art is to be accomplished. It too
often happens that the decorator is selected
whose staff of subordinates is strong enough
in numbers to perform quickly their evolutions
over the space that has to be covered. How-|'
ever, we must be content with any display of
intention which minutely indicates a desire of,
progressing ; and so far we are willing to laud
the smallest particle of good that gleams among
much that is indifferent. As examples of im- ||
proved taste in scenic effects, we may direct our
Readers’ attention to the Haymarket and Ly-
ceum theatres.

he Moman Werioy of Creck
sPecerative Art.

IMPORTANCE OF SYSTEM IN STYLE, AND OF
TASTE AND SUBORDINATION IN ORNAMENT.

(Continued from p. 9.)

These remarks apply as much to furniture
as to decoration, and also, though in a less de-
gree, to designs for costume and ornamental
manufactures. For unless the designer for
cabinet work, papers, furniture damasks, and
stuffs generally, conforms as much as the de-
corator with the distinctions of style, these
manufactures cannot contribute anything to-
wards that complete development of ornamen-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

tal art which it is the object of these schools
to foster. There is, perhaps, only one depart-
ment of manufactures in which this discrimi-
nation of the various styles of ornament can
be considered a matter of indifference,—that is
in the printed or woven fabrics for ladies’
dresses. Here it should rather be avoided, as
we do not wish to see our mothers, wives, and
daughters look like antiques, or even as middle
age ladies. For this class of fabrics, the most
appropriate design is such as shall be com-
pletely unobtrusive, and while ornamental, at
the same time strictly subordinate. To make
so conspicuous a design as to attract the atten-
tion from the lady herself to the pattern of her
dress is to commit a capital error: it then no
longer adorus, but rivals the person. ‘This
elaboration of an accessary at the cost of the
principal object, is an error too often commit-
ted in works of art, of which even the Greeks
have afforded a sufficient number of examples;
as Androcydes, the contemporary of Zeuxis,
who painted a picture of the six-headed sea-
monster, Scylla, in which he gave so much
care to the fish he introduced in the compo-
sition, that the monster herself, really the pic-
ture, Was comparatively unimportant, and
Androcydes was ever after ridiculed for having
forgotten his art for his appetite, for he was
known to have been very fond of fish. Proto-
genes, too, the rival of Apelles, in his cele-
brated picture of a ‘‘Reposing Faun,” had
introduced a quail so admirably painted that
the first exclamation of the spectator was,—
““What a beautiful quail!”” This so annoyed
the great painter, that although the picture was
already dedicated, he solicited and obtained
leave to efface the offending bird.

‘Now it is quite as easy for the ornamental
designer to fall into this error as for the painter.
His ornaments may become so prominent as
completely to obscure the intention or desti-
nation of the object he has ostensibly endea-
voured to adorn. Every addition by way of
ornament should tend only more completely
and elegantly to express the designer’s purpose;
otherwise what is principal is sacrificed to what
is but secondary. It is the more ox less strict
observance of this principle which constitutes
good or bad taste,—not the mere character of
the design itself; for what might make very
handsome carpets, oil cloths, or papers, would

in most cases appear quite ridiculous if used for
dresses.

Thus a deteriorated age may use all the ele-
ments of the most refined,—possess even the
same imitative or mechanical skill in execution,
—and yet by a want of discrimination in the
application of design, exhibit even a barbarous
character in comparison with the design of
that period, in which a due attention has been
paid to the propriety of application, whether
in quantity or quality. And thus a barbarous
style of design may, perhaps, more easily arise
out of too much ornament than too little.

This, then is the character of that period of,
decline which supervened upon the great age
of art which attained its highest development
in the time of Alexander the Great, and gave
evidence of a decay even in the time of Alex-
ander himself, the description of whose funeral,
preserved by Diodorus, shows how completely
the taste of the Greeks had become oriental-
Sumptuous splendour had taken the
place of taste. The decline, however, was
very gradual, especially in sculpture. Some of
the most prized productions of ancient art are
maintained by many critics to belong to.a much
later age than that of Alexander—as the Lao-
coon, the ‘Torso of Apollonius, and the Apollo
Belvidere—all of them assigned to the time of
the Roman emperors. The school of Rhodes
was the latest of the Greek schools that main-| |
tained a great reputation. Painting seems to
have been much less enduring. Mere techni-
cal excellencies of art became prominent, and |
higher qualities were overlooked—form became
paramount over essence. Such was the decline
of Grecian art which rapidly supervened on
the close of the Alexandrian age. That it
never revived from this decline is not remark-
able. Greece not only became a Roman pro-
vince, and lost her artists, but almost every
important work that could be moved was
transported either to Egypt or Italy. The Ro-
mans were not contented with removing pictures
and statues, but the very walls were stripped
of their plastering, and the pieces transported
in wooden cases to Rome. The spoliations of
the Grecian kingdoms of Asia and of Sicily
continued uninterruptedly for about two cen-
turies, yet such was the inconceivable wealth

of Greece in works of art, that Rhodes alone
contained upwards of 3,000 statues, and there
were as many at Olympia and Delphi.

ized.

On WAater=colours for Lluminating
Prints, Ke.

OF YELLOWS.

THERE are some objects which have the appear-
ance of gold shining through the colours of green,
red, or blue; such as some sort of flies and beetles,
and the cantharides. This golden transparency is
very well imitated by laying some gold-leaf on the
shaded part of the drawing, giving in a little to the
light side of the print. The way of laying on the
gold-leaf is by washing the part where the gold is
to be met with strong gum-water, and when it is
somewhat dry, by laying on the gold as smooth
and even as possible, pressing it down close with
cotton. But in doing this, care must be taken
that in laying on the gum-water, you do not ex-
ceed the limits you would have the gold appear to
shine. In this case the gold is to shine only
through the transparent colour which is to be
laid on.

It must be observed that the gold-leaf will not
receive the water-colours regularly, and for this
reason it must be stroked over with a little thin
liquor of ox-gallin a painting brush of camels-
hair, by which means it will receive any colour you
wish to paint upon it, and will hold it. The greens
may be, first, the verdigris-green, or sap-green
(which colours shall be described in their places) ;
the reds may be lake or carmine; the purples,
lake and fine indigo, or carmine and indigo; and
for the blues, indigo on the dark side, and on the
light a little stroke of ultramarine blue, just to
shine into the light, which will have an admirable
effect.

There may be found upon rose-trees in June and
July, a kind of beetle of a gold and green colour,
which may serve for a direction in this kind of
painting. But if gold itself be used, it will be best
to polish it, which may be done in the following
manner :—There may be seen in some manuscripts
fine golden letters which rise above the surface of
the vellum or paper. The composition which
raises them thus is said to be made up of vermilion
and the white of an ege beaten up to the consis~
tence of an oil, and worked together like a kind of
paste, and with a stamp fixed to the vellum or pa-
per with gum-arabic. On this figure of a letter
wash some strong gum-water with a camel-hair
pencil, observing that the gum does not reach more
than the outlines; then lay on the gold-leaf close
with some cotton, and being dried; rub it with
|some dry cotton, and then polish it with a dog’s

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

1
)

tooth. This will make it appear as if it were really)
cast in gold.

There is, besides this, another way of working in
gold, and that is performed by shell-gold, but then
it must be pure gold, and not that brought from
Germany, which turns green in a few days. Before

‘| you use this gold, cover the shady parts with ver-

milion ; and after your gold has been well recti-
fled with spirit of wine, lay it on with gum water,
which will readily mix with it; and when it is dry
polish it with a dog’s tooth. In laying on gold, it

will be best to leave the lights without it, because)

it will make a much brighter appearance than if;
the object was covered all over with it. But if, by
accident, or otherwise, the whole piece happen to

be covered with gold, there is no better way to set}

it off than by tracing over the shady ‘parts with
gall-stone, or the yellow of French berries ; but it
is the deepest that is to be used in thisway. A
little minium heightens it very much, but observe
to polish the gold before you use it.

After this colour of the gold, the yellows shall be
treated of as they increase gradually in their
strength. The first yellow is a kind of straw co-
lour, and is made of flowers of brimstone, which
of itself is fine enough to mix with gum-water.

A common way of illuminating prints is, by
giving the tincture of gambouge for a yellow; and
this may be of two or three sorts, either fainter or
stronger; the last to be a shade to the first, and to
be shaded with the preparation of French berries.
Roots of barberries cut fine and put into a lixivium
made stong with water and pearl ashes, will pro-
duce a very fine yellow. A transparent yellow may
be made by boiling the root of a mulberry tree,
well washed from the earth, in a strong lixivium of,
pearl ashes and wacer. This will afford a yellow

|juice, from which may be extracted a tincture

much deeper than the former.

Yellow ochre will likewise make another good
pale yellow, but it is a colour rather too much body
for illuminating prints. The plant celandine will
afford another good yellow by infusing it in water
and pressing it gently, and then boiling the liquor
with a little alum. This yellow will incline some-
what to green.

A yellow which many prefer to the rest, and
may be used in several capacities of lights, is one
made of French berries, prepared as follows. Boil
two ounces of French berries in a quart of lixivium
made of pearl--ashes and water till the liquor gives
a fine tinge of yellow to a bit of paper dipped in
it, and then pour it off from the berries; let the
liquor cool, and bottle it up for use. We shall re-
sume the subject in our next.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. |

J
J

A PIECE OF ITALIAN ORNAMENT.—(For description see Part 2 of the “ Orna-

mental Drawing Book.’’)

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

“SHNOLS-CVHH WOT SNDISMA IVNIOIYO OME

{ F

—

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ea a

ee
pe

SAH etallurgy.

———

THE property of reflecting light seems chiefly
to depend on the closeness of the particles or on
the density, on the smoothness of the surface, and
on the colour being most similar to the colour of
the light to be reflected. The white metals, silver,
mercury, tin, reflect light more abundantly than
others. Gold, being the densest metal next to pla-
tina, and perhaps because the colour of solar light
has a slightly yellowish tinge, does also reflect
light very copiously. Hence speculums made of
leaf-gold have been found to be very powerful.
Iron or steel reflects much less light than any of
the above-mentioned metals, although Mr, Mac-
quer has considered it as capable of a great reflec-
tive power. Platina is generally in so small grains,
that its reflective power cannot easily be deter-
mined. The precise degrees of that power which
ought to be assigned to each of the above-mentioned
metals, cannot without accurate experiments be
ascertained. Perhaps, however, their reflective
powers will be found to be more nearly in the fol-
lowing order, than in that above-mentioned from
Mr. Macquer. Silver, quicksilver, copper, tin,
gold, iron, and lead.

Ductility.—Gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead.
The ductility of mercury and that of platina, are
not yet determined.}

Hardness.—Iron, platina, copper, silver, gold,
tin, and lead.

Tenacity. By tenacity we understand the force
with which the integrant parts of metal resist their
separation. This force appears to be in a compound
ratio of their ductilty and hardness. The compa-
rative tenacity of metals is measured by the weight
which wires of the sume diameter, made of the
several metals, can sustain without breaking. Gold
is the most tenacious ; then iron, copper, silver, tin
and lead. The tenacity of mercury is unknown:
that of platina is not yet determined, but is proba-
bly more considerable.

per, iron, and lastly platina, which cannot be fused
by the greatest fire of our furnaces, but only by the
solar focus, or by a fire excited by dephlogisticated
air.

The substances found naturally combined with
metals in the earth, are, particularly sulphur and
arsenic, sometimes separately, but generally con-
jointly. Metals combined with these substances
are called metals mineralised by sulphur, or by ar-
senic, or by sulphur and arsenic; and these matters
are called mineralised substances.

Fusibility.— Mercury, tin, lead, silver, gold, cop-'

'| places.

:
1 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Besides the sulphur and arsensic with which me
tals are strictly combined in the mineral state, they
are also intimately combined with earthy substances
of different natures, and more or less divided.

The different matters united closely together
form masses which are compact, heavy, brittle, and
frequently possessed of much metallic lustre.

These substances are properly called ores, or the
matter of mines.

These ores are found in earths and stones of dif-
ferent kinds, as sands, flints, chrystals, slates, in-
durated clays, according to the ground in which
they are contained. But two kinds of stones ia
particular seem to accompany ores; and have there-
fore been considered by several mineralogists as
matrixes inwhich metals are formed. One of these
is a kind of chrystal, generally white, milky. and
semi-opaque, striking fire with steel, and of the
class of -vitrifiable earths. It is called quartz.

The other stone is less hard, which does not strike
fire with steel, and issometimcs milky like quartz;
sometimes transparent and of different colours,
consisting of rhomboidal chrystals, which are com-
posed of plates and faces. This stone becomes
more soft and friable by being exposed to fire. It
is called spar. Spar is more like gypseous stones
than to any other, but it differs from gypseous
stones in possessing a much greater density. Some
spars are so heavy, that they exceed in this respect
all other stones.

These earthy and stony substances form the ma-
trix of the ore. Metals and metalliferous ores are
found in various places. Under water; in beds
of rivers, lakes and seas, and chiefly at the flex-
tures of these ; such are the auriferous and ferru-
gineous sands, grains of native gold, ochres, and
fragments of ores washed from mines. Dissolved
in water: such are the vitriolic waters contaning
iron, copper, or zine.

Upon the surface of the earth. Such are many)
ochres; metalliferous stones, sands, and clays, and
lumps of ores. Inthe northern part of Asia ores||_
are almost always found upon or near the surface
of the ground. Under the surface of the earth.)
When the quantity of these collected in one place
is considerable, is is called a mine. Subterranean)|
metals and ores are differently disposed in different
Some are infixed in stones and earths,
forming nodules or spots diversely coloured.

Some are equably and uniformly diffused
through the substances of earth and stones, to
which they give colour, density, and other proper-
ties. Such are the greatest part of those earths,
stones, sands, clays, chrystals, flints, gems, ak
floors, which are coloured. Some form strata in

Este ee atte nana eh ea RI eee

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT®
ae

mountains. Such are the slates containing pyrites,
copper_ore, lead-ore, silver-ore, or blend. These
lie in the same direction as the strata of stones be-
twixt which they are placed; but they differ from
the ordinary strata in this circumstance, that the
thickness of different parts of the same metalli-
ferous stratum is often very various ; whereas the
thickness of the stony strata is known to be gene-
rally very uniform.

Fragments of ores are frequeutly found accu-
mulated in large subterranean cavities, in fissures
of mountains, or interposed betwixt the strata of
the earth. These are loose, unconnected, fre-
quently involved in clay, and not accreted to the
contiguous rocks or strata immediately, nor by
\intervention of spar or quartz, as the ores found in
veins are. Tin and iron mines are frequently of
\the land here described.
| Large entire masses of ores are sometimes found
in the stony strata of mountains. These are
improperly called cumulated veins, because their
length, relatively to their breadth and depth, is
not considerable.

Some instances are mentioned of entire moun-
tains consisting of ore. Such is the mountain
‘Taberg in Smoland ; and such are the mountains
of Kerunavara and Luosavara in Lapland, the
(former of which is 1,400 perches long and 100
(perches broad. These mountains consist of iron-

lore. .
| Lastly, and chiefly, metals and ores are found in
‘oblong tracts, forming masses called veins, which

He in the stony strata composing mountains.

Lord Rosse’s Soiree.—The new President of the
Royal Society, the Earl of Rosse, gave his first
conversazione on Saturday evening last, which was
attended by alarge number of persons. The Pre-
sident having no house in town, it was held in the

‘suite of rooms occupied by the Royal Society and

‘the Society of Antiquaries, in Somerset House.
|This change, from the private residence of the late
President, Lord Northampton, is not by any
‘means an improvement: it gives the entertain-
ment the character simply of some special meeting
joe the society itself, and takes away the charm of a
‘private reception. This feeling was increased by
the circumstance that Prince Albert, who was pre-
‘sent, came early, and being necessarily attended

round the rooms by the noble host, the latter could |

not personally receive his guests, so that. it became

simply a public assembly where a number of cele-
brities might be met. Amongst the many interest-
‘ing objects in the rooms were models of the Presi-
dent’s colossal telescopes, a clever machine for
cutting ship-timber, Mr. Whishaw’s telegraphic

number of the best Daguerreotypes we have yet

‘carvings. There was also an extraordinary and

beautiful tryptych, attributed to Lucas de Cranach.

|and some drawings of the Roman antiquities
recently dug up near Colchester, on the estate of

| were about a dozen;

‘The reading of the evening was confined to the}|

}Gowry Conspiracy ;” which contains much new
‘information on that remarkable event.

\arrangement for obtaining uniformity of time, a}
seen, and some of Mr. Rogers’s most recent}

‘the sum of £8,000.— Atheneum.

New Photographic Process.—It was announ-
ced many months since that M. Edmond Beequerel
had discovered a process by which he was enabled |).
to make photographic copies of colored objects
with distinct impressions of the colours on the
body so copied, The Comptes Rendus contains the
report of M. M. Biot, Chevreul, and Regnault on
M. Becquerel’s memoir. The ordinary silver
plate, well polished with English rouge or tripoli,
is connected with the positive pole of a Bunsen’s)
battery of two series, and then plunged into a large!
yessel containing 610 cubic inches of muriatic acid,
diluted with an equal quantity of water. In the
same fluid is placed a thin plate of platina, which)
communicates with negative pole of the. battery.||
This plate is brought very rapidly a short distance,
from and parallel to the other. Under these con-
ditions the plate assumes sucessively the colours of
thin films: at first a grey, then a yellow and a vio-
let tint, which passes soon to a blue and to a green,
becomes afterwards a light grey, then rose coloured,
then violet, and at last blue. The operation must
be stopped as soon asa lilac tint appears; the plate
withdrawn rapidly from the bath, plunged into dis-)
tilled water, and being placed in an inclined posi-)|
tion, dried overa spirit lamp. The plates thus’
prepared may be preserved in the dark for a long
time; and before they are usedit is recommended
to rub the surface with a little cotton, which ren-|
ders it more brilliant and the colours formed under
the influence of the spectral rays more lively. In
diffused light the surface of chloride of silver thus
prepared becomes grey; but if we project upon it
a very concentrated prismatic spectrum it re-||
ceives at different rates impressions from all the vi-|
sible luminous rays below the red, and beyond the,
violet. By warming the prepared plate some}
curious changes are produced ; and if warmed on)
a stove to about 212 deg. Fahr., M. Becquerel states!
that the best condition for imprinting the spectral
colours is brought about. The photo-chromatic
images of M. Becquerel may be preserved for a
considerable time in the dark; but as yet no means
have been discovered by which they can be ren-
dered permanent against the continued action of
light.

Society of Antiquaries, April 19.—H. Hallam,
Esq., V.P., in the chair. The Rev. W. H. Jones
was elected. The most remarkable of the exhi-
bitions were a gold necklace discovered in Etruria,

Mr. Taylor. The drawings were made by Mr.
Penrice, and gave a distinct and accurate notion of;
the originals, being of the same dimensions. There
and they were the more
satisfactory, inasmuch as they showed precisely
the situations in, and the accompaniments with,
which the originals were found. The drawings
were accompanied by an explanatory letter by Mr.
C. R. Smith, giving all the necessary information.

conclusion of Mr. Bruce’s historical paper ‘‘ On the

We last week mentioned a rumour that the Stowe
manuscripts were about to be disposed of to a
private purchaser. We are now informed that
they have been bought by Lord Ashburnham, for

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

An EMustrates Glossary of Cechnical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
Entevtor Mecoration, Xe.

MAcHICOLATIONS. Projections over the gates of
castles, so constructed as to admit of melted lead,
stones, and other missiles being poured down on
the heads of the besiegers. They are supported by
brackets inserted in the masonry of the walls.—
They were not always projecting works, but some-
times consisted of rows of square holes in the

vaultiug of portals for the sameuse. As castel-
lated edifices became more magnificent, these be-
came ornamental works over the principal gates.
Sculpture, however rude, was admitted at an early
period, either over the machicolation of the gates,
or in the grotesque figures used as water-spouts.

METorg. The space between the triglyphs of
the Doric frieze. They were sometimes adorned

with carved work, as the heads of oxen, vessels,
and other articles used in sacrifices.

Mastic. A resin produced by making incisions

in the Pistacia Lentiscus, a tree cultivated in the
\Levant, and chiefly in the island of Chios. It
comes to us in yellow, brittle, transparent rounded

tears, which soften between the teeth, with a bit-
terish taste and aromatic smell. Its solution in
spirit of wine constitutes good varnish; it dissolves
also in oil of turpentine,

MINARET. A circular turret rising by different
stages or divisions, each of which has a balcony.
They are very common in the east. The first mi-
naret was erected at Damascus, contiguous to the

church of St. John the Baptist.
MEZZANINO. A low story between two floors.

Meta. The mark or goal in the Roman circus,
where the chariots run to.

MeEtocHeE. The intervals between two denticuli
in the Tonic entablature.

MILLIARE. The stone or column placed by the
Romans in their public roads, to mark the dis-
tances from one mile to another, and also from
Rome. Hence we often find in Roman writers such
expressions as tertio ab urbe lapide, ad quartum
lapidem, &c. to mark the distance of three or four
miles from Rome.

Minion. An ore of iron used in mortar ; with
lime and sand, it forms a water cement.

MoNouitHAL. Works constructed out of one
stone. M. Denon has given representations of se-
veral subterraneous struétures worked in single
rocks, with sundry little monolithal temples.

Monopopium. A table with one leg.

Moor-stonE. A kind of granite found in Corn-
wall, and some other parts of England, and of
great value for the coarser parts of buildings. Its
colours are chiefly black and white, and it is very
coarse. It is found in some parts of Ireland.

Monkey. A name given to a block of iron with
a catch, used in gins for driving piles.

House- Painters’ Brushes.—Mr. Nash, a manu-
facturer, has registered a supposed improvement in
paiuters’ brushes: it consists in the use of a metal
binding, of a circular form, flattened into a aome-
what oval shape at the upper part of the brush near
the flags of the bristles, with a view to cause the
top of the brush to be flattened at the back and
front of the same, in order to afford better surfaces
foruse. Theasserted advantages of this arrange-
ment are, that by the substitution of the metallie
binding for strings wound round the flags of the
bristles—as now in common use—or of wire, the
brushes are not so liable to come to pieces or allow
loose hairs to come out. Whether or not the in-
creased strain on the workman’s wrist, slight
though the extra weight may be, will be found
disadvantageous, remains to be seen.

Sockety of Writish Artists, Suffolk=
street.

Ir does seem to us more than passing strange,
that when the present Society, and the tottering
old Royal Academy, are beating about in every
quarter for a quotation to append to their cata-
logue, they never thought of the old one of “ Ars
longa vita brevis est” (they need not inflict the
original Greek of Hippocrates upon their visitors).
It would save a world of criticism, and put the
question in the right point of view, by reminding
us that we are always reaching excellence, and yet
life stops ere it is attained ; so it is, from year to
‘year, we find some artist fast approaching excel-
‘lence, when suddenly he disappears, and the same
‘course has to be run again. In the present Society,
\there is so much fresh blood infused into it, that
‘the aphorism applies less to it than to the Royal
‘Academy ; for the British artists certainly do
advance, whilst it is but too palpable that the
Royal Academy has long been retrograding, and,
‘like other elderly gentlewomen, her fadé airs and
graces only remind us of times bygone, when
|there were men amongst them who somewhat
approached excellence. The number of pictures in
the present exhibition is 635, of which 497 are oil
|paintings, and the remainder water-colour; and in
\looking. round the rooms we feel that the exhi-
bition is fully equal to those of previous years ;
there are several really excellent pictures, with a
vast many that are but mediocre, and savour of
the manufacture of the Art-Union standard, where
showy colouring, a catching subject, and but little
finish, are the chief characteristics, and which are
suited to the bulk of small prizes of the Art-
Unions. This may not advauce art; but artists
must live; and if the Art-Unions are their best
customers, it is but the old story, that “‘ those who
live to please must please to live.” Hurlstone has
nine pictures, which run more than is customary
with him in portraiture, they, generally speaking,
evince his vigorous and effective style, though the
\first that attracts attention, No. 46, Children of
| George Gibson, Lsq., is not one of his best pro-
ductions: it has a muddy tone; and, more than
that, the very canvas seems as if it were spotted
\from some exposure to the weather.—No. 60,
|| Waiting for a Contingent Reversion, is, however,
jin the artist’s best style; the boy gnawing the
|\bone, and the dog, with watchful attention, look-
j|ing for the reversion, are excellent.—Herring has |
|\risen ‘‘ like a giant refreshed,” after his last year’s

absence, and sends this time eight pictures, some

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

touches, and very little finish ; still it is a really

of which are amongst his best productions.—
23, Nanny, is a charming picture-—99, Winter, is
also a highly finished and clever painting.—148,
Market Cardeners, is a very large and elaborate
picture, and is finished with great care: the
horses in the foreground are full of life and
strongly marked character; whilst the whole
working up, even to the vegetables lying on the
ground, and the whole of the scene,.is most artistic.
—Pyne has some of his vivid and graphic land-
scape scenery, but scarcely so elaborate as usual.—
47, Wreck Ashore, is an effective picture, and
shows how much can be done with a few judicious

clever picture.—91, An Italian Pass, is so full of
atmosphere that we are almost lost in a chaos of
mountain heights.—233, Oberweisel, is, however, a|
very charming picture, and quite in his best style.
—Clint has eight pictures; and 170, Sunset, is
clever, but of that wild character as to colouring
that evinces the peculiar feeling of artists for de-
picting hues snch as nature does not reflect: vivid
and brilliant it certainly is, and striking as a
picture—but still it is not nature.—487, On the
Coast near Boulogne, is a picture of much merit,
and is painted with care. It is near the spot
where the Amphitrite was lost ; and is one of the
artist’s best pictures.—Burlington, on the York-
shire Coast, is also another clever painting.—
Allen has in his large picture, 207, The Borrow-
dale Pass, one of the best works he has yet done;
the sweep of valley is charmingly touched in, and
the mountain range, and all the accessories, are
artistic and highly effective-—Hassell, in 11, Stop-
ping to Bait, has a well-painted picture. The
atmospheric tone is excellent, and the whole pic-
ture is worked up with excellent effect.—Tennant’s
Scene in Jersey, 26, is an admirable landscape—
the effect of the storm passing away being very
good.—86, A View near St. Helen’s, is also a
painting of much merit.—Anthony has several
pictures: 77, Thoughtful Hours, is a small pic-
ture, yet perhaps one of his most effective.—185,
A Round Tower in Ireland, is a clever and
striking picture, and attracts much attention.—
278, The Last Gleam of Day, is one of those fan-
ciful pictures that may mean sunset or anything.
—Mountague has a charming picture, 137, A
Dutch Port, and it is surprising how much he has
made with very little apparent effort.—407 is also
another excellent picture of this artist’s— Woolmer
has several clever pictures.—Zeitter has some good
pictures, in which the Hungarian features are as
usual prominent, whether the subject be English
or not.—Boddington’s 110 and 111, are certain,
from the quietude and beauty they display, to find
ready purchasers ; and Prentis, with his humorous

eee.

20 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

pictures, especially 235, Second Thoughts—a|M. O’Connor, of London. The restoration of
widow bethinking herseli of the fascination of a| the west front of Gloucester Cathedral is about to
second husband—is entitled to favourable notice. | be resumed, it is said, with vigour.——The new
We have also marked, as worthy attention, 67, A | dock at Gloucester was opened on the 18th ult.
Revel, by J. Hill.—94, First Love, by Clater, is a} The new basin nearly doubles the quayside accom-
good picture, so far as the woman is concerned ; modation, and there are two additional cranes, each
the man seems, however, but an insipid lover.— capable of lifting upwards of 20 tons. At present
105, King John signing Magna Charta, by J.and the basin will be appropriated to the discharge of

{

iG. Foggo, is a good historical picture.
jclever Cattle Piece, by Shayer.—464, The Holy
Weil of Brittany, by J. Jenkins, is one of the |
best pictures in the room.—In the water-colour

Hurlstone, of a Child’s First Use of the Easel;
and 587, Dead Game, by Mrs. Withers, are the
most prominent.—The sculpture portion may be
\classed. as 721.

Che Chronotpptst.

Amonesv the works now exhibiting at the Cos-
morama, in Regent-street, is a remarkably beauti-
ful model of Cologne Cathedral, with its spires
completed, and forest of 5,000 pinnacles. It is
ithe work of a German, Herr Charles Schropp, and
is formed in wood and iron coloured ; the niches
are filled with their statues, and the windows with
|painted glass. It is 8 feet 8 inches in length, 4

modeller says, in eight years. It gives an admir-
jable idea of this wonderful structure, and deserves
a visit———TIt is stated that another new church is
‘about to be built in Westminster, at the cost of the

dentiary of Westminster.
Bradford, is at present under repair and renewal.

for periodical tickets, with the view of encouraging
building, and extending facilities for suburban
‘residence in connection with the short stations
between London, Croydon, and Epsom.———The
daily papers report the death of Major Shadwell

Journal:—and known amongst scientific men for
the active share which he took in the business of

that of the British Association. A return ob-
tained by Mr. Cocks, M.P., shows the duty paid on

in the year 1848 to have amounted to £448,310,
‘of which £10,386 were paid in the metropolis
alone, Another obituary window has been put
up in Chichester Cathedral. It is the work of Mr.

—393, a | cargoes sent by rail.

room, 500 and 530, by J. Penley, are excellently} 7 ¢.
finished.—515, a humorous picture, by Mrs.|T. J.—An oriel window is a projecting angular

Co Correspondents, Kc.

—We will procure youthe Canterbury Arms.

window, commonly of a triangular or penta-

gonal form, and divided by mullions and tran-

soms into bays and compartments. Thanks for

the receipts sent. ;
J.C. M.—WNot procurable.

Part 2, Price One Shilling, of The
‘SELF-INSTRUCTING ORNAMENTAL

DRAWING: BOOK,
WITH DIAGRAMS,

Was published on Tuesday, May the Ist.,—Part 1
coutains several Diagrams,

Showing the position of the hand in describing the
primary ornamental curves, &c., and general
rules for Drawing Ornamental Foliage,
with a letter-press description.

To be continued monthly, in a neat wrapper.

Office, 17, Holywell-street, Strand.

feet wide, and 8 feet high, and was completed, the The Wook of Ornamental and Marly);

Benglish Alphabets.
CONTENTS oF PART 4.
To be Published on Tuesday, May Ist, 1849.
Two Initial Letters of the Twelfth century, C. and
I., from the Record Office.

Rev. W. H. E. Bentinck, one of the canons resi-|Two Initials of the Thirtcenth century, F. and H.
St. Jude’s Church, | Elizabethan Alphabet, (Capitals.)

A Centre-piece, and the Device of Richard Pynson,
supposed Assistant to Caxton, 1493—1581.

The London and Brighton Railway Company Alphabet, (Thirteenth century.)
‘have made considerable reductions in the charge} 'fo be continued monthly, price 6d..—-Office, 17,

Holywell-street, Strand.
Che Llustrated

LAWS OF CRICKET,

As Revised by the Marylebone Club, 1849, :

Clerke—long the editor of the, United Service| With Explanatory Remarks, by J. W. BURDEN,||

Cricketing Reporter to “ Bell’s Life.”
To which will be added

the Geographical and Geological Societies, and in JUN ass ASC OM CRICKET,

BY NED RUB.
Embellished with Four Engravings on Wood.

bricks in the several excise collections of England | Published by Gibbs, 17, Holywell-st., Strand,and

to be had of all Booksellers and Dealers in Crick-
eting Materials in Town and Country, price 6d.
The Fourth Volume of :

The Mecorator’s Assistant,

Is now ready, price 6s.

(‘NVIIVL1)—‘HILLOd DOUG FNOIUMD V WOUa GAHOLANY wmau0d

—N

[Two-PENCE.

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SATURDAY, ]

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[May 12, 1849.

Education of Designers.

HERE is a difference of
opinion even amongst the friends of instruction,
as to the extent to which it is expedient to dis-
pense information ; but reason, as well as con-
| stant experience teaches that no compromise
whatever should be made with ignorance; the
unavoidable occupations of life, the negligence
of some, and the indocility of others, render it
quite funnecessary to take any precautions for
preventing the mass of mankind from becoming
either too learned or too rational. All true
\|knowledge is good for all human beings; but
untrue or doubtful information, instead of en-
lightening the mind, tends only to mystify it.
Knowledge is not only agreeable and beneficial
in itself to its possessor and those about him,
but it produces contingent advantages of in-
calculable magnitude. When men of only
ordinary education meet together, how many
bickerings and animosities arise from the mis-
information of individuals! ‘The same subject
which would be instantly dismissed with an
unanimous decision by an assembly of learned
men, would, amongst uninformed persons, cre-
ate as many conflicting opinions as the caprice
of unbridled fancy might happen to suggest.
Knowledge is the purest and greatest delight of
a rational being ; the surest bond of friendship,
and the firmest basis upon which the prosperity
of a nation can repose. Abundant and trium-
phant arguments might be adduced to prove

society from an extensive system of practical
education in the art of ornamental designing.
Our opinion on the subject of instruction,
however“humble it may be, is unwavering and
uncompromising ; we desire to see the greatest
possible amount of information afforded to
every individual, without limit or condition.

If the master manufacturer depended upon
the workman for patterns, that circumstance
must necessarily increase the power as well as
the value of the journeyman; the highest de-
gree of instruction would not enable every one
to excel where taste and invention are required,
but every man who chose to devote his spare
time to study, would have a fair chance of
raising himself above his less assiduous col-
leagues; and surely the education of our chil-
dren is not a consideration of so little im-
portance as to justify us in renouncing it upon
any slight grounds?

If any one should doubt that the appropri-
ate education of children, according to their
destined vocations, assists them greatly in after
life, we point to the flourishing city of Geneva,
where the experiment has been. long tried to
the full extent. Ample and various education
is there provided by the nation, and all classes
of citizens have an equal unalienable right to
participate in its benefit.
for enamelling, chasing, engraving, and other
ornamental work; and children who are in-
tended to be brought up to trades of this kind,
are accordingly instructed in the art of design ;
while others intended for trades connected with
mechanical science, are instructed in those
branches of the mathematics which are es-
sential to the proper understanding of the
action of machinery; and every child is, as far
as can be foreseen, educated according to his
individual wants. It is to this system of good,
accessible, and almost unavoidable education,
that Geneva is chiefly indebted for the honour
of producing a greater number of distinguished
men than any other place containing the same
amount of population: very many of them
have sprung from the working classes, and all
(or nearly all) bave been educated in the same
school with the children of magistrates, and
those of labourers. The influence of this sa-
lutary system of education upon trade and
labour, is equally notorious. Notwithstanding
the enormous duty imposed by our government

that great benefit must accrue to all classes of | upon their produce, and its absolute prohi-

Geneva is celebrated|

22-

bition in France, such has been (and is now

their articles, that they have never ceased to
carry on a prosperous trade with both England
\,and France, in spite of the obstruction of the
one, and the veto of the other. The merchants

contraband trade, and men of the highest re-
spectability in the commercial, as well as in
the ordinary meaning of the term, insured the
regular delivery of goods from one country to
_ ||the other for the charge of from five to six per
||cent. upon the value which the merchant chose
to fix upon his goods. After twenty years’
|/experience of their inability to annihilate trade,
||both France and England at last relaxed the
||Severity of their Jaws, and allowed the intro-
||duction of merchandise into their respective
||countries at a price which they thought would
|/entirely put down smuggling; they are, how-
||ever, deceived, for eXperience has shown that
|\goods are safer in the hands of responsible
smugglers, than with irresponsible custom.
house officers, notwithstanding the occasional
depredations of the latter.

Wherever, there is a great demand for any
manufactured article, there must also be a
great demand for labour; and when that is the
case, there must be some sad mismanagement
if labour is not adequately paid. The Geneva
workmen are, in general, so remunerated, that
they often make as good a figure in the world
as many little masters, and, possessing equal
education, they are of equal rank in public es-
timation, as wellas in their private intercourse.
It would be a pleasing sight in London to see
masters and journeymen all indiscriminately
mingled, and co-operating for the general good;
but, alas! we are far, very far, from that de-
sirable state of things. Not only the journey-
men, but the masters also, are in want of in-
struction; masters should be taught that they
form but one small link in the chain of com-
merce which connects the various deparments
of trade.

It is well for all men to treat each other with
becoming respect; but a rich man must be
infatuated indeed, if he thinks that the work-
man owes him any additional respect or gra-
titude [for his being rich. In conclusion we

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

in some respects) the inimitable superiority of

concerned in this trade, compelled by the in-
auspicious policy of France and England, or-
ganised an extensive and excellent system of

hope our friends will make a step towards that
state of ample education, which not only en-
ables its possessor to obtain the material com-
forts of life, but promotes virtue and honour,
as certainly as ignorance and its frightful at-
tendant, poverty, engender misery, vice, and
imbecility.

Gold anv Silver Fillaavee.

THERE is no manufacture in any part of the
world that has been more admired and cele-
brated than the line gold and silver fillagree of
Sumatra. What renders it a matter of great
curiosity is, the coarseness of the tools em-
ployed in the workmanship, and which, in the
hands of an European would not be thought
sufficiently perfect for the most ordinary pur-
poses. They are rudely and inartificially made
by the goldsmith (pandi) from any old iron he
ean pickup. When you engage one of them
to execute a piece of work, his first request is
usually for a piece of iron hoop to make his
wire-drawing instrument. An old hammer-
head stuck in a block, serves as an anvil, anda
pair of compasses is often composed of two
old nails tied together at one end. The gold is
melted in a piece of earthen rice pot, or some-|
times in a crucible of their own make of ordi-
nary clay. In general they use no bellows,
but blow the fire with their mouths through a
point of bamboo; and if the quantity of metal
to be melted is considerable, three or four per-
sons sit round their furnace, which is an old
broken quallie or iron pot, and blow together.
At ‘Padong alone, where the manufacture is
more considerable, they have adopted the. Chinese
bellows. Their method of drawing the wire dif-
fers but little from that used by European work-
men. When drawn to a suffieient fineness, they
flatten it by beating it on their anvil, when flatten-
ed they give it a twist, like that in the whalebone
handle of a punch-ladle, by rubbing it on a block
of wood with a flat stick. After twisting, they]!
again beat it on the anvil, and by these means it
becomes flat wire with indented edges; witha
pair of nippers they fold down the end of the wire,
and thus form a leaf or element of a flower in their

work, which is cut off. The end is again folded],

and cut off, till they have got a sufficient number

of leaves, which are laid on singly. Patterns of

a SS

the flowers or foliage, in which there is not very
much variety, are prepared on paper of the size of
the gold plate on which the fillagree is to be laid.
According to this, they begin to dispose on the
plate the larger compartments of the foliage, for
which they use plain flat wire of a larger size, and
fill them up with the leaves before mentioned.

To fix the work, they employ a gelatinous sub-
stance, made of the red hot berry called bocca sa-
go, ground to a pulp on a rough stone. This pulp
they place on a young cocoa nut, about the size of
a walnut, the top and bottom being cut off. After
the leaves have been all placed in order, and stuck
on bit by bit, a solder is prepared of gold filings
and borax, moistened with water, which they strew
over the plate, and then putting in the fire fora
short time, the whole becomes united. This kind
of work ona gold plate they call corrong-papon.
When the work is open they call it corrong-troose.
In executing the latter the foliage is laid out ona
cord or soft kind of wood, and stuck on as before
described with the sago berry, and the finished
work being strewed aver with their solder, is put
into the fire, when the cord or soft wood being
burnt away, the gold remainsconnected. If the
piece be large they solder it at several times. In
the manufacture of badjoo buttons they first make
the lower part flat, and having a mould formed of
a piece of buffalo horn indented to several sizes
each, like one half of a bullet mould, they lay
their work over one of these holes, and witha
punch, they press it into the form of a button.
After this they complete the upper part. When
the fillagree is finished they cleanse it by boiling it
in water with common salt and allum, or some-
times lime juice, and in order to give if that fine
purple colour they call sapo, they boil it with water
and brimstone. The manner of making the little
balls with which their works are sometimes orna-
mented, is as follows: —They take a piece of char-
coal, and having cut it fat and smooth, they make
in it a small hole which they fill with gold dust,
and this melted in the fire, becomes a little ball.
They are very inexpert at finishing and polishing
the plain parts, hinges, screws, and the like, being
in this as much excelled by the European artists as
these fall short of them in the fineness and mi-
nuteness of the foliage.

The Chinese, also, make fillagree, mestly of sil-
ver, which looks elegant,{but wants the extraordi-
nary finish and pure delicacy of the Malay work,
and is also very inferior both in heauty and chaste-
ness of design, and general artistic conception.—
In neither Malay or Chinese do we trace in even
the most elaborate of their works, a fitness in the

'|design to the purposes for which the article is in-

- THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT’

tended, now so desirable a point in our own Art-
manufactures, and to the advocacy of which we
have devoted a considerable portion of our space.
We can scarcely censure these semi-barbarians for
this defect, seeing that the same object has been so
long neglected by ourselves, who possess far more
means and appliances for the purpose than our
rude but ingenious competitors.

The price of the workmanship depends upon the
difficulty or unvommonness of the pattern; in
some articles of usual demand, it does not exceed
one third the value of the gold; but in matters of
fancy, it is generally equal to it.

Monument to Mr. Peter Nicholson, Architect
at Carlisie.—In respect to the statue, or other
suitable and lasting memorial of this useful mem-
ber of our profession, which it is proposed. to erect
in Carlisle, a correspondent, ‘ Alpha,” suggests
that the fact ought not to be lost sight of that he
died in very poor circumstances. Itis to be hoped,
therefore, that while his talent is honoured his fa-
mily will not beneglected, otherwise a monument
to his memory would be but asorry mockery of
the man.

The Tyne Glass Trade,—According to the New
castle Guardian, is only now reaching the climax
of its decline. Out of the numerous firms for-
merly engaged iu the window glass trade, two only
remain, and these appear to be not only languid
but expiring also. Ridley and Co., a firm of a
century standing, have suspended their works, and
will probably not resume them again. Only twoof
the fiint-glass works remain. Various causes, none
of them our authority thinks sufficient, are alleged
for the depressure of this trade.

Yorkshire Architectural Society.—At the meet-
ing of this Society, the Hon.and Rey. P. Y. Savile,
rector of Methley, gave notice, that at the next
meeting he should ask for a grant of 10/. for the
restoration of a fine oak roof, which he had dis-
covered during certain repairs in his church, con-
cealed above a flat plaster ceiling, and he also par-
ticularly invited the attention of the members to
the peculiar features of the building. It was ac-
cordingly resolved that a special meeting of the
society should be called at Methley early in May,
forthe purpose of examining thechurch. A paper
was read by Mr. W. H. Dykes, architect of York,
*“On the form and management of Churches,”
giving some account of the various types of
churches which had been common in different ages,
through the Christian world, and showing that,
nevertheless, they had all agreed in certain peculiar
features, and especially in their having had a dis-
tinct chancel, separated by screens from the body.

eR A PLN TT a eR

THE DECORATOR’S. ASSISTANT.

AS NUN

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A VASE.

Le Se eee
tn

eet en ses

THE DECORATOR’S: ASSISTANT.

87, PAUL.

ST. PETER.

SKETCHED FROM THE TOMB OF ST. SEBALD, AT NUREMBERG,

QO.

@n CBAater=colours for zhiminating
Arints, &e.

OF YELLows.

(Continued from page 13.)

Puz a pint of the same lixivium to the berries,
and boil them till the liquor is as deep-coloured as
gall-stone, and this will be fit for the shade of any
sort of yellows you ean use. This may be boiled
till it produces a brown colour , and will, with a
little ox-gall, serve to shade any leaf-gold that is
laid on paper, and is much preferable to gall-stone
in imitating any gold colour; and it answers well
upon a tincture of gambouge, or any of the former
yellows.

Next to this may be reckoned the tincture of saf-
fron in common water only, which affords a bright
reddish yellow, such as would be required for an
orange-colour, in covering the shadowed parts of a
print; and when saffron is infused in rectified spirit
of wine, there is nothing higher; but then it will
fly, unless it be loaded with gum-arabic.

As for deep yellow, with a body, Dutch pink
comes the nearest of any to the forementioned
strong yellow made of French berries in point of
colour: but the English pink which is still made of
French berries, is of a lighter yellow.

Also a good yellow colour for illuminating prints
may be extracted from the roots of ginger; and
with transparent verdigris it makes a fine green.

It is to be observed, that the English and Dutch
yellow pinks are made with French berries ground
to a fine powder and boiled.

OF ORANGE CoLouUR.

An orange-colour for washing prints is made by
laying on a teint of gambouge; and over that some
minium or red lead washed, and rendered fine and
fit for use: it not being fine enough to paint with,
as itis bought at the shops; and besides, it will
change, or turn black in a few weeks, if it be not
refined ; but being well prepared, it will be very
lasting and beautiful. But this you must take no-
tice of, that an ounce will not produce above 20
grains of a good colour to stand the test.of painters.
This colour may be mixed with gambouge upon a
white Dutch tile, to render it of the teint you
would have it, either softer or stronger ; or else the
gambouge may be glazed over, and strengthened
with the tincture of saffron, which will make it
glare into a strong orange,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

OF MINIUM THE BRIGHTEST RED LEAD; THE
MANNER OF PREPARING IT.

The minium or red lead is as heavy and strong
a colour as most we have; and prepared, is the’ |
most beautiful one, when it is well washed and
cleansed of its more weighty parts, which causes it
to turn black.

Put four ounces of it into a quart of rain water ;
then stirring it, pour off the water immediatly, and
let it settle to the bottom of every cup or glass you
pour it into; then pouring off that water, in a days)
time you will have colour dry, and as fine as can)
be desired. Afterwards put a little gum-arabic in-|
to each glass or cup, and as much water as will)
moisten each of them.

Any of these may be afterwards used with gum-}
arabic; but if the gum you put init at first make)
it strong enough to glaze it, then you need only to
add to iteommon water: and according as your
colour is more or less gummed, use more or less|
gum-water; for it is of itselfa dead colour. When
you use this colour, touch it very gently on the)
yellow above mentioned that is made of the yellow
berries; into the light side ; and if it wants a shade,
you may put a little vermillion upon it; but ver-/
million is too heavy to paint with, when you illu-|
minate your prints, because it hides the shades of
the engraving, though sometimes they had better)
be hidden than appear. Some generally shade)
this minium with carmiue, which gives it a fine)
effect, and renders it equal to the brightest red}
flower that is to be seen; leaving still the lights)
uncoloured, only dashing a litte way into the lights}
with the minium.

When the carmine has shaded the minium, it)
may be shaded again with lake in the stronger)
part, to bring it to a deeper red. :

Or OTHER REDS.

Scarlet red may be represented on a plane with
minium a little mixed with vermillion; but if you||
have occasion to paint a flower of a scarlet colour
on a print, let your lights as well as shades be co-
vered very thin with minium ; and the shaded parts) |
glazed with carmine, which will produce an admi-
rable scarlet, such as is seen in the flower scarlet/|
martagon.

Crimson red is represented with carmine; butit|| °

is necessary that the buyer be informed, that there}}
are several sorts of it , some darker, and some}}
much coarser than others: therefore it should never} |
be bought by candle-light, unless of such as a per-||
son can confide in : for between the best and the}}
worst there is ten shillings an ounce difference:
nay, indeed all the money that an ounce will cost,

| because bad carmine will but spoil the work.

St Ta CD dR a Be
eS rr

|disposition of columns.

Professor Cockerell’s Hectures on
| Architecture. |
3 ‘(Continued from page 249, Vol. IV.)

Virruyius had given directions for observing

|the different ‘styles’ or dispositions of columns, as

11 diameters apart for the pycnostyle, and so on.
These directions were very important; but there
was another practical point to be considered along

||with this—viz., varieties of height, according to

the character of the building, whether tall or short.
Now, this had never been sufficiently well attended
to, for the commentators had drawn their illustra-
tions to all scales, or according to the size of the
paper. To render this as clear as reqnisite, the dif-

scale. ‘Taking the pycnostyle arzeostyle as the two

||extremes, it would then be apparent there were cer-
||tain characters ; as in the latter instance, the low
|'and compressed, and in the former, the tall—the
‘other ‘styles’ ranging between these extremes.
j|Hach of these distinct orders of disposition, no
|/doubt, had its appropriate application.
| stead of observing such a system as that here sha-
|\dowed forth, eack of us had a type by which we

Now, in-

measured all things. One artist invariably made
his figures tall, another short—but this was not
natnre. An architect wanting a door, would goto
an example, or to Sir William Chambers, and,
without reflecting, would apply any proportion or
size of aperture indifferently to a broad or tall
The professor shewed that
the arzeostyle to the door should be large in pro-
portion to the order ; whilst in the pycnostyle, the
opposite method should be practised; and so, he
said, every aperture, and indeed stone, should have
a general harmony with the design and character
of the particular building. But, in opposition to
this, one master was for the broad, another for the
narrow guage.

The professor vindicated the authorty of Vitru-
vius from the aspersions cast upon it, through igno-
rance of its true value, as shewn in several in-
stanees by modern writers, who were certainly not
artists. He quoted lines from the Iliad, in which
Helen describes the figures of Agamemnon,
Ulysses, and Ajax, and said that these were no
doubt designed by the poet to express what we
found in the works of Albert Durer, Titian, and
sometimes Raffaelle, viz., character. Each of the
characters we might affect had its own proper mo-
dulus or type, and by applying each in its place,
we obtained that contrast and beauty which was

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

ferent ‘styles’ should have been drawn to the same

27
the charm of architecture. He-instanced a
euard house at Cologne, by Schinkel, as admirably
suited to its position. He also mentioned Notting-
ham Castle, said to be the work of Inigo Jones,
which contained some singularities, but had an ad-
mirable effect at a distance. Another building was)
the Loggia of the merchants, at Venice, by Sanso-
vino. It was only 30 feet high, and in any case, to,
give dignity to a building which was at the foot of
a tower 300 feet in height, was not easy. The pro-
fessor pointed ont how this was effected, and said
that the result was a compressed character, which
was in complete contrast with the tower above,
Other occasions, had shown how’he could feel like
an artist, when he had opposite circumstances to
deal with, when he adopted the tall character : hia|
art was not that of a bigot; he suited the character
to the place. In giving examples of successful at-
tention to these principles, the church of St. Paul,
Covent Garden, could not be forgotten, as an in-
stance of the fine effeet of the low broad character.

It would be recollected, the professor said, ip
considering subjects of this kind with the aid of,
books, that illustrations were not drawn to the same
scale. He said that cousiderations of this sort
were much neglected in buildings. Yor example,
we found the eustyle in relief, which made all the
dtfference, and windows imprisoned as it were
between thecolumns. He instanced the front of,
Lord Spencer’s house, in the Green Park, as an
example of the successful treatment of an engaged
order with windows, the columns being there
placed diastyle, and consequently there was com-
plete space for the windows, and all dressings. In

our copies of Greek temples on the contrary, we
had generally fallen into the error which the archi-
tect of that beautiful buiding had avoided. We
had, indeed, been Greek mad, but not from too
much learning, but from too little. We believed
that, some day, a type of proportion would be dis-|
covered, applicable to every kind of building.
Wren had an eye to this. The interior of St.
James’s Church, Piccadilly, had a’ certain propor-
tion of height, and magnitude was gained by that
proportion. He instanced Sir Robert Taylor’s
garden-front of the Bank, as an instance of suc-
cessful proportion. Sanmichele was a great mas-
ter in this; his gate in front of the Lido hada rus
ticated Doric order, managed with the hand of a
giant. In civic buildings he said, where frequent
piers could not be avoided, character might be given
by decorating the alternate windows.

The principle of a certain modulus of proportion,
applied to interiors. St. Peter’s at Rome, ought to
have had the bridge-like expanse, rather than, with
a more vast dimension, the ordinary proportion of

—
SSS SS SSS

achurch. In Medizeval architecture, height was
governed by the point of an equilateral triangle,
and Wren, was so truea mason, that he followed
the same method. He concluded by remarking,
that although there were many things which could
hardly be taught, it behoves us still to reflect, and
acquire all the skill which we could possess, by
learning on every side, ia preference to depending
upon the inspiration of genius,

an Elustraten Glossary of Cechnical
Terms used tn Architectural and
Entertor Wecoratton, &e.

Narts. Small spikes of metal to fasten parts
together. Sir W. Gell has given figures of the
round.-headed bronze-headed nails, which he found
in the treasury of Atreus, at Mycenz, which were
made of copper and tin, in a proportion of 88 to
12. Bronze nails were used, according to Winkel-
mann, in the bronze doors at Herculaneum. The
heads of those in the doors of the Pantheon, are
five inches in diameter. The head of a bronze
nail in the cabinet of the Roman collece has nearly
the figure of a parasol, or mushroom. The length
of the square tail of the nail is engraved with many
;|eharacters.

NAKED. A term applied in architecture either
to’a column or a wall, to denote the face or plain
surface from which the projections rise.

Naos. The enclosed apartment of an ancient

if the posticum.

NATURAL Beps. The surfaces of a stone from
which the laminge were separated.

NAvE. The middle part of a chureh. Naves of
churches extend from the west end of the choir or
chancel. In great churches they contain numerous
small altars placed between or against the columns.
The top of the middle aisle, with windows above
the arches, is called the clere-story. Some have
compared the form of the Christian chnrches with
nave and aisles to the hypzethral temples of the
ancients, in the cella of which a row of columns
down each side separated the sides from the centre.
The Egyptian temples of Hermontis and Ybsambul
are separated by two rows of piers or pillars, into
three alleys. A similar disposition was observed
in the Roman Basilicee, In English churches the
nave belongs to the parishioners, whose business it
is to keep it in repair.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

temple, before which stood the pronaos, and behind | ; {
: | shaft, or that under the finial of a pinnacle or ca-

NEBULE. In Saxon and Norman architecture,
a zig-zag moulding without angles.

NosspeD MovuLpiIne. A moulding used in
Saxon architecture.

NalIn-HEADED MovuLpiInG. Used in Saxon ar-
chitecture.

- Neck. The space between the cannelures and
annulets of the Doric eapital, in Grecian examples ;
and in Roman, that between the astragal and the||
annulet. It is seldom found in the Ionic, but it
occurs in the capitals of the temples of Erechtheus
and Minerva Polias, at Athens. (See page 125,—
Vol. 2.)

NEcK-MoULD. In Gothic architecture, the
moulding which separates the capital from the

nopy. (See Finial, page 25, Vol. 3.)

NeERvES. The mouldings of the ribs of Gothic
eroins.

NessoTRopuH1uM. A place in the Roman vil-||
las for breeding ducks.

Net, or Rete. The covering of a geometric

solid. _

Net MEASURE.
ance is made for finishing, in buildings, or for

A term used when no allow-

waste of materials.

Neweu. The upright cylinder or pillar, around
which winding stairs turn, thence’ called newel
stairs.

NoRMAL Line. A line which intersects ano-

ther at right angles.

— The Roman Period of Creek
Merorative Art.

IMPORTANCE OF SYSTEM IN STYLE, AND OF
TASTE AND SUBORDINATION IN ORNAMENT.

(Concluded from page 12.)

Bur all these were nothing compared with the
imyriads of works, pictures, and statues which were
collected together in the public buildings of Rome.
Cassiodorus says that Rome was one vast wonder,
astatement we can well understand, if we are to
judge from the temporary theatre constructed by
Scaurus in honour of his edileship, which he de-
corated with 3,000 bronze statues.

Considering this unparalleled wealth, then, in
works of fine art, it is quite consistent that the
Romans should endeavour to decorate their build-
ings in a style of commensurate splendour and
profusion, and thus we find that the most fiorid ex-
amples of purely Greek ornament are plain when
compared with the Roman treatment of the same
\forms, although it is very probable that Greek
artists were employed to execute their elaborate
designs.

By help of numerous illustrations the lecturer
then proceeded to contrass the Greek and Roman
orders, and to trace their variations, enrichments,
transformations, complications, and confusions
during their ‘decline and fall.’ Examples of an-
‘cient ornamental art in the forms of armour, hel-
mets, shields, &c., and of sculpture, candelaba,
jand other designs, were also referred to and des-
cribed, with various preposterous combinations and
fanciful decorations deprecated by Roman writers
|themselves as illustrations of a beautiful system of
|Ornament run mad—a bed of flowers overrun with
weeds. The barbarous forms and colours of spe-
cimens of stucco-work and other decorative de-
tails from Pompeii were exhibited in justification
of such complaints. That even Pompeii, however,
a small provincial town, exhibited occasional traces

of a magnificent system of decoration, was freely
admitted.

Having passed in review every element of clas-
sical ornamental art, continued the lecturer, or at
least, every element of importance, we will now
briefly consider what is the exact object of this
historical investigation. This is the view with
which we study the history of art—to discriminate
and to individualise the styles of the various
epochs, and by thus developing distinct characters,
to multiply to an equal extent our means of view-

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT. 29,

ing nature, and our powers consequently of repre-|
sentation. The real object of historical knowledge
is not the mere copying what has been done before,
but the acquisition of a power which not only
supersedes all copying, but which alone will en-|
sure the production of that variety of ornamental,
design which the simplest theory must make ma-
nifest, is the ostensible effort of every designer.

A knowledge of ‘the various styles not only gives
a very great command over the elements of orna_.
mental art, bnt will enable you to view what comes
under your own observation in several distinct
lights. For instance, take a walk in one of our
fields some summer’s day, and ‘make a series of:
different designs out of what you find there—say
a blade of grass or a dock-leaf, butter-cups and.
dasies, an ear of wheat and a poppy or any other
simple plant. First throw them together in your’
own way, and’as you would do if you had no
knowledge of ornamental design. Then, for ex-
ample, consider how an Egyptian would have
treated these things, and arrange them into a frieze
ornament, such as we have manv examples of in
the temples of Egypt. Then make an attempt at
the Doric, and do not forget the anthemion ; from
that age pass to the Alexandrian, producing a more |
expansive and rich arrangement, bearing in mind.
the acanthus ; and finally. try the Roman, in which
you may put all the gorgeous exuberance of dis-
play of which your materials are capable, not for-
getting the scroll, and that in both the Alexandrian |
and Roman styles fabulous animals are admissible
This is only one of a thousand useful experiments |
or exercises that your historical knowledge will
enable you to make in the arrangement of new,
materials in established forms; and it is a field of
enterprise that, without historical knowledge,|
would be wholly closed to you. I may observe
that you will ensure a much greater variety by dis-
posing the same materials in different forms than
by arranging different materials in the same forms.

By following out this system with a thorough |
knowledge of ornament, you cannot fail to produce
variety and beauty at once—the end of all these
studies, and the object of every ornamentist, what.
ever may be the ultimate destination of his design.

New Royal Mansolewunm.—Her Majesty the
Queen having purchased a large space of ground in
the Kensall-green Cemetery, has ordered to be
constructed, for the Royai Family, an elegant mau-
soleum, to which will be removed the remains of
her late Royal Highness the Princess Sophia, now
deposited in the Company’s catacombs. The site
which was selected by His Royal Highness Prince
Albert, isin conspicuous part of the Cemetery, op-

| posite the monument of his late Royal Highness

ths Duke of Sussex.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The Chronotyptst.

Tue National Assembly. of France has deter-
mined that the annual exhibition of the modern
productions of art shall take place in the ci-devant
palace of the Tuileries, now named the ‘ Palais Na-
tional.’ It will not open before the 15th of June.
The Exposition of Industrial Art will open June 1.
——tThe wing of the Louvre called the gallery of
Appollois undergoing extensive repair, and a great
number of workmen are employedin it. The tim-
bers of the roof were found so much decayed that
entire reconstruction became necessary. Visitors

to Paris before the Revolution of February, may
recollect the statue of the unfortunate son of
Louis Philipe, the Duke of Orleans, adorning the
centre of the Conrt of the Louvre. This has been
removed, as offensive to republican notions, and
preparations are making tu transport the fountain
of the * Marché des Innocens’ to replace the statue,
which is, for the present, condemned to oblivion.

——A special exhibition of machinery, frames,
looms, and implements of trade (of Belgian or fo-
reign make) employed in the manufacture of yarns
and tissues of allsorts, is to be opened at Ghent
(on the occasion of the exhibition of the produce of
Flanders) in the month of July. Special rewards,
‘consisting of commemorative medals, of gold,
silver, and bronze, will be awarded to such ex hibi-
tors as shall appear to merit such a distinction.
=z=An jnteresting discovery is reported to have
‘been made in the Archives of the North by M. de
‘Laborde. He has found, itis said, in the registers

| of the Dukes of Burgundy, very curious details

relating to the early efforts in Art of John Van
Eyck,—as well as to his works in general and to his
death.———-We are glad to find Prince Albert
amongst the patrons of Dr. Bialloblotzky’s adven-
turous Expedition in search of the sources of, the
Nile. The Prince has subscribed a sumof 101. to-
wards the expenses of the undertaking.——A joint
meeting of the Northamptonshire Architectural
Society and the Bedfordshire Ar chitectural Society
is appointed to take place at Higham Ferrers, on
Tuesday, the 8th. The Marquis ‘of Northampton
will preside, and an excursion is proposed to some
neighbouring churches on the following day.
In the Iron trade the present prices of wrought and
pig-iron are pretty well sustained, though we fear
very little of the former has realised the nominal
price of 72. 10s. per ton. ‘The Paris papers an-
nounce the death of M. de Génoude, the well known
editor in chief of the Gazette de France. The
American papers report the death at New York of

J. L., From the first.— You ean have the whole of

W. J.—May crystallize glass windows with a

H. B.—Tracing paper may be made by rubbing

Mr. Daniel Appleton, one of the leading publishers
of that country—and the testimonies of respect
offered to his memory.- A meeting of the principal
publishers and booksellers from yarious states of
the Union have put on record their sense of his
character and of the services long rendered by him
to literatnre. The feeling of regret which is ex-
pressed that the Stowe MSS. are not destined to
enrich the national collection in the British Mu-
seum, is diminished by the consideration that since
they were to become once more the property of an
individual, Lord Ashburnham has become their
owner. The character of that noble collector gives
assurance that highly as he may prize his newly
acquired treasures they will not be destined to re-||-
turn to the sort of jealous seclusion in which they
were kept at Stowe.

Go Corresponvents, &e.

the numbers of the Decorator’s Assistant, ex-
cept No. 9, whichis reprinting. Your Book-
seller is deceiving you. If you think proper to
send us Postage stamps, together with the
amount of postage for the numbers you require,
they can be forwarded to you by return of post.
. There is no cheap work of the class you require.

hot sofution of Epsom salts, or still better with
salammoniac. Wet theglass with this solution,
and lay it on equally with a soft brush; the
moisture will almost instantly be evaporated,
and the salt will be deposited on the glass in a
beautiful radiated form.

common. tissue paper with poppy oil or Canada
balsam; which, when dry, being laid over a
drawing, it appears through the transparent
paper, consequently can be copied.

Enquirer, Leeds.—In order to render gold mal-

leable, it is alloyed in various proportions with

silver or copper, the amount varying with the
object for which it is required, and also with
practice of various artizans.

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 2, of
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still|)
on sale—The Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 4, are||
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand.

**Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in igre
be charged at 10d. each.
Part 25 is now ready, tee 10d.

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@n the Cultibation of Taste mn the
@peratibe Classes.

T the present time we
consider that if a large infusion of industrial
and artistic education was added to our natural
system of education, it would have a great and
decided influence in securing the foundations
and strengthening the bonds of social order.
A man is necessarily dissatisfied when he finds
himself in possession of something which he
values very highly, but which he finds to be
undervalued by others. Now the value of lite-
rary instruction in a workman is not always
apparent, while skill and taste are ever sure to
command a superior price in the market. The
great requisite for producing the success of Art,
is that it should be appreciated. Appreciation
produces demand, and demand leads to sup-
ply. If the best designers were trained, their
labours would be vain so long as a perverted
public taste would content itself with inferior
patterns. It is necessary to make the develop-
ment of taste a part of a system of our na-
tional education, and to bring it especially
within the sphere of its influence on our arti-
zan and operative population. No man can

proceed, especially in the decorative branches ;

THE \DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

now doubt but that National Education must

[May 19, 1849.

and all that we can do is to assist in guiding
the movement. One valuable result of the
development of taste in the artizan would be,
that when applied to his productions, it would
have a very powerful effect in making him sa-
tisfied and contented with his condition and
his work. Carpenters have been as proud of
constructing a neat cart as statesmen of form-
ing a strong cabinet. This pride is not merely
harmless, but most useful; it is an incentive
to production, and a motive for that satisfaction
which renders men anxious for the maintain-
ance of tranquility. ‘Thus Taste has an Econo-
mic, a Moral, and a Social value, for it tends
to increase production —it produces healthy
feelings of content, and it renders men disin-
clined to disturb Law and Order.

Every one is aware of the necessity of taste
in the upholsterer, the painter, the paper-stainer
the carpet-manufacturer, and the cabinet-
maker, and even the housemaid who arranges
the furniture in our rooms. The results or
their taste tell upon us and upon our children:
the objects by which they are surrounded ex-
ercise a most powerful educational effect on
the minds of the young, and thus, artizans
whom we have never seen in that capacity
before, become, in fact, teachers of the young.
When we elevate the taste of the working
classes, we render them agents in improving
the taste, and by consequence, in increasing
the patronage and consideration of the su-
perior orders; for the intellectual character-
istics of the different classes of society act and
re-act on each other more rapidly and efficiently
than the physical and material.

The great defect of a national system of
education is that we give precisely the same

artizan; and to this we may add that the pre-
scribed course for both is not that best adapted
to the present or future condition of either.—
We are the more anxious to impress the im-
portance of the cultivation of taste on the ar-
tizan, because the condition of Europe offers
to this country the most favourable opportunity
for strengthening the elements of its wealth,
and increasing the resources of its manu-
factures.

We can only plead, as an excuse for pressing
this subject so strongly upon our Readers,

course of education to the labourer and the}

ae EE Nn ee en

that it is the dearest wish of our heart, and
Ihas. ever been, to combine the interests of
British Art with those of British Taste and
‘Industry.

Manufacture of Tapestry.

|| Tapusrry is distinguished by two kinds—

||in the manner of making, than in the work
itself, which is, in effect, the same in both,
|jonly the looms, and consequently the warps,
jare differently situated; those of the low warp
being placed flat and parallel to the horizon,
||and those of the high warp erected perpendi-
cularly. Our own countrymen once excelled
all the world in the tapestry of the high warp,
jand they still maintain their reputation, but
|with some little change. These low warps are
jstill much admired—the high ones are quite
laid aside by the French.

Tapestry of the high warp is manufactured
as follows :—The loom on which it is wrought
is placed perpendicularly, and consists of four
principal pieces, two long plants, a cheek of
wood, and two thick rollers or beams. The
planks are set upright, and the beams across
them; one at the top, and the other at
the bottom, about a foot from the ground,
They have each their trunnions by which they
are suspended on the plank, and are turned
with bars. In each roller is a groove from one
end to the other, capable of containing a long
sound piece of wood fastened therein by hooks.
It is used to tie the ends of the warp to each
other. The warp, which is a kind of worsted,
or twisted woollen threads, is wound on the
upper roller, and the work, as fast as wove, is
wound on the lower, Withinside the planks,
which are seven or eight feet high, fourteen or
fifteen inches broad, and three or four feet
thick, are holes pierced from top to bottom,
jin which are put thick pieces of iron, with
hooks at one end, serving to sustain the coat
stave. These pieces of. iron have also holes
pierced, by putting a pin in by which the
stave is drawn nearer, or set farther off ; and
\thus the coats or threads are stretched or
loosened at pleasure. The coat stave is about
three inches in diameter, and runs the whole

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

| with a kind of sliding knot, which forms a

|| warp open for the passage of broaches, wound

|/high and low warp; but the difference is more

Seta Se

length of the loom. On this are fixed the
coats or threads which make the threads of the
warp cross each other. It has much the effect
here that the spring stave and treddles have in

‘{the common looms. The coats are very little

threads fastened to each thread of the warp,
kind of mark or ring.” They serve to keep the

with silk woollens or other matters used in the
piece of tapestry. In the last place, there are
a number of little sticks of different lengths, |
but all about an inch in diameter, which the)
workman keeps by him in baskets to serve to}
make the threads of the warp cross each other,
by passing them aeross; and that the threads)
thus crossed may retain their proper situation,
a packthread is rum among the threads above
the stick.

The loom being thus formed and mounted
with its warp, the first thing the workman does,
is to draw on the threads of this warp the
principal lines and strokes of the desigm to be IL
represented on the piece of tapestry, which is)
done by applying cartoons made from -the!
painting he intends to copy, to the side that is |
to be the wrong side of the piece, and then/
with a black-lead pencil following strongly out
the cartoons thereof on the thread of the right’
side, so that the strokes appear equally both
before and behind. As for the original design,
the work is to be finished by it; it is hung up.
behind the workmen, and wound on a long
staff, from which a piece is unrolled from time
to time, as the work proceeds. Besides the
loom, &c., here described, there are three other
principal instruments required for working the
silk or the wool within the threads of the warp.
These are a brooch, a reed, and an iron needle,
The brooch is made of a hard wood, seven or
eight inches in length, and two thirds of an
inch thick, ending in a point with a little
handle. This serves as a shuttle; the silks,
woollen, gold, or silver to be used in the work
being wound round it.

The reed or comb isalso of wood, eight or
nine inches long, and an inch thick on the
back, whence it grows less and less to the ex-
tremity of the teeth, which are more or less
apart according to the greater or less degree of
fineness of the intended work. Lastly, the
needle is made in form of a common needle,
only bigger and longer. Its use is to press

{close the wool and silk when there is any line or
\Jcolour that does not fit well. All things being pre-
\\pared for the work, and the workman ready to be-
jgin, he places himself on the wrong side of the
|;piece, with his back towards the design, so that he
{| works, as it were, blindfold, seeing nothing of what
ijhe does, and being obliged to quit his post and go
to the other side of the loom whenever he would
||view and examine the piece, to correct it with his
pressing-needle.

To put silk, &c., in the warp, he turns and looks
at the design, then taking a brooch full of the
proper colour, he places it among the threads of
the warp, which he brings across each other with
his fingers, by means of the coats or threads fas-
tened to the staff—this he repeats every time he is
to change his colour. Having placed the silk or
wool, he beats it with his reed or comb, and when
he has thus wrought in several rows over each other,
he goes to see the effect they have, in order to re-
form the contour with his needle if there be occa-
sion. As the work advances, it is rolled upon the
jlower beam, and they unroll as much warp from
the upper beam as suffices them to continue the
piece ;—they do the same with the design behind
them. When the pieces are wide, several work-
men are employed at one time. We shall next
week give a full description of the manufacture of
|High Warp Tapestry.

Precipitation of Metallic Goldy,

||\FROM THE NITRO-MURIATE ON SILK, SATIN,
IyORY, &¢., BY HYDROGEN GAS.

IMMERSE a piece of white satin, silk, or ivory
in a solution of nitro-muriate of gold, in the pro-
portion of one part of the nitro-muriate to three
of distilled water. While the substance to be gilt
is still wet, immerse it in a jar of hydrogen gas;
it willsoon be covered by a complete coat of gold.

The divisibility of gold by precipitation in this
manner, is astonishing; for the coating is hardly
the ten millionth of aninch thick. ‘The foregoing
experiment may be prettily and advantageously
varied as follows. Paint flowers or other orna-
ments with a very fine camel-hair pencil, dipped in
the above solution of gold, on pieces of silk, satin,
\&e., and hold them over a Florence flask, from
i\which hydrogen gas is evolved during the decom-
|position of water by sulphuric acid and iron filings.
|The painted flowers, &c, in a few minutes will
\|shine. in all the splendour of the purest gold. A
\icoating of this kind will not tarnish on exposure
|to the air or washing.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Observation.—Porcelain is gilded by mixing,
nitro-muriate of gold, gum-water, and pulverized
|

borax. The mixture is laid on by a brush, and the

porcelain is burnt in an oven. The gold is thus’!
revived in great splendour. Porcelain and other |
wares may be platinized, silvered, tinned, and

bronzed in a similar manner. | |

po)

Architecture at Oxford.— An Oxford paper |
mentions various architectural improvements with
which the liberality of the University, of particu- |
lar colleges, or of individuals, as well by the resto-
ration of ancient buildings as by the erection of,
new ones, has lately adorned Alma Mater. One is
the restoration of St. Mary’sthe Virgin, under the
direetion of Mr. Blore, at an expense which they
think cannot be short of £3,000. In the cathedral
chureh, from the nave two cumbrous pews have
been ousted, and their places supplied by low and
massive benches, the carving on their standards
designed to harmonize with the very massive Ro-
manesque architecture of that portion of the ca-
thedral. The principal and fellows of “ the King’s}
Hall and College of Brasenose” have caused no}
small portion of the old walls, built originally of;
the crumbling Headington-stone, to be renovated
and repaired, that they may hand down to poste-
rity their college buildings in a more perfect state.
The new hall of Pembroke-college quadrangle is
third pointed, with a tower at the end, and is well)
spoken of. ‘There are new cemetery chapels, situ-
ate respectively in Jericho, Osney, and Holywell.)
The first of these is Romanesque, while the two
others are in the pointed styles.

Exhibition of Machinery at Ghent.—The King
of the Belgians has issued a decree to the effect
that an Exhibition of machinery, frames, looms,
and implements of trade (of Belgian and foreign
make) employed in the manuiacture of yarn and
tissues of all sorts, shall be opened at Ghent, on
the occasion of the Exhibition of the produce of)
the industry of Flanders, in the monthof July. It}
should be understood that the royal ordinance ex-
pressly and exclusively refers to mechanical agents)
properly so called, and not +o motive or transmis-
sive powers. Special rewards, consisting of com-
memorative medals of gold, silver, and bronze will
be awarded to such exhibitors as shall appear to
merit such adistinction. The Government reserves}
to itself the right of making the acquisition—as
models, either for the immediate use of trade, or
for deposits in the State collections—of any ma-
chines or impliments presenting important im-
provements. Every facility of conveyance will be
afforded to foreign exhibitors, and no import duties
will be levied on machines unless imported for use,

DESIGNS FOR GLAZIERS.

\
THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 33

SS y pus Mere, ee

will

KEY-STONE SKETCHED FROM THE LOWER STORY WINDOW OF THE IMPERIAL ASSURANCE

OFFICE, CITY.

Beverley Church.

THE great window at the west end of the
{church of St. Mary being in an unsafe condition, it
||was resolved to have it restored. The cost of the
||restoration of the window, west front, doorway,
|/and turrets, was estimated at about 1,000Z.,

year.
would have cost £50: but Mr, Pugin proposed to

nished a design, which was approved of by the pa-
rishioners and also by the Architectaral Society.
The necessary sum has{been subscribed, and it is
expected that the window will be restored and the
\painted glass put in during the present year, The
subject of the design is our Saviour and the twelve
apostles, with the patron saint of the church, filling
ithe fourteen compartments of the window. —
One or more of the nave wiudows, it is expected,
will be restored and devorated in a similar way.
The Church of St. Mary, Beverley, is well worth
| the attention of every one who admires or appre-
ciates beautiful design and execution, and it is
lamentable, here as elsewhere, to observe how little
the decay of centuries has been arrested, and how
dilapidated the structure has become. Here how-
ever, there has been no daubing or defacing, and
|although there is much to restore there is little to
pull down.

England in an American’s Eyes.—Mr. Ralph
Emerson, in a lectur on England, at Boston, after
his recent visit, referred to the elements of that
power which the English now hold, and have held
for centuries. After looking at her manufacturies,
scattered all over the land, her commerce, her agri-
enlture, her arts, and witnessing the stupendous re-
|Sults which have been brought out, one is con-
vinced, said he, that if he would see the best de-

he must go to England to witness it. The land, in
every part so like a garden, shews the triumph of
labour; the fields look as if finished with the pen-
cil, and not the plough. Every arable spot has
been cultivated, and every thing turned to the best
possible use. England, he continued, is a huge
mill, a grand hotel, where every thing is provided
to one’s mind. On therailroads we ride twice as
fast, and with one-half the shaking, that we do
upon ourroads. All England is a machine~every
body moves on a railway—no Englishman ever

THE DECORA‘TOR’S ASSISTANT.

and
this the churchwardens hoped to effect by the funds,
of the church in two years, at the rate of £500 a’
To restore the window with common glass’

put in a superior stained glass for £300, and fur-.

velopment of common sense (the standard sense), |.

ovr an i So ner leer err AE NR PB

touches the ground. England has the best work-]|
ing climate in the world ; it is never hot nor cold ;
their winter days are like our November days in
the early part of the month. One of the Ae
drawbacks which Mr. Emerson mentioned was the
dark, dense smoke of many of the manvfacturing
towns, pervading and completely enveloping at
| times every surrounding object.

Religion and Art.—When, after the long period||
of darkness which followed on the decline of the|}
Roman empire, the fine arts began to revive, the||
first and, for several ages, the only impress they||
received was that of the religious spirit of the||
time. The first great object to which reviving art]|
was destined, was to render the Christian places of
worship a theatre of instruction and improvement
for the people; to attract and to interest them by
representations of scenes, events, and personages
already so familiar as to require no explanation,
appealing at ence to their intelligence and their
sympathies; embodying in beautiful shapes (beau-
tiful at least in their eyes) associations, feelings and
| memories, deep rooted in the very hearts, and which
had influenced in no slight degree the progress of!
civilization—the development of mind. But, if I’
have not much sympathy with modern imitation
of medizeval art, still less can I sympathize with!
that narrow Puritanical. jealousy which holds the
monuments of a real and earnest faith in contempt.’
All that God has permitted once to exist in the
past should be considered as the possession of the
present; sacred for example or warning, and held}
as the foundation on which to build up what in
better and purer.— Mrs. Jameson. |

- Ornament for Glass or Slate.—Spread on a)
plate of glass a few drops of nitrate of silver, dis-))
solved in double its quantity of rain water; place]
at the bottom of it, and in contact with the fluid,
a zine or copper wire, bent.in any form you please,))
and let the whole remain undisturbed in horizontal
position, In afew hours a beautiful crystalization
of metallic silyer will arrange itself around the,
wire, and continue to increase until the whole of
the fluid has been acted upon by the wire.

THREE hundred specimens of the curious and|
important find on Whaddon Chase, of ancient Bri-
tish gold coins are about to be brought to the ham-
mer, The sale will include examples of all the
varieties discovered. These varieties, we understand,|
are merely modifications of two There is not, we.
believe, a single inscribed piece in the whole lot.|
About one third are plain on one side, with a rude,
figure of ahorse on the other. The rest exhibit
a better executed horse on one side, and a confused
copy of some well-known type on the other.

ee NE I ETE aA i I eR Te oe nO ene

aRonal Acavemp.

- PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

—e—

(Continued from page 7.)

In the infant Art of every country, the acciden-
tal appearances of Nature are omitted, not so much
from their being unperceived as from a notion that
they would interfere, and when imperfectly given
they do interfere, with beauty and expression ; both
of which have always been the first objects of all
serious Art. The Chinese, for imstance, though
much of their ornamental painting belongs to the
.||grotesque, yet in their representations of real life,
||they ‘aim to the utmost at beauty, grace, and ex:
‘|pression. To those enthusiastic admirers of me-
dizeval Art who may think there is something al-
most sacrilegious in comparing anything done by
| Chinese hands for an instant with it, I might men-
-||tion that Flaxman, than whom no man ever more
fully appreciated early Italian Art, and who indeed
||was the first among the moderns to direct attention
|\to it, saw how much, apart from subject, Chinese
||painting had in common with it, for I remember
seeing Chinese pictures hanging on the walls of
his parlour, which he admired as well for their
grace aud simplicity as for the peculiar beauty of
their colour.

The severity of eritics on the sameness of the
works of one hand is not always just. Where it is
sameness of an excellence, we should be grateful
for it. The gentleness so utterly removed from
insipidity of Raphael, the sublimity of Michael
Angelo, the almost invariably golden tones of Ti-
tian, or the pervading silver of Paul Veronese, are
things of which true taste never tires. To demand
that every work of one master should be distinct
in alkits characteristics is something which the
conditions of human nature refuse to grant. We
have sufficient variety in the varieties of the minds
of men; and the endeavour of a painter to go out
of himself and into another, to give up what may
be ealled his birthright, is always to be lamented if
he have genius. A friend of Stothard, on being
told he had painted a picture very like Rubens,
said, with much good sense, ‘‘ I would rather see
la picture by him very like Stothard.” Gainsbo-
rough occasionally stands on the same level in por-
traiture with Reynolds, because he kept himself
distinct; but had he attempted the same style he
must at once have fallen below his illustrious rival
there to remain.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

painter on account of imperfections which, by: the

These observations, however, would lead us to a
consideration of how far the mind of every painter
is reflected from his canvas, and which for the pre-
sent I must defer; remarking only that the varie-
ties of Art, occasioned by such various manifes-
tations of mind, form much of its real value, and,
that the criticism that would dethrone one genuine

conditions of humanity, are in some form connec-
ted with each, to elevate another in his place, is as
unjust as it is mischievous, for-there is room enough
for all, and need enough—and I have remarked
that the taste that cannot tolerate the aberrations
of genius for the sake of its real merits, is mostly}
disposed to elevate mediocrity ; for being in reality
blind to the highest qualities of Art, it does not)
perceive the vast separation between a true per-/
ception of Nature and that commonplace imitation
which passes with the multitude for that which is
natural.

END OF LECTURE II.

India-Rubber Rigging Springs.—Mr. Newall,
wire rope manufacturer, has patented an elastic
support for rigging. It consists of a long box of
iron plates, at each side of the ship, containing
square blocks of india-rubber divided by thin plates
of sheet-iron. Byaregulating screw the rigging
can be strained to any degree of tightness, and
whatever strain is afterwards produced by winds,
lurching of the vessel, or other cause, the spring,
by its reaction, pulls the rope back to its place
when the strain is removed.

St. David’s Cathedral.—According to Archeo-
lonia Cambrensis, the restoration of this venerable
structure has been going on since the subscription
for that purpose in 1846. The stone rood-screen has
been restored, and the unsightly wood-work which
surrounded it cleared away, and replaced, where
necessary, by parcloses of wrought-iron. A pro-
jecting cornice of oak has been substituted for the
balustrade which formerly disfigured the rood-loft.
The choir arch, before walled up, has been partially
opened, and the large platform before the screen
and the passage into the choir, have been laid with
encaustic tiles. :

The Nimrod Sculptures. — With reference to
the second portion of these, sculptures, the Quar-
terly Review remarks—‘ These articles, by the neg-
ligence or unwarrantable curiosity (we are unwilling
to use stronger terms) of persons at Bombay, have
suffered considerabledamage. Some of the smaller
ones, particularly those of glass, had been care-
fully repacked, werefound broken toatoms; some
including the most valuable specimens (these are
Mr. Layard’s words) were missing,—it is to be
hoped not purloined by some over-tempted collector.

THE novelty which attended the exhibitions of;
the Electric light in the metropolis, by Mr. Staite
and M. Le Molt, has passed away, and the gas-
lights now shine in their original brightness, no
longer fearing the eclipse which threatened them.

2 = z= = ae :

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

”

An Elustrated Glossary of Technical

Terms used tn Architectural and
Entervtov Decoration, Ke.

NicuE. A cavity or hollow in a wall, for the
reception of a statue, &c. They are found some-
times square in ancient buildings. Niches are sel-
dom found in pure Grecian buildings, except when

they have been made afterwards by the Romans.
Those in the Pantheon at Rome, are rectangular

recesses, dressed in the same manner as the aper-
tures of doors. The exedre or large niches on the
sides, have cylindrical backs, finishing at the top
with the soffit of an architrave of the general
entablature.

NIDGED ASHLAR. Is brought to the square
by means of a cavil or hammer with a sharp point,
and is used in Aberdeen when the stone is so bad
as to resist the mallet and chisel.

NILOMETER, An instrument used in Egypt to
measure the increase of the Nile.

NoDATED HYPERBOLA. A name given by Sir
Issac Newton to a hyperbola, which in turning
round decussates or crosses itself.

\| Nogs.*A term used in Lancashire for wood
bricks,

NoRMAN ARCHITECTURE.—The style of archi-
tecture in Germany, termed by some writers By-
zantine and Romanesque, corresponds with the
style in England which we term Norman, though
in some respects they vary considerably. Thus we
never find in the German Churches the ponderous
cylindrical piers which occur in English buildings ;

the piers are not carved and channelled, except in
a very few instances, as the crypt of St. Gereon ;
the German buildings have not the deep rich suc-
cession of mouldings to which we are accustomed
in the door and pier arches, the latter being in Ger-
many quite plain. They have not there the
same extraordinary multiplicity and fantastical
variety of mouldings and ornaments which so dis-
tinguishes our Norman: the beak-bead, the em-
battled fret, &c. are scarcely known, but the zigzag
and the triple billet, are found'in abundance.

Noageine. A kind of brick-work carried up in
panels between quarters. The horizontal boards
which are nailed to the quarters to strengthen the
brick work, are termed Mogging-pieces.

NonaGon. <A figure of nine sides and nine
angles.

NoRMAL LINE.
at right angles,

A line which interects another

Nosines. The parts of the tread-board of steps,
which project over the riser, and are generally
rounded.

Norcu-Boarp. A board which is grooved or
notched for the reception and support of the ends
of steps in a staircase.

Norcuine. A hollow cut from one of the faces
of a piece of timber, generally of a rectangular
form,

NUBIAN ARCHITECTURE. The antiquities of
Nubia are in reality but a continuation of those of
Egypt, their origin and style being decidedly the
same. ,

Nucirevus. The middle part of the flooring o
the ancients, consisting of cement, which they put
between alay or bed of pebbles, cemented with
mortar made of lime and sand.

NyMpPHzuM. A name given by the ancients to
picturesque grottoesin rocky and woody places,|}
supposed to be dedicated to, and frequented by the
nymphs. The Romans often constructed Nym-
phea in their gardens. One of the most celebrated
amongst these ancient grottoes, was the Corycian
cave on mount Parnassus, which was very extensive
and enclosed a spring of unusual size and clearness,

LITERATURE has sustained a great loss—greater
than many would imagine—in the sudden death of}
Mr. Thomas Rodd, the second-hand bookseller of
Newport-street. Mr. Rodd was seized with para-
lysis while transacting business with the officers of
the British Museum, and survived only three days. ||

THE DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT.

Aseful Receipts.

| » Salpho-eyanic Acid is most readily obtained by
the following process, contrived by Vogel :—Mix
‘equal weights of flowers of sulphur and. powdered
\ferrocyanate of potassa, and keep the mixture mel-
ted in a flask for half an hour; when cold, reduce
the mass to powder, and digest it in water, filter
'the solution, and add. a sufficiency of liquid of po-
tagsa. to throw down the iron held in solution.. The
liquid thus obtained isa solution of the sulpho-
eyanuret of potassium, from which liquid sulpho-
cyanic acid may be obtained by distillation with
phosphoric or sulphuric acid. Thus procured, it is
of a pinkish hue, with an aeetie odour, and is cha-
racterised by the peculiar blood-red colour which
it produces when mixed with persulphate of iron.
It reddens litmus, and neutralizes. the alkalies, and
forms a white insoluble salt with a protoxide of
copper. When concentrated, its specific gravity is
1,022. It boils at 271o, and at 150, it crystallizes,
Most of its salts are solublein alcohol. Its combi-
nations are called sulpho-cyantes.

Sulpho-napthalic Acid.—It can be obtained
pure, by the following process :—-Napthaline, fused
with half its weight of sulphuric acid on cooling,
forms a red. crystalline compound, soluble in wa-
ter; carbonate of baryta, added to its solution
forms sulphate and sulpho-napthalate of baryta,
the former insoluble, but the latter soluble ; its so-
lution is to be filtered off, and sulphuric acid to be
|added to it in sufficieut quantity to precipitate the

baryta. An aqueous solution of sulpho-napthalic
acid is thus obtained, of a bitter acid taste, and
|| powerful reddening litmus; concentrated by evapo-
ration, it becomes brown, thick, and ultimately so-
lid, antl very deliquescent. By renewed heat it
melts and chars, but does not inflame, and ulti-
mately gives sulphuric and sulphurous acid va-
pours, and leaves charcoal. Its salts are termed
sulpho-napthalates.

“aoe of Waiters tw WeAlater-
colours.

: Tue forty-fiitth Exhibition of this Society shows
Jan addition of three hundred and sixty-five works
to the aggregate figure of the four Exhibitions of
‘pictures, in oil. and water colours, which we have
this year already noticed. That the demand can
_|{equal such a supply might be matter of doubt ;—

yet the annual recurrence of that supply suggests
that there is a sufficient market. The fresh blood
infused by the presence of new competitors
both compensates for the secession of others, and
does something more by introducing novelty of
style, and imparting variety and freshviess to the
whole. Messrs. Topham and Jenkins among the
painters of figures, and Messrs. Dodgson and Dun-
can in Landscape, amply supply the place of those
who, aspiring to the honours of another society,
have quitted the ranks of this.

My. C. Fielding, the president, well justifies. his
place. His View near the Head of Loch Tay, 23,
will satisfy his most ardent admirers of his undi-
minished. power in a class which if not presenting
the charm of novelty, presents that. of success. He
has rarely surpassed the beauty of the morning ef-
fect in 126, the View of Snowdon, or the stormy
character of 130, Scarborough, Yorkshire. The)
view of Seaford and the Cliffs, from near New-
haven, Sussex, 143, and the Head of Loch Fyne,
are admirable specimens of the master. If Mr.
Cattermole does not exhibit any work of a large
seale, The Chapel, 242, is an extremely picturesque)
and solemn combination. In the Call at the BMo-
nastery, 253,—a. burly priest stopping with all his
retainers to seek refreshment, we recognize a very
clever work., Among many other of the same ar-
tist?s works, we do not remember to have seen his
power as acolourist better asserted than in the
composition entitled Lhe Goldsmith, 328. Mr.
Gastinean’s View of the Hospital with the Pass
of St. Gothard, Switzerland, 94, is that one of his |
contributions which best claims consideration. The
Interior at Levens, Westmoreland—the Seat of
the. Hon.. Mrs. Goi. Howard, 32, by Mr. J. Nash,
asserts his accustomed pre-eminence. In the same,
class of subject Mr. L. Price figures in a picture of,
The High Altar, Cathedral of Toledo, 82. Itis
a gorgeous combination of architectural and human
forms. Mr. Jenkins is, as we have said, one of the
recent additions to the ranks of this Exhibition.
Shrimping—Coast of France, 95, aud Devotion,
208, are little more than single figures, yet he has,
imparted to them much sentiment—to the latter
more especially.. A more pretending composition
is the two figures in a boat Going against the
Stream—Brittany, 125. A yet larger one, Jea-
lousy, 162, represents a French peasant girl leaning,
over a. fragment of rock, and regarding with mixed)
emotions the bridal procession of her former lover.
After a Romp, 31, is an excellent study; and On
the Way. to England, 69, a very good group,—a
couple of Italians with their primitive pipes, Our
limited space precludes further notice till our next
week’s publication.

The Cbhronotyptst.

Ir is said, that the first tube of the Britannia
bridge over the Menai Straits, will be crossed and
placed at the latter end of this month, or. early in
June. The tubes appear to be nearly all finished,
and all the mason’s work, except that of the Bri-
tannia Pier is quite done———The first section of
the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway, from
Shrewsbury to Oakengates is completed, and nearly
ready for opening ——A’ very handsome piece of
plate was presented a few days ago, to Dr. Forbes,
late Editor of the British and Foreign Medical Re-
viem, by a number of admirers of that journal.
The general opening of the Huddersfield and
Manchester Railway, will take place on the 18th
of June.——Moine the Sculptor, who had obtained
some celebrity, has lately committed suicide.—
The first Soirée under'the new Presidency of the
Royal Society was recently given by the Earl of
Rosse :—an extensive suite of rooms in Somerset
House being thrown open for the occasion. The
soirée was attended by Prince Albert and about five
hundred noblemen and gentlemen. Some inter-
esting models, &c. were on the tables; but that
which attracted the greatest attention was a highly
finished working model of Lord Rosse’s celebrated
sixty-foot reflecting telescope. The model was
made under his Lordship’s personal superinten-
dance. It is constructed on the scale of half an
inch to a foot, and shews in minature all those beau-
tiful mechanical arrangements so effectually carried
into operation in the large instrument.—Some Da-
guerrotypes on a remarkably large scale were exhi-
bited by Mr. Mavall.——-The Suspension Bridge at
Pesth, it is said, has been destroyed by the Austri-
ans, in order to cover their retreat before the
Hungarians; the bridge of boats is also said to
have been burnt for the same purpose.———A con-
siderable number of iron houses and warehouses
have been lately shipped for California from Liver-
pool and other towns. One of these structures has
just been erected by Messrs. Edw. T. Bellhouse and
Co., of Manchester, for Messrs. Pim and Roberts,
who are proceeding to San Francisco. ' The total
length is 60 feet, the width 24 feet, the height to
the eaves 10 feet, and to the ridge 17 feet. The
valuable stock of Messrs. Town and Emmanuel,
was sold a few days since by Messrs. Christie and
Manson’s, and formed one of the most attractive
exhibitions of London during that time. Amid
much that was modern or made up, ard somewhat
dazzling to the eye, there were a few good things
which obtained high prices and good purchasers.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.
ES
‘|——A petition has been presented to the House of

Commons from certain parties, stating that great

_| injury was done to the public morals in consequence

of the objectionable character of some of the pic-
tures in the National Gallery, and praying that the
objectionable portions might be painted over or
expunged.——A valuable picture has been disco-
vered at |Leeds, according to the local Intelligen-
cer, in one long deemed valueless. It is said to be
one of Gerard Lairope’s. The subject (the Abduc-
tion of Ariadne, by Bacchus), consists of twenty-
two figures, grouped and painted in the manner of
Nicholas Poussin.—— Last week a sale of Hondu-
ras mahogany took place at Birkenhead. It was
well attended, and the spirit of competiton ran
high. | One of the cargoes offered, and sold with-
out reserve, realized the high average value of 82d.
per foot. Mr. Farrer has obtained a capital full
length portrait of the Countess of Castlemaine and
Duchess of Cleveland, from the pencil of Sir PeteT
Lely in his best period. Itis a’ duplicate~or ra-
ther perhaps the original.

Co Corresponvents, Ke.

W. W.—The following receipts are given by the
celebrated Weigleb for producing colored lights :
White.—Gunpowder and Steelfilings.—Red.—
Gunpowder and Ironsand.—Pale White.—Gun-
powder and Camphor.—Greenish.—Sal Ammo-
niac and Verdigris.—Lemon.—Raspings of Yel-
low Amber.—Russet.—Crude Antimony.

J.W.N.—The Minerva Hall is situated in the
Haymarket, and is open both day and evening,
for the Exhibition of the Poses Plastiques. A
young sculptor, or modeller would improve
himself by witnessing them. There is a change
of performance every week.

H.S., (Rochester.)—The Fourth Volume of the
Decorator’s Assistant, has been complete i this
three weeks, and can be procured by your giving
an order to any Bookseller. The price is Six
Shillings, or you can have it sent direct from
the Office by Post, upon payment of One Shil-
ling extra for postage.

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 2, of,
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale—The Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 4, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand.

“**Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in future

be charged at 10d. each.
Part 25 is now ready, price 10d.

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A DESIGN FOR A GROUP OF ANGELS.

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‘yh

SatTuRDAY,|

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[May 26, 1849.

On the Style o€ furniture in Ase
During the Wetqns of Mlvabeth
and ‘Hames E. and tis Applica=
hiltty to HModern Purposes.

EXTRACT FROM A PAPER READ AT THE GENE-
RAL MEETING OF THE DECORATIVE ART
SOCIETY, FEB., 28TH, 1844, BY
Grorce FILpEs.

HE great prevalence of
the Elizabethan style, both in the exterior and
interior decorations of the present day, ren-
ders the subject one of great interest and im-
portance to all those connected with decora-
tive art.

In the following paper, my principal aim has
been to collect from different sources as much
information as possible on the interiors of the
\|Elizabethan age, to present it in a clear and
condensed form, and afterwards to apply it to
the uses of the present day.

It was at first my intention to give a brief
sketch of the state of domestic interiors pre-
viously to the time of the Tudors, and the
progress of improvement in the arts connected
\therewith; but finding that even the slightest
{approach to detail would occupy more time
\\than could be devoted to the subject, I will
content myself with a slight reference to the
reigns of Henry VII. and his immediate pre-
decessors, and then pass to that of his son,

during which were introduced those changes |
that caused so material an improvement in the}
domestic decorations of the age, and led to the
formation of what we call the Elizabethan
style.

From the time of Henry IV. to that ot
Henry VI., the style of furniture in use in
England was of a rude substantial character,

-| Occasionally varied by sumptuous and splen-

did novelties introduced from Italy and the
East; such exceptions, however, proving more
forcibly the utter want of comfort in the gene-
rai arrangements of the period. ‘The princes
and nobles wasted their revenues either in fo-
reign or domestic warfare, or in the exercise of
the most wasteful and lavish hospitality, with-
out seeking or estimating the comfort which is

{so essential an ingredient in the enjoyment of

modern existence.

During the succeeding reigns of Edward IV.
and Richard III. some improvement was un-
doubtedly taking place; but it is not till the
accession of Henry VII. that any material
change is perceptible. That wise prince, with
the view of breaking up the remains of the
feudal system and controling the power of his
nobles, endeavoured to lead their minds to the
re-edifying and decorating of their mansions
and halls; hoping by inducing them to ex-
haust their wealth in such pursuits, to deprive
them of the means of keeping up the large
bodies of retainers by which, in former reigns
they had arrived at such a height of power as
to become formidable neighbours of royalty,
and keep the occupant of the throne in a con-
stant state of apprehension.

An anecdote is related of this monarch, il-
lustrative of his policy in this matter. After
a visit to the castle of one of his nobles who
had eXerted himself to the utmost in endea-
vours to welcome his sovereign with suitable
hospitality, he had, on taking his departure, to
pass through a lane of gentlemen sumptuously
clad, all of whom were the nobleman’s retain-
ers. The king, instead of expressing appro-
bation, intimated to bis host that the laws
could not thus be broken, and that his chan-
cellor must communicate with him on the sub-
ject. The result was that a heavy fine was
levied on him for this exhibition of his state.

It is to views of this kind, it may be feared,
rather than to any innate love of Art, that we

42)

|may attribute the favour which this monarch
showed to builders and decorators. It is evi-
dent from the testamentary records of the
time, ‘that the dwellings of the higher orders
were furnished with many costly and splendid
articles; for we find in them continually be-
quests of embroidered beds of satin and gold,
tapestry hangings and magnificent plate; the
greater portion of which must have been of
foreign make, and imported chiefly from Ve-
nice, Genoa and Florence. But whatever im-
provement he may have introduced, either
externally or internally, in the palaces of him-
self and his nobles, it had but little effect be-
yond his immediate circle; the general body
of the people were still little above a state of
barbarism in these matters; for even ata later
date, we find. Erasmus complaining of the im-
perfect construction of the dwellings of the
common people. In a letter written by him to
Wolsey’s physician, he traces the cause of the
plague and sickness that so continually visited
England to the defective style of building, and
the dirty habits of the people. ‘In the first
place,” he says, “‘ they pay no regard to the
aspect of their doors and windows; next, their
rooms are so constructed as to admit no tho-
rough draft; then, many of the windows are
glazed to admit the light, but shut out the
wind; notwithstanding which, the air makes
its way through chinks in the wall, and when
it has once got in, not being able to get out
again, ripens into pestilence. The floors are
mostly of clay strewed with rushes; fresh
rushes are periodically laid over them, but the
old ones remain as a foundation for, perhaps,
twenty years together; and these successive
layers form a deposit of spitting, slops of beer,
fragments of meat, and fish bones, and other
filth. On every change of weather a vapour
is inhaled which cannot be healthy.”

This want of ventilation rendered it neces-
sary to fumigate their rooms occasionally.—
Shakspere makes one of his characters give
orders to ;

‘“ Burn sweet wood to make the lodging sweet,”
and, in another passage speaks of “smoking a
musty room.”

The general introduction of chimueys, which
took place about this time, was, therefore, a
material improvement for health as well as

NS RNS SPR oe SN NRT SRLS DT Aa NS ED LURE ON FS SSI SEAT PI A SEE Hee de

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

convenience. Holinshed mentions in his Chro~
nicle, that within his own remembrance, there
were not above two or three chimneys, ‘‘if so
many, in most of the uplandish towns of the
realm, (the religious houses and manor places
of their lords always excepted, and peradven-
ture; some great personages,) but each man
made his fire against a-rere-dosse in the hall,
where he dined and dressed his meat!” In
spite, however, of their mean dwellings, their
mode of living was not in a similar style,. for
we find continual expressions of ‘surprise from
foreigners of the time at the abundant hospi-
tality exhibited by men who were content to
live in houses of “‘ sticks and dirt.””

The style of the interior decorations of this
period took its character, such as if had, from
the architecture ‘of the exteriors; sandas that)
gave way before the new fashion. introduced
from Italy, "so the character of the interior fit-
tings-up was changed with it. The Tudor
style of architecture which :prevailed in the
dwellingsiof the nobility :and clergy, was an
elaborate alteration of the Gothic, the princi-
pal characteristics of which were numberless
gables, groups:of bulbous turrets, and:clusters
of chimneys.”

Among. the -works of Skelton, a poet of,
Henry VIII.’s time, who wrote in a coarse,
rambling vein, with occasional passages of great,
force and expression, is a satirical poem on the
clergy, which drew on him the persecution of,
Wolsey, and in it we find the following allusion
to their dwellings :—

“ Building royally
Their mansions, evriously,
With turrettes and with toures,
With halls and with boures
Stretching to the starres,
With glass windows and barres,” &c.

The style of Wolsey’s living at this time
exceeded even royalty in pomp. The author,
just quoted observes :—

“The king’s court ig
Should have the excellence,

But Hampton Court
Hath the pre-eminence.”

(To be continued.) iH

TE sale of Mr. Macaulay’s History of England
_hasireached to the enormous number of 14,000.
i!

ee a yar ee

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT:

FRanutacture of Tapestry.

LOW WARP.

Tue high warp tapestry goes on much more
slowly than the low warp, and takes nearly thrice
the time and trouble; but all the difference that
the eye can perceive between. the two kinds con-
sists in this—that in the low warp there is a red
fillet of about the twelfth of aminch broad, run-
ning on each side from top to bottom, which is
wanting in the high warp.

_In the manufacture of tapestry of the low
warp the loom or frame on which it is wrought,
is much like that: of the weaver; the principle
thereof being two strong pieces of wood, forming
the side of the loom, and: bearing-a beam or rol-
ler at each end. They aresustained at the bottom
by other strong pieces:of wood in the manner of
truffles, and to keep them firm they are likewise
fastened to the floor with a kind of buttress
which prevents any shaking, though there are
four or five workmen leaning on the fore beam
at once. The rollers have each their trimmers by
which they are sustained, and they are turned by
large iron ping three feet long. Along each beam
runs a groove wherein is placed the wick—a
piece of wood of about two inches in diameter,
and almost the length of the roller. - This piece
fills the groove entirely, and is fastened thereon
from space to space by wooden pins. To the
niches are fastened the two extremities of the
warp which is wound on the farther roller, and
the work as it advances on the bearer.

_ Across the two sides, almost in the middle of
the loom passes a wooden bar which sustains little
pieces of wood, not unlike the beam of a balance.
To these pieces are fastened strings which bear
certain spring staves, wherewith the workman
by means of two treddles under the loom, where-
on he sets his feet, gives a motion to the coats,
and makes the threads of the warp rise and fall
alternately.

Each loom has more or less of these spring
staves, and. each staff more or less coats, as the
tapestry consists of more or less'threads. The
||design or painting the tapestryman is to follow,
is placed underneath the warp, where it is sus-
tained from space to space by springs, by means
of which the design ig brought nearer the warp.
The loom being mounted, there are two instru-
ments used in working it—viz. the reed and the
flute. The fiute does the office of the weaver’s
shuttle. It ig made of a hard polished wood,

43\}

three or four lines thick at the ends, aud some-
what more in the middle, and three or four inches
long. On it was bound the silks or other mat-
ters to be used, as the’woof of the tapestry. The
comb or reed is of wood or ivory; it has usually
teeth on both sides, and is about an inch thick in
the middle, but diminishes. each way to the ex-
tremity of the teeth. It seems to beat the threads
of the woof close together as fast-.asithe workman
has passed and placed them with his flute amongst
the threads of the warp. The workman is-seated
on a bench before the loom, with his breast on
the beam, only a cushion or pillow betweenthem,
and in this posture separating with. his: fingers
the threads of the warp, that he may:see the de-
sign underneath; and taking a flute mounted
with a proper colour, he passes. iti amongst the
threads, after having raised or lowered them by
means of the:treddles moving the spring staves
and coats.

Lastly, to press and’ close: the threads of the
silk or yarn, &c. thus placed, he strikes each
course—that is, what the fiute leaves in its pas-
sing and coming back again—with the reed.

Mineral Wealth of Russia.—The metallic pro-
duce of the Russian empire in 1848, was, accord-
ing to official documents as follows :—1,826 poods
of gold, a quarter of a pood of platinum, 1,192
poods of silver, 254,569 poods of copper, and
8,513,673 poods of wrought iron. The pood is
equivalent to a little more than 36 lbs. avoirdu-
pois. The gold from Russia therefore represents
a value of £3,944,832, making due allowance for
English alloy. The silver at 5s. 6d. per ounce,
represents a value of £188,000.

At the sale of the Countess of Blessington’s
effects at Gore-house, the articles averaged great
prices, amongst which we may mention the fol-
lowing. A pair of old Bleu du Roi Sevres vases,
supporting lily candelabra for five lights, formerly
in the possession of Marie Antoinette, realized 72
guineas. A portrait of Masaniello, painted by
his friend, Salvator Rosa, £57 15s. Portrait of a
favorite dog, presented to the Countess by the
King of Naples, painted by Hd. Landseer, R.A.,
£157 10s. The. Countess of Blessington, by Sir
Thomas Lawrence, realized the extraordinary
sum of £336, and was bought by the Marquis of
Hertford. The Duke of Wellington, by Count
D’Orsay (the portrait so well known from the en-
graving), sold for 180 guineas to the Harl of
Normanton. The Emperor Napoleon in three
quarter length, by Count D’Orsay, £63. Model
of the Countess of Blessington’s hands, in silver,||
weighing 100 ounces, was sold for £34.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

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THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

“HHOU LY NWATOD SNVfVEL NOU LAW TAU

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||both with Natural and Moral Philosophy ;
Landscape and even Still-life, as the interpreters of |
jthose beauties of Nature which escape common ob-

{46

1
|
3
é
| PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
|
|

gopal Acavemp.

ON PAINTING.

(Continued from page 37.)
LECTURE Iii.

TURNBULL, a writer on Painting of the last cen.

tury, considered Historical Paintine as belonging

to Moral Philosophy, and Landscape Painting: to
Natural Philosophy. Butit would be more accu-
rate to view every class. of Painting as connected
for

‘servation, tend to increase our admiration of the
works of the Creator, and have, therefore, not only

| a moral but a religious tendency.

There is, however, a marked difference. between

ithe progress of all the Fine Arts and that of Na-

tural Science, which, since the revival of learning,

has always been one of improvement, The know-

ledge of Nature acquired in one age has been re-
|tained by the next, and fresh knowledge added to
\the regularly increasing stock. The chemist, the

geologist, the astronomer, the anatomist of to-day,
correct the mistakes of their predecessors of yes-
terday, authenticate discoveries that may have been

| doubted when made, and decypher new pages from

the book of Nature.

Now, though the advancement of Painting, from
ithe commencement of its restorations, was also one
of tolerably regular improvement up to the point
lto which it‘arrived in that proud epoch in which
Leonardo da Vinci, Michael Angelo, Raphael, Ti-
itian and Correggio were, at the same time, produ-
cing works of such varied and transcendant excel-
lence, yet a rapid decline followed. Painting again

\|rose, at first. with feebler powers, and afterwards in

her strength, in Italy, Spain and the low countries,
again sink into mediocrity,—again to be revived,
and by Englishmen.

But at, every re-appearance we see her much
changed. She has lost some things and gained
others, the relative value of which will always vary
a the estimation of critics according to the varie-
fies of their minds and temperaments. One thing,
how ever we may gather from the history of Art—a
'oreat: painter never seems destined to supersede the
| great ones before him—he never takes possession of
ye that was known and keeps it in addition to his
|

own discoveries, as is the case with the astronomer,
ithe chemist, or the geologist.

|" Rubens does not
t

THE DBECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT., |

eclipse Michael Angelo, nor Reynolds Titian; and
the attempt in one age to repeat exactly what has
been done in another is a deception practised by
the artist on himself and on the world, which
though it may gain him immediate fame and profit,
invariably ends in shutting out his name from the
high places of fame. Iam aware that I am here
but repeating what I have more than once said.
But it seems to me so important that the history of
Art, with which we have now ampler means than
ever of becoming acquainted, should be studied
to our profit, that I would rather ineur censnre for
saying too much, than lose any opportunity of
placing in the strongest light; what I may conceive
we learn from the past of the true principles of
Imitation.

How itis the discoveries of Art are not to be
held fast like those of Science may be accounted
for by; a\combination of causes, among which I will,
only mention the uncertainty of taste and caprices
of fashion. These cannot interfere, or 1f they can
but very slightly, with the pursuits of science.
Fashion, which will patronize what is right if it be,
new, is always as ready to adopt what is wrong, if,
it be specious, for the mere sake of novelty with)
which it requires ‘to be constantly fed. Reynolds,
in the height of his popularity, was deserted by
the fashionable world for Madame Lebrun, and in-
stances of the like inconsistency might be multi-
plied from every period of Art. Even the times of,
Lorenzo de Medici and Leo the Tenth, which are,
supposed to unite in a golden age of taste, are
marked by some unaccountable cap rices. ‘There
is, I believe, no evidence of any notice having been!
taken by Lorenzo of his townsman, Da Vinci,—
and the mighty powers of Michael Angelo, while
in their full prime, were allowed to be shamefully
wasted during the entire pontificate of Leo.

I will not, however, prolong this enquiry,—but
will proceed to the subjects to which I ask your
attention, this evening, Invention and Expression
in Painting.

Properly considered, they are both inseparable
from everything in Art. Without expression land-
scape is of no value, and even when strictly topo-
graphical, unless it be elevated by choice in all its
appearnces in which there is freedom of choice (the
basis of invention), it isnot Art. I shall, however,
confine myself for the present to the consideration
of the invention of story, and the expression of
passion and sentiment.

Whatever there may be of difference among men
in the fertility of the inventive faculty, there can
be no doubt but that habits of observation are of,
the greatest importance to its developement.

(Zo be continued.)

¥ ee ey

SS a a ee

THE DECORATOR’S

isetul Weeeints.

— es

A Varnish for ail sorts of Colours.—Take gum
anime, one ounce—mastic and gum sandarac, of
each two ounces ; reduce them to fine powder and
put them in a glass vessel, pouring a pint of spirit
of wine over them. Hang it in the sun till the
ingredients are dissolved—then filter the liquor
through a clean cloth, and keep it in a bottle well
corked. When you would use it, mix the dry
colour with some of it.

To make a Lacquer that tooks like Gold.—Take
of gum lac in grains 8 oz.—of clear gum sandrae

a half of black rosin ; beat them to a powder, and
put them in a class vessel. Pour a quart of recti-
tified spirit of wine over them, and place the ves-
sel in a very gentle heat till they are dissolved, and
when it is cold strain it through a cloth. This is
to be laid on tin or picture frames, and they will
appear to be gilt.

To make Ink to rub out at pleasure.—Burn flax
\so that it may be mouldered rather than burned to
ashes—then grind it with a muller on a stone,
putting a little aqua-vite to it—then mix it witha
little weak gum water, and what you write, though
| it seem! fair, may be rubbed or washed out.

To make Brass resemble Gold in colour.— Bruise
sal ammoniac in a brass mortar into fine powder ;
‘mingle it with fasting spittle till it becomes liquid,
or like an ointment, and with this composition
anoint your brass things. Hold them over achar-
| coal fire till the brass becomes pretty hot, and then
rub it over with whiting and bran well dried, and
iyou will perceiveit look like burnished gold, which
will astonish those not in the secret.

To Clean Silver or other fine Metals ——Take
iwhitine and burned alum, mix them with the ash
of burned wheaten straw, ‘and when finely beaten,
' rub the plate, &c. with a woollen cloth well dried
and heated at the fire, and your expectations will
be fully answered.

To restore the faded Colour in Cloth.—Take of
wood ashes one part, quick lime two parts and put
them into a lye made pretty strong with wood ash
finely drawn off and cleared from the settlings.—
Then boil your cloth in a copper vessel with them,
and rinse them out in warm water wherein a lump
of alum has been dissolved. Press it, and it will
look glossy and of a fine new colour.

To make. Iron look as though Gilded with Gold.
—Burn an ounce of roch alum till it looks of a

2 oz.—1 oz. and a half of sago in blood—1 oz. and |

ASSISTANT.

oA]

reddish colour—then take of sal ammoniac an 02.
and of nitre half an ounce. Beat them to a fine
powder, and put them into strong boiling vinegar,
in a brass pan or other vessel, and when the liquor
is a third part consumed, ‘strain it well, and rub
over smooth iron with it, and it will appear as if
it were gilt with gold.

A Varnish for Wood or Metal, representing a
Gold Cofour.—Take two ounces of sandarac, one
ounce of litharge of gold, and four ounces of clari-
fied linseed oil. Boil them in a glazed earthen
vessel till they look of a transparent yellow, and
varnishing your materials with it according to art,
they will appear as gilded.

Sale of SFoynr sf Gaunvs palace,
Hincoln. ,

Tue old mansion called ‘‘ John of Gaunt’s Pa-
lace,” has lately been sold, and the beautiful oriel,
or bay window, at the south end of the building,
was offered for sale separately. It has not yet been
taken down, nor has any part of the building been
pulled down or altered, and it is to be hoped that
the destruction may be prevented.

of the eastern front. A great part was taken down
soon afterwards, but the oriel and a window which
is engraved in Pugin’s Specimens, from sketches by

Mr. E. J. Willson, of Lincoln, were left standing,|.

and yet remain. The former is:blocked up, and a
modern chimney stands behind it.

Part of the eastern front remained standing till
the early part of the present century, and a draw-
ing of it is in the British Museum. This was made
by Mr. Grimm, an artist who was employed by Sir
Richard Kaye, Bart., when Dean of Lincoln. It

is to be feared that the beautiful oriel (to use a |

common term, if not strictly a correct one,) will
tempt some amateur toa purchase, and then it may
be pulled down and stuck into a modern villa, and
thus be deprived of its real value. It has never
been thoroughly examined withinside, and, conse»

quently, the delineations that have been madeare,

imperfect. It is unequalled for richness and ele-

gance.

bridge.

Craps and lobsters, of species related to theire-

cent, have been discovered, inthe élay of:Highgate,
and in the Isle of Sheppey.

The other window is also very elegant; it,
has been adopted by the late Mr. Wilkins, at Cam-'

——,

There is aj!
view of this old mansion, done by Nathaniel Buck,
in 1726, which gives a general idea of the whole |

An Llustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural and
Entevtor Mecoration, Ke.

Oak. From its strength, hardness, and dura-
bility, this may be considered as the most useful of
all timbers. It is found in almost every climate of
the globe, and sometimes grows to an extraordi-
nary magnitude.

OBELISK. Lofty pillars of stone, of a rectan-
'gular form, diminishing towards the top, and gene-
irally ornamented with inscriptions and hierogly-
phies; amongst the Egyptians mostly placed in

the space before a temple. The period of their
first origin is unknown, but we often read in ancient
historians of their being erected by the Egyptian
kings, and the Arabs still term them ‘‘ Pharaoh’s
needles.” The Romans moved many of them into
Italy, and erected them in the public places of
Rome, and several are now preserved at Constan-
tinople.

OBLIQUE ANGLE.
right angle.

One quarter, or less than a

OBLIQUE ARCHES. Such as crossariver, ca-
nal, rail-road, &c., in an oblique direction.

OBLoNe. A rectangle of unequal dimensions.

OBSERVATORY. A building erected on an ele-
vated spot of ground, for making astronomical ob-
servations The Observatory at Greenwich was
erected in 1676, by order of Charles II., at the so-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

licitation of Sir Jonas Moore and Sir Christopher
Wren. The Observatory at Paris is one of the

finest in Europe, and was constructed between 1667
and 1672, from the drawings of M. Claude Per-
The Observatory at Oxford was built after,

rault. .
the designs of Sir James Wyatt, at an expense of
nearly £30,000; that at Cambridge has been built
at an expense of £60,000.

OBSTRUCTIONS. As applied to currents of wa-
ter, are produced by square ended piers, abrupt |
projections, &c.

OstusE ANGLEs. One greater than an obtuse
angle. (See Geometry.)

Oxntuse SECTION OF A Conr. A name given
by the old geometers to the hyperbola.

Octacon. A figure of eight sides and ane
(See Geometry.)

OcTAHEDRON. One of the regular solids, con-|
sisting of eight equal and equilateral triangles,
which may be conceived to consist of two quadri-
lateral pyramids, joined atthe base, and conse-,
quently its solidity may be found by multiplying,
the quadrangular base (or the square of one of the
sides) by one third of the perpendicular height of,
one of the pyramids, and doubling the product.

OctosrrLE. A temple with eight columns on,
its principal facade.

OpruUM or ODEON. A species of theatre among,
the Greeks, in which the poets and musicians sub-;
mitted their works to the approval of the public.
It resembled other theatres in form, but was of less.
extent. The Odeon of Athens, was probably the
first building of this kind erected in Greece.

Orcus. The banqueting-room of a Roman,
house.
Orrice. In general, an apartment for the dis-

charge of any particular duty or employment.

Orrsers. When the face of a wall is not one
entire or continued surface, or when it is formed
by two or more continued surfaces, each rising from
the horizontal base which forms the top part of the
wall below , the part thus connecting the two sur-
faces is called an off-set.

OGEE.
reversa,.

A moulding the same as the cyma

Ocrve. An arch or branch of a Gothic vault

which, instead of being circular, passes, diagonally

from one angle to anotner, forming a cross with
the other arches.

ee”

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT. 49

‘On GAaterzcolours for Liuminating
BWrints, Ke.

‘Or OrHER REDS.

‘(Continued from page 26.)

Next after crimson comes lake, which is‘of use
in shading and heightening carmine. But-it.must
be observed that in laying carmine upon a print,
you must touch your lights only with:such a thin
tint/of it as can-searcely be observed ; laying it on
strong just on that part of the light which enters
upon'the shade, and afterwards laying ‘some. lake
jen the stronger. part of the shade. Lake is to be
had at most colour shops, ready prepared for use.

To make a fine lake, take half a pound of good
brazil, and boiling it in ‘three pints .of ley made
with the ashes’ of -vine-twigs till half ‘the ley is
evaporated, letit settle and ‘then strain it,; which
done, boil it again with a quarter of a-pound of
fresh brazil, two ounces of cochineal, and half an
‘ounce of turmeric, adding a pint of fair water.—
Let this boil till it is half evaporated as before;
\then set it by to settle, and strain it. But when
you take it off the fire put in half an ounce of cal-
/cined alum, reduced to an impalpable powder, and
‘dissolve it by stirring it about with a stick, adding
a quarter of a drachm of arsenic.

To give it a body, reduce two cuttle-fish bones
\to a very fine powder, and throwing it in, let it dry
| up at leisure. Then grind it with a good quantity
. of fairwater, in which leave it tosteep, and after-
wards strain it through a cloth, and making it up
into a few tablets or cakes, set it to dry on some
\pasteboard. To make this lake redder, add lemon
juice ; or to make it deeper still, add oil of tartar.
Another lake may be made as follows :—Boil sha-
vings or shearings of scarlet in the ley of the ashes
‘of burnt tartar. ‘This ley having the property of
separating the dye from the scarlet shreds. When
it has boiled enough take it off, and putting in co-
ehineal, powdered mastic and roch-alum, boil them
| again, and while it is quite hot strain it through a
_ fine bag two or three times ; the first time the bag
' must be squeezed with two sticks from the top to
the bottom—then the gross matter remaining being
taken out of the bag, wash it well. After this, pass
the liqnor you expressed with the sticks through
the bag again, and you will find a paste sticking to
the sides of the bag, which you may either spread
upon a pasteboard, or divide into small parcels on
paper, and set it dside to dry.

To make lake-columbine, steep half a pound of
ithe finest brazil-wood of Fernambuca rasped, in

‘prepare a fourth part ‘of powdered alum, and put-)
‘ting in a clean earthen pan, strain the liquor upon

“wearisome unrealities and affectations cof M. Jules,

three pints of the finest distilled vinegar for at least,
a month—the longer the better. ‘Then seethe the)
whole in balneo murize till it boils up three or four)
times, letting it settle for a day or two. After this

the alum, and let it remain fora day. Afterwards
heat the whole again till the liquor simmers, and
let it settle twenty-four hours; then reduce two)
euttle-fish bones into powder, and having warmed
the liquor, pour it upon them and stir it witha
stick till cold,:and leave ‘it again for twenty-four
hours before you strain it. It must be strained)
upon the:alum before it is poured on the cuttle-fish
bones.

(To be Continued.)

Death of Antonin Moiner.—A death has re-|
cently taken place in the world of French Art
which the journalists of that capital surround with’
asort of sentimental mystery. Antonin Moine, a
painter and scluptor—but far more eminent in the,
latter character, well known to English visitors by ||
his fonts.in the!Chureh of the Madeleine—has died |
by his own hand. It is very difficult to arrive at.
meaning—still more so at truth—through the!

Janin’s style; but'this artist would seem to have
been the victim of a nervous shock communicated
by the suddenness and completenes of the Revo.-
lution, and a morbid state of mind fed by brooding
on its destructive infiuences in the world dear to
his own habits and imagination. -According to the
fantastie writer above named, the sculptor could|
not breathe in an atmosphere unspiritualized by
the coarse breath of insurrection. To vulgar minds
like M. Jules Janin’s, Revolution seems always—
as she is—a purvenu. The shape of the Phrygian
cap is distasteful in such eyes.—We. do not class in|
the same category poor Antonin Moine. A mind
inclined like his to dissase will find the morbid
ailment anywhere; and the ‘unfortunate artist
would probably have died a suicide even had the
Bourbon still reigned.—In the same capital the
Arts have sustained another loss by the death of
the landscape-painter, M. Edmond Joinville.

Caution to Artists—Mr. A. F. West, a young
artist, died on the 28rd ult. ; and after a post mor-
fem examination, a jury returned a verdict, ‘‘ That
the deceased died from the effects of Carbonate of
lead.” It appeared that he was in the habit of
drawing his {brushes through his lips.

Decorative Art.—Miss Wallace, a lady of for-
tune, has discovered a mode of gilding and ‘coloring
the interior of glass tubes, which, when so pre-
pared form a beading for the decoratiou of rooms-

Archeological Discovery.—We learn from Win-
chester, that during the progress of the restoration
of the Church Stoke Charity, now in hand, a very
curious discovery was made, namely a sculpture
representing a bishop celebrating mass, he holding
the host in one hand and the chalice in the other,
above whom is a representation of the deity, at-

tended by angels. It was found concealed in a
niche iu the chancel, which had been bricked up
for the probable purpose of concealing the sculp-
ture, which doubtlessly occupied in Catholic times
some other situation in the church. Mr. F. Bai-
gent of Winchester, has taken a sketch of it, which
he has forwarded to hte Archzeological Assoviation.
Stoke Charity is about seven miles’ distance from
Winchester, the church is of Norman structure,
and contains, in addition to the above, several cu-
rious mouments and sepulchral brasses.

THE summons issued for the General Meeting of
the Society of Antiquaries on St. George’s Day,
;contains two announcements of interest to its mem-
ibers. The first is that of Lord Mahon’s intention
‘to deliver what has been long looked for—an an-
nual address: the next, the nomination in the
‘house list of Mr. Bruce as Treasurer. Mr. Bruce
\is a contributor of many valuable historical papers
to the Archeologia.

The Chronotyptst.

Tue copyright of the Satirist Newspaper, was
put up to Auction on the 19th, at the Auction
|Rooms of Mr. Page, 28, Moorgate Street, City.
‘The first price bid was £800, and after an active
competition it was knocked down for £1,040.
‘The Hailsham and Eastbourne branches of the
‘London and Brighton Railway were publicly
opened last week, thus opening a direct commu-
‘nication from London to the sea bathing places.
——It is reported in accounts from Charleroi,
‘France, that two layers of coal of rich quality
‘has been discovered, and the produce is most
‘likely to prove abundant.——The library of the
‘late Daniel O’Connell was announced to be sold
‘on the 22nd, being of no use to any members of
his family. It is very extensive and well selec-
‘ted, and contains a great variety of the modern
works. Lot1,146,is the gem of the collection.
It consists of four MS. volumes of the cases from
1798 to 1806, in which Mr. O'Connell was em-
ployed as Counsel, with brief notices (some of
them sarcastic) of the various judges and bar-
risters. Along with them are his Cash Books of|
Income and Expenditure down to 1831.——It is
expected the Manchester, Buxton and Matlock
Railway, will be opened for passenger traffie to
Matlock and Rowsley, about the end of the pre-
sent month. Rowsley is about two miles from
Chatsworth.—-—The Fine Art Exhibitions of the
past fortnight have not been confined to the se-
veral public galleries and the newly opened exhi-
bition at the Royal Academy. Messrs. Christie
and Manson have been inviting their friends and
the public generally to the private view of some

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT °

Dutch pictures, the property of the late Mr.
Charles Brind; Mr. Grundy, of Regent-street,
has been exhibiting a picture called ‘The Halt’,
the joint compositions of Mr. Ansdell, the animal
painter, and Mr. Frith, A.R.A.; and Mr. Squire,
of Cockspur-street, has had private and public
view of an original picture of Jenny Lind from
the Daguerreotype of Mr. Kilburn, in the posses-
sion of Her Majesty.——A letter has been recei-
ved in town from Lord Torrington, Governor of
Ceylon, announcing the sudden death from apo-
plexy, of Dr: George Gardiner, Superintendant of
the Botanic Garden, Peradenia, Kandy, Ceylon.
This zealous naturalist was a pupil of Sir W. J.
Hooker when professor of Botany in the Univer-
sity of Glasgow.——Steps, we are informed, have
been taken in Manchester to concentrate the
efforts of the City Council, and of the various
literary and philosophic societies in the town,
so as to make a successful application to the mem-
bers of the Meeting of the British Association at
Birmingham, to hold their meeting for 1851 inj)
the former city.

Go Correspondents, Ke,

Q. C. M., (London. )— We are informed that there
is no place in this country where you can obtain
Italian alabaster with certainty. You may,
occasionally meet with a lot. Derbyshire spar
can be obtained at the piaster of Paris manu-~
facturies.

A Silversmith.— There is no other way of platen-
izing silver than by means of galvanism, as the
metal is required to adhere to the surface in
the form of a finely divided powder. .

Pencil—A thin ageous solution of isinglass will
jix either black-lead or hard black-lead chalk,
so as to prevent it from rubbing out. The same
effect will be obtained by the simple application
of skimmed milk; in using the latter, lay the
drawing flat upon the surface of the milk, and
afterwards suspend it by one corner to drain
and dry. The milk must be perfectly free from
cream, otherwise it may soil the paper.

Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in future
be charged at 10d. each.

‘Part 26 is now ready, price 10d.

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 2, of,
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale-—The Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 4, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand.

] (Az
ve i
wn vazk

No. 108.—Vo1, V.(

| Two-PENCE.

t
J
‘
1

Sees

SATURDAY,] THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. {Jone 2, 1849.

lacked neither gold nor sylver, nor other costly
thing meet for their purpose; the yeomen and
groomes of the wardrobe were busied in hang-
ing of the chambers, and furnishing the same
with beds of silk, and other furniture in every
degree.”’

@n the Stple of sFurniture tn Ase
During the Retgns of Flizabeth
and Sames £. and tis Applica=
biltiy to Modern Purposes.

“Then wrought the carpenters, joiners, ma-
sons, and all other artificers necessary to be
had to glorify this noble feast. There was
carriage and re-carriage of plate, stuff, and
and other rich implements, so that there was
nothing lacking that could be imagined or de-
vised for the purpose. There was also provised
two hundred and eighty beds, furnished with
all manner of furniture to them belonging, too
long particularly to be rehearsed.”

EXTRACT FROM A PAPER READ AT THE GENE-
RAL MEETING OF THE DECORATIVE ART
SOCIETY, FEB., 28TH, 1844, BY
Grorce FILpes.

(Continued from page 42.)

OG
us

“The chamber where they supped and ban-
quetted, was hanged with rich arras as all other
were, and furnished with tall yeomen to serve.
There were set tables round the chambers ban-
quet-wise covered; a cupboard was there gar-
nished with white plate, having also in the
same chamber, to give the more light, four
great plates of sylver set with great lights, and
a great fire of wood and coales. The next
chamber being in the chamber of presence, was
hanged with very rich arras, and a sumptuous
cloth of estate furnished with many goodly
gentlemen to serve the tables, ordered in a
manner as the other chamber was, saving
that the high table was removed beneath the
cloth of estate towards the middest of the
chamber covered. Then there was a cupboard,
being as long as the chamber was in breadth,
with six desks of height garnyshed with guilt
plate, and the nethermost desk was garnyshed
all over with gold plate, having with lights one
paire of candlesticks of sylver and guilt, being
curiously wrought, which cost 300 markes, and
standing upon the same, two lights of waxe
burning as bigge as torches, to set it forth.—
This cupboard was barred round about that no
man could nigh it, for there was none of all
this plate touched in this banquet, for there
was sufficient besides. The plates that did
hang on the walls to give light were of sylver
and guilt, having in them great torches of waxe
burning, a great fire burning in the chimney,
and all other things necessary for the furniture
of so noble a feast.’’

IN
ay

|
) g

N the biography of
Wolsey, by Cavendish, ‘his private secretary,
we find an account of a sumptuous feast given
by\him at Hampton Court to the French am-
bassadors by command of the king. The fol-
lowing are extracts :—
“The cookes {wrought both day and night] In spite, however, of all their unwieldy
with suttleties, and many crafty devices, where pomp aud external glitter, domestic comfort

a eI Jacl UG

152

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

during the reigns of Henry VII. and VIII.
was a mere desideratum; and though the lat-
ter monarch was so lavish in his expenditure
on dress and ornaments, the inventory of his
furniture was ridiculously scanty. We learn
from the Harleian MSS., that his bed chamber
contained nothing but a couple of joint cup-
boards, a joint-stool, two andirons, a fire-fork,
a pair of tongs, a fire-pan, and a steel mirror
covered with yellow velvet, (this, however,
must have been exclusive of the bed and bed-
ding,) and notwithstanding the princely style
of Wolsey’s living, and the quantities of bro-
cade and plate employed in his palaces, the or-
dinary furniture was neither plentiful nor
costly, most of the tables being made of wains-
cot, and other domestic appliances being of a
||corresponding character.

The Earl of Northumberland, in 1512, was
ordinarily served on wooden trenchers, and
plates of latten (or pewter) were used in his
family only on holidays. In the privy-purse
expenses of Henry VIII. there are also entries
regarding trenchers, as for example, in 1530;

““Ttem, paid to the S’geant of the pantrye for
certain trenchers for the king, 23s. 3d.”

And even at a later date, in Shakspere and
other authors of the time, we find continual
allusions to men being each other’s “ bed-fel-
lows ;’’ and though the word is sometimes
‘used as equivalent with ‘bosom friend,” still
its very use shows the necessity which existed
\for two persons occupying one bed; and it is
a tolerable proof that the furniture of the time
was remarkably scanty.

In fact, it is not till the reign of Elizabeth
;was somewhat advanced, that we need look for
anything like an approach to the comforts and
conveniences of modern times; but by her
practice and example an impulse was given,
which spreading through the nobility and gen.
try, reached at leneth to the middle classes ;
for we are told by Harrison, that farmers, and
even mechanics were then able to ‘garnish
their cupboards with plate, their beds with ta-
pestry and silk hangings, and their tables with
fine napery.” ‘This appears somewhat incre-
dible, and should be taken with some grains of
allowance, although Harrison is generally con--
sidered a most faithful and trustworthy writer.
It cannot, however, be doubted that the house-

‘brated name is that of Pietro Torregiano, a Flo~

hold furniture and domestic comforts of the
middle classes were now greatly superior in
many respects to those of the nobility in. the)
preceding reigns.

But classical taste in architecture was re-
viving at this time in Italy, and, spreading as
from a centre among the other nations of Eu.
rope, was pervading the public mind. The |
Gothic, however, being more firmly established ||
in those nations, still struggled for supremacy, ||
and the dispute ended in a compromise between
the two styles, the Classic and the Gothic,
combining in what we call in England, the Eli-
zabethan style.

This blending of the Classic with the na- |
tional style was attended with better effect in|
England than in France and Flanders; our||
buildings having escaped the disfigurement of
the high pointed roofs which form so striking
a. feature in the architecture of their cities.

The introduction of this new style may be
attributed to the desire evinced by our Henry],
VIII. to rival his contemporaries of the conti-||
nent. Being himself in some degree conversant |
with architecture and the fine arts, with the
purpose of embellishing his court, and to im-
prove the taste of the time, he invited several),
foreign artists of eminence, with whom were]
Raffael and Titian. These celebrated men,
however, did not choose to exchange tiie lofty
consideration which they had attaimed at home|
for the doubtful courtesies of s@ capricious a
monarch: but he obtained several from Italy
and Flanders; Jerome de Trevisi, painter and
architect; Luca Penni, whe had previously
decorated Fontainbleau for Francis I.; John o.
Padua, who was “ Deviser of his Majesty’s
Buildings” in 1544; and the celebrated Hans
Holbein, for whose talents, like the trunk or
the elephant, nothing was too high or too low;
he was equally at home in designing a palace or
a button, some designs for the latter of which
are understood to be still extant. According to
Henry’s household accounts, his salary was thirty
pounds a year; but this was exclusive of pay-
ment for the pictures he painted. Another cele-

rentine sculptor of superior talent, though un-
governable temper. He is mentioned by Ben-
venuto Cellini, in his Memoirs, who introduces
him boasting of his exploits among “ those brutes
the English.” We shall conclude our extracts)
from this interesting paper in our next, °

2 seanra

G@setul Weeetpis.

To make Porceiain—'Take the glaire of eggs,
and calcined egg shells finely powdered ; put these
beaten together into gum-arabic water, let them
stand a while over embers and thicken, so that they
may be made into pastils, and when you have
movided them into proper forms for your purpose,
dry and harden them in the sun, and the work is

| |then finished.

To whiten Copper quite through the body of the
Metal._—Take such copper as kettles are usually
made of, tough and pliable,—lay the plates ina

|/crucible, and between every one of them a strewing

of white arsenic finely powdered, and being melted,
when the smoke is over, the copper will be as

|| white as tin.

To melt Amber.—Mix strong vinegar with the

| |juice of citrons, one part of the latter to two of the
||former ; into this put the amber, and it being set
|jover a slow fire, you will find the amber melt or
| |grow soft, so that you may monld or turn it like

soft wax.

To whiten Pearis.—If they turn yellow or
spotted, so that they become unsightly, losing their
native lustre, burn tartar to ashes and makea ley of
it with spring water-wherein a little alum has been
dissolved, and putting in the pearls, let them stay
over a stove fire, and it will restore the pristine
whiteness as orient as ever, and render them more
durable and weighty, and consequently the better
|for use.

To soften or dissolve Horn of any kind.—Burn
the pods of beans well dried to ashes, and make a
lye of them, drawing off the liquid part from the

|dross, and put a third part of strong vinegar to it ;

add quick lime and tartar, and boil them over a
good fire, putting in your planchets or pieces of
hora, and it will soon be soft to work or mould in
any fashion, and if long boiled, become a jellied
substance; but exposure tv the cold air will soon
harden it again.

To Soften Ivory and Whiten it.—Distil strong
white-wine vinegar three times, and decoct red
sage leaves in it with a little quick lime ; the ivory
being put in when the liquor is boiling hot, will
soon become soft, and much whiter than it was ;—
and this simple process will also take out yellow
stains from ivory, &c.

| To restore the faded, Colour in Tapestry and
Turkey Carpets——When you have beaten them,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

O38

and with a hard brush cleansed them well with
water ip which bran has been been boiled, rub them}
over with fullers’ earth. and let it lie thinly on till)
weil dried in the sun, and do so twice or thrice ;—
then being well cleansed from this by a thorough
beating, brush them well over with alum water,
and dry them in the shade, and the faded colour
will return almost as fresh as new.

SMetallic Glare and tis Artistic
estan.

At the Society of Arts, Mr D. Wyatt read a pa-
per on “ Metal Work and its Artistic Design.” He
commenced with some remarks on the absolute
necessity of the study of specific design, in order
to confine the errant imaginations of artists within
reasonable bounds, and in order fully to take ad-
vantage of all the natural. properties, mechanical
capabilities, and recorded experiences, peculiarly
belonging to all materials, in the elaboration of
which it is requisite that an alliance between use
and beauty may be effected. The author main-
tained that all propriety and perfection in manu-
facturing design were derivable from the result of
such studies, and that the more clearly the objec-
tive individuality of every ingredient was preserved
and enunciated in the finished article, the more
satisfactory to both eye and mind would the cha-
racter of its ornamentation appear. ‘

The specific design of metal work was, he said,
based on three great studies. The first was that of|
the distinctive characteristics and appliances of|
each metal; the second, its form as modified by all
the mechanical processes of manufacture; and the
third, a thorough analytical and critical aequaint-
ance with all the best models in which reasonable
and good principles of art can be traced, and
through modifications of which pleasing associ-
ations of idea may be commanded at the will of
the designer. The author then described the pro-
cess by which almost all objects in metal must be
produced, dwelling on those kest harmonising with
the charaeter of each substance, and the accredited
conventuality of its use. Having disposed of the
structural processes, he rapidly analysed the deco-
rative or superficial, sketching out the leading pe-
culiarities of engraving, matting, niello, cooking,
burnishing, the six chief divisions of enamel, and
three or four varieties of damascening. He then
passed over the medizeval portion of the subject,
and concluded by calling attention to the examples
by which he was surrounded, and urging a syste-
matic recognition of first principles and practical
details in the study of beauty and fine art.

———$———

54 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

DESIGNS FOR TESSSELLATED PAVEMENTS.

An EMusivates Glosgarp of Cechnical
| Terms used tn Architectural anv
Entervior Mecsration, &c.

Ops. The eubilia, or beds of the beams of a
roof, on which rest the Metopee.

Orznines. Those parts of the walls of a build-
ing which are left unfilled up, for admitting light,
air, &c.

OpistHopomMuUS. The sameas the Roman pos-
ticum, a term applied to the hinder part of a tem-
ple, when there is a regular entrance, and a facade
of columns, asin front. It wasa custom with the
jancieats to preserve their treasures, public records,
&c. in this part of the temple, which was often ex-
jtensive, and situated immediately behind the cella.
Doubts have lately existed whether the treasury of
the state in the Parthenon was not a distinct build-
ing, separate from the opisthodomus, or treasury of
the temple.

Opposite Cones. Two similar cones, which
|have the same common vertex, and the same axis.

Opposite Sections. Hyperbolas made by
‘cutting opposite cones by the same plane.

OrANGERY. A kind of hot-house for the

growth of orange trees.

Oratory. A closet for private devotion, near
a bed-ehamber, in Roman Catholic families, with
altar, erucifix, &e.

Ors. A knot of flowers or herbs placed at the
intersection of several ribs in a Gothic ceiling to
conceal the mitres of the adjoining ribs.

OrcHESTRA. The place.in the ancient theatres
where the chorus used to dance: in modern thea-
tres the name is given to the place where the mu-
sicians sit.

ORDER. The five orders of architecture, as
transmitted to us from antiquity, are the Doric, the
Ionic, the Corinthian, and the Composite ; of the
peculiarities and origins of which an account will
be found under those heads.

OrpinATES. In Conics, parallel lines, termi-
nating in a curve, and bisected by a diameter. The
Ordinate of an Ellipse, is a straight line drawn
perpendicularly to the asis major, from any point
in it to meet the curve.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

ORDONANCE. The giving to all parts of any
building the just dimensions, &c., which they ought
to have according to the model.

OrGanicaL. A description of curves upon a},
piane by means of instruments.

Orim. (In Naval Architecture.) | Wherries,
or small boats.

OrrEL WinbDow. A projecting angular win-
dow, commonly of a triagonal or pentagonal form,
and divided by mullions and transoms, into dif-
ferent bays and compartments. |

MovULDING. |

OVERLAPPED

A moulding used

in Norman and Saxon architecture.

ORILLON. A small rounding of earth, lined |
with a wall, which is raised on the shoulder of
those bastions which have casements, to cover the
cannon in the retired flank, and to prevent their
being dismounted by the enemy.

Orte. A fillet or band under the Ovolo of the)
capital. Palladio applies the term also to the
plinth of the base of a column.

ORNAMENTS. The smaller and more detailed |
parts of a work of art, which are not essential, but|
only serve to enrich it. The ornaments of the
architecture of the most ancient people are con-
fined to the representations of nature,—flowers,
leaves and branches; atterwards the figures of men
and animals were introduced.

ORTHOGONAL. Rectangular,

ORTHOGRAPHY. The elevation of a building at
any of its particular parts. In Geometry, it is ap-
plied to the art of delineating the foreright plan of
any object, and of expressing the heights or ele-
vations of each part. In perspective, orthogra-
phy is the fore-right side of any plane, that is, the
side or plane that lies parallel to a straight line,|
which may be imagined to pass through the out-
ward covex pointy of the eyes, continued to a con-
venient length. In fortification, it is the profile
or representation of a fortress made after such a
manner that the length, breadth, and height of its
several parts may be represented.

OSCULATING Creche. The circle of curva=
ture.

@n WAater-colours for Liluminating
Wrints, Ke.

Or OTHER REDS.
(Continued from page 49.)

Lrquip colour not much inferior to carmine
itself may be made of the rasping of Brazil-
wood : this colour is in the tranparency of ¢rira-
son, and is made ag follows : boil an ounce of the
vaspings of Brazil-wood, sold at the dry-salters,
‘and at some colour-shops, in twelve ounces of pale
stale beer, and a little alum, till the colour of the
liquor is as strong as you please, which may be
|discovered by dipping a slip of white paper into
it. When this colour is as you would have it,
pass it when cooled into a linen cloth, and bottle
it up for use.

And if you would bring this colour to a body,
jtake ox-blood, and dry it till it can be reduced
to a powder, which being done, mix it with the
liquor, and it will communicate a colour to it litile
inferior to a middling carmine : some say, that
‘the blood of an ox or cow dried will make a good
body for any colour.

For crimson, take the fruit of the berry-bearing

spinach, which being pressed, will yield a beau-
tiful red-coloured juice: boil this, adding a fourth
jpart of alum to it ; then letting it cool, put it up
for use.
_ The red beet-root baked with a little strong
vinegar produces an elegant red colour equal to
‘a tincture of carmine : then pour it on alum,
‘and it is fit for use, where carmine should be
used in washing prints, for it is a fine trangpa-
rent red.

Another crimson colour for washing prints, &c.
is prepared as follows:—Put thirty or forty
grains of bruised cochineal into a gallipot, with
‘aS many drops of tartar-lye as will just wet it,
and make it sive forth its colour; then imme-
diately adding to this mixture half a spoonful of
water, or more, if the colour be still too deep,
‘you will have a delicate purple liquor or tincture.
Then taking a bit of alum, scrape very finely
with a knife a small quantity of it into the tinc-
ture, and this will take away the purple colour
rand make it delicate tincture. Strain it through
a fine cloth intoa clean gallipot, and use it as
Soon as you can, because this is a colour that will
always look exquisitely fine, if it is soon made
use of; but will decay if it stands too long.

Next to these is the Indian red, which though
it is a colour of a body, yet it is very useful

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

for a back ground for flowers at a distance, when
used with gum-water.

There is also an earth brought from the Isle of
Wight, which has been found to mix extremely
well with gum-water, though, being of a viscous
nature, it requires less gum than most other co-
lours ; and as it is naturally fit for use without
grinding, and is viscous, so it will no doubt mix
with oil as wellas with water. There is one thing
very extraordinary in this earth, which is, that
if you rub a deal board with it, it will make the
board the exact colour of mahogany-wood, and,
Stain it so deep, and with so much strength, that
itis hayd to get it out with washing.

Silvering Glass by aid of Gun Cotton.—M. ||
Vohl has recently discovered that a solution of |
gun-cotton, in a caustic ley, possesses, in a high!

degree, the property of precipitating silver from
its solutions in the metallic form, On pouring
into it a few drops of a solution of nitrate of sil-|
ver, and adding ammonia until the oxide of silver]
formed is re-dissolved (the mixture heing slowly

heated in a water bath), the liquor will, at a cer-'

tain period, assume a deep brown colour, and
effervesce, the whole of the silver being precipi-|
tated on the sides of the vessel. The mirror thus

aldehyde; and the facility with which it is pro-
duced will doubtless render it of practical im-

Fountains Abbey.—The excavations of the site |
of the Abbot’s house at Fountains Abbey are pro- |
ceeding very satisfactorily. The arches on which |
the house hag been built, cover the river for nearly | |

300 feet ; but how far the building has extended
vorth and south it is at present impossible to say.
According to the Times, the most interesting a-
partment brought to light within the last week

or two is the private oratory of the Abbot, near |
Tt has been |
an elegant little chapel, of a style of architecture |
quite different from any hitherto noticed at |
Fountains, viz., the dog toothed Early English, ||

the eastern portion of the remains.

and has been, no doubt, as Mr. Walbran, of;
Ripon, states, the work of an immediate successor
of the three Johns, sometime between 1245 and
1290.

Dublin School of Design.—Mr. M’Manug who
Was So uncerimoniously bowled out at Glasgow,
as some of our readers will remember, hag been
appointed head Master of the Government
School of Design in Dublin, with full power to
carry out the objects of the institution.

|
produced is much superior in brilliancy to those |
produced by means of etherial oils or ammoniacal |

seenttnanr chance EO A EA NT
eer rrr

|
|

}

portance. ||

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

ST, ANDREW.—SKETCHED FROM THE TOMB OF ST. SEBALD, AT NUREMBERG,

Military, Naval, and County Service Club-
house. The club-house at the Piccadilly end of
St. James’s-street, formerly known as Crockford’s,
has been taken by a club of military, naval, and
militia officers, and has been decorated and fur-
nished in a costly manner. The walls of the li-
brary are sage-green, with the mouldings gilt; the
drawing-room cream-colour, mouldings very richly
gilt (the old ceilings, also heavily gilt, remain) ;—
and the writing-room has a deep blue paper on
the walls, cream-coloured woodwork, and more
gold mouldings. On the staircase, too, with very
good marblings, it is gold—gold—gold ; so that it
might be thought, whether originally or now, that
the tradesman, rather than the artist, had been the
director of the works. The effect, nevertheless, is
one of magnificence.

Art Exhibitions.—The aggregate number of

works of art exhibited in the six galleries open in
London at this time last year, was 4,023, and the
total number produced, calculating that at least
1,500 were returned to the artists, 5,523, without
counting those exhibiting only in the provinces.—
In the present year the number exhibited is rather
less, namely, 3,796, and is thus made up, viz.—at
the British Institution, 518—the Society of Bri-
tish Artists, 639—the Free Exhibition, 541—the
Water-colour Society, 365—the New Water-colour
Society, 402—and at the Royal Academy, 1,341.
The number produced, however, was doubtless as
great, if not greater. From the Academy alone,
we understand, 1,300 pictures were sent back—
many of them, as we can assert from our own
knowledge, very meritorious productions.

Serer nsctenscerabo

There are said to be 621,000 engravings depo-

sited in the British Museum.

he Architectural Assoctatton.

—_—

SoME spirited members of the Architectural As-
sociation, a few months back, successfully attempted
to start an Annual Exhibition, peculiarly architec-
‘tural. The very attempt itself was not only fraught
with pecuniary risk, but there seemed something
‘bold and novel in the idea of the youthful mem-
bers of the profession making an appeal to an en-
lightened British public, while the Elders, even
with an “‘ Institute,”’ should be content with being
annually united with the sister art of painting at
the Royal Academy ;—but so it was. Not only was
ithe attempt made, buta really good Exhibition
was got up, numbering upwards of three hundred
\“ works of Art” from various architects in all parts
‘of the kingdom, open free to the public for six
weeks, at the Gallery of the Society of Painters in
|Water Colours, honoured by the presence of Sir
‘Robert Peel, Earl Grey, and several of the most
‘enlightened of our countrymen. The result wasso
far satisfactory that the mere sale of catalogues
defrayed a considerable portion of the expenses.
|With a view to entirely clear the committee of any
\debt, a private dramatic performance took place at
Miss Kelly’s theatre, on Wednesday evening, May
16th, when the ‘Prisoner at War,” by Douglas
| Jerrold, ‘‘The Critic,” and ‘‘ The Corporal’s Wed-
ding” were the pieces represented, the entire cast
‘of male characters being members of the Asso-
ciation. The whole of the dramatis persone ac-
quitted themselves in a creditable manner, and
afforded much pleasure to a crowded and fashion-
able audience. It would be hardly fair to particu-
Jarize the efforts of any one individual when all
‘were successful; still, we would wish to express
our estimation of the admirable acting of Mr. W.
Ww. Deane, one of the Hon. Secs. to the Exhibition,
who, in assuming the old man, Captain Channel,
threw so much heartiness into the part as to re-
peatedly call forth applause, though scarcely, we
imagine, has he reached one third of the three
score and ten, yet he looked and capitally acted the
| old veteran, We are happy to add the result is
most satisfactory, a sufficient sum being realized to
| discharge the whole of the expenses incurred by
_ the committee. So good a commencement augurs
well for the next Exhibition.

FLEMISH literature has sustained a heavy loss by
ithe death of M. Van Ryswyck, a poet of consider-
eg popularity, who died at the early age of 38,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘59

Method of soldering Cast Iron with Wrought
Iron.—The following process has been recommen-
ded for this purpose:—First melt filings of soft
cast-iron with calcined borax in a crucible; then
pulverize the black vitreous substance which is!
thereby produced, and sprinkle it over the parts
which are intended to be united ; after which, heat
the pieces of cast and wrought-iron and weld them
together on an anvil, using only gentle blows.
This method is peculiarly applicable for the manu-
facture of iron articles which are intended to be
made red hot, and are required to be impervious to
fluids or jliquids, as such a result cannot be ob-
tained by simple fastening.

Munich.—In its account of the late Exhibition

at Munich, the Knutsblatt speaks at some length||

of a series of interiors by Zauth, showing some of

the principal apartments in the royal villa of Wil-||

helma lately erected from his designs in the park of
Rosenstein, near Stuttgart.
marvellous productions of the pencil; and this we

can readily believe, having ourselves seen one or|}
two interiors by that artist astonishing for the||

witchery of their execution. The building itself is
said to be in the Arabo-Moorish, or Alhambra,
style :—that being the one prescribed by the archi-
tect. It appears, however, that Zauth has greatly
modified it in order to adapt it to the requirements
of a modern habitation and actual habits of living

With what success he has done this we cannot Say ||

—and may not scon learn: for those who visit
Germany, architects included, seem studiously to
avoid bringing home, either in notes or in sketch-
books, any information relative to what has been
there done in architecture of late years—though
this is certainly not a little. Mrs. Jameson is the
only exception we know of: atleast the only one
who communicates such information to the public,

These are ‘said to be} |

Amphitheatre at Arles.—The care expended by
the city of Arles on the preservation of its monu-
ments—the memorials of its palmy state when it
was the Rome of Gaul, as Ausonius calls it—is
highly ereditable. Its exquisitely proportioned
little amphitheatre, a veritable miniature Coliseum
is still under the hands of the masons. Indeed, the
only fear seems to be lest the authorities should fall
into the fault so common to the French in such
matters, and push the indispensible work of pre-
servation too far towards an attempt at restoration.
It has been at length thoroughly isolated from the
mean surrounding buildings, which well nigh suf-
focated it; the interior has been well cleared out;
and a light railing as a defence from wanton injury
has been erected around it. Evidently, the good
city has not spared cost in the matter.

Che Chronotppist.

Tne admirers of the late Sir Francis Chantrey
and his works will be glad to know that a biogra-
phical notice of the e1ainent portrait-sculptor will
be given to the world at no distantday. The keep-
ler of the Academy, Mr. George Jones—an intimate
‘friend and one of the executors of the deceased
artist, and who has had the best sources of infor-
‘mation accessible to him—has, we are informed,
just completed the manuscript of such a work.
|The oil picture painted by Mr. A. Solomon from
the Daguerrotype of Jenny Lind, taken by Mr.
Kilburn—and now exhibiting at Messrs. Squires’s
in Cockspur Street—labours under just the disad-
vantages which the mechanical process presents.
Had the painter been allowed sittings immediately
from nature, the result, from his well-known ta-
lents, would have been a more certain likeness—
and there would have been probably no reason to
lament a hardness and severity which are foreign
to the features of the original. The congress of
‘the British Archzeological Association will be
opened at Chester on the 30th of July. An in-
fluential local committee has been formed. ——The
‘Turkish Governmeut, it is announced, is about to
execute a geological map of the Ottoman Empire ;
and the Colonel of Engineers appointed to have
charge of the same has been sent to Paris to obtain
from the Government of the Republic the aid of
‘French Officers. The repair of Salisbury Ca-
'thedral spire has been resumed.——A recent report
of the boring at Northam, for the Southampton
Artesian well states the depth arrived at to be 286
feet, and that the workmen could not bore any fur-
ther with safety till they had iron piping to the
depth of 290 feet, and the present depth of the
bore 296 feet in hard clay——Some further im-
‘provements are now being carried out at Southsea,
‘in the drainage and planting of 100 acres of ground
called Webb’s marshes. A number of villas are to
| be afterwards erected on the site. St. Margaret’s
Church, Whalley Range, in the parish of Man-
‘chester, was consecrated on the 29th ult. It is
‘geometrical in style (the transition from Early En-
glish to Decorated), has a tower and broach ‘spire,
‘and was built from the designs of Mr. James P.
Harrison.——The colossal statue of Dr.Jephson, by
P. Hollins, is to be publicly inaugurated at Lea-
mington the 28th inst.—Some alterations and
improvements are about to be madeat the Salford
Town-hall from plans from Messrs. Travis and
Mangnall, at a cost of about £500, according to

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

estimates sent in..-—The whole work of restora- |

tion at Scarborough Church is to be continuously
prosecuted, in place of being stopped and resumed,
as was intended.——It is said that upwards of 40
boxes, containing sacred vases, marbles, statues,
and pietures, have been sequestered by the French
custom-office. These articles were purchased at
Rome, by an association of German Jews, formed
at Frankfort under the direction of M. Brucker.
The advantageous terms on which Mr. Francis
Warton had obtained the Virgin and Angels of
Benvenuto Cellini had excited the cupidity of all
the merchants of works of Art. The catalogue of
articles sold by the Revolutionary Government of
Rome amounts, it is said to 2,500; they only pro-
duced 3,000,000f., although worth 10, 000,000f.
at least. Their restitution will not be easily effected
though the names and addresses of the buyers are
inscribed on the margin of the catalogue.——The
Commissioners of Railways have issued their re-
port, dated the Ist inst-——— Public attention
in Sunderland being generally directed to the esta-
blishment of public baths and wash-houses give
publicity to the following results of the institution
in Neweastle. During thetwo last months, 1,200
warm baths have been taken, showing (if the aver-
age be taken individually) that one in every 84 of
the entire popniation of Newcastle and Gateshead
has had a warm bath within the last two months.
The average weekly number of houses occupied by
those who got their clothes washed, dried, and
ironed, ina very few hours, during the same period,
amonntsto 4,300. The receipts amounted to £28
15s.; and if Marchand April could fairly be taken
as average months, the annual receipts in ‘that case
would be £172 10s. It is confidently asserted that
the baths will be self-supporting this year, and
yield a profit afterwards.

To Corresponvents, &e.

R. J.—The sketch has been received quite safe.
G. Edwards.—TI¢ shall be forwarded to you.

**Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in future
be charged at 10d. each.

Part 26 is now ready, price 10d.

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 3, of
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale-—The Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 5, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, a7;
Holywell Street, Strand.

AN ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR A TABLET.—(GOTHIC.)

No. 109.—Vot. V.!

| Two-PENCE,

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RANA ke aA

SATURDAY,]

Qn the Style of Burniture tn Ase
During the Weiqns of BWlyabeth
and SFames X. and its Appltca=
belity to Modern Purposes.

EXTRACT FROM A PAPER READ AT THE GENE-
RAL MEETING OF THE DECORATIVE ART
SOCIETY, FEB., 28TH, 1844, BY
Grorce FILDEs.

(Continued from page 52.)

R. Huwnz, in his work on
||Tudor architecture, objects to these Italian
artists that being utterly unacquainted with
either our style or that of the ancients, they
used a mongrel style of their own: but it does
not follow that ther were devoid of classical
taste and knowledge because they endeavoured
to meet the peculiar views of their employers,
and graft it upon the national style.

The predilection for foreign art and artists
which has ever been, and still continues, an
unpatriotic distinction of English society, was
at this time most prevalent; pressing like an
incubus upon native talent, and condemning it
to move in the servile track of imitation. The
inferiority of the English artists of the time
may, however, be doubtless attributed to the
nation’s not having yet wholly recovered from

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT. (June 9, 1849.

design when it possesses an architectural cha-

the desolation caused by the ruinous wars of
the Roses; during which many skilful artisans
had perished, without leaving competent suc-
cessors in their several branches; hence the
importation of foreigners became in a great
degree unavoidable. We may easily believe,
likewise, that it was owing in some measure to
the absence of that patronage which the Church
of Rome had ever dispensed to art and artists,
and to which the Reformation necessarily put
an end. Another reason of the great employ-
ment of foreigners appears to have been the
greediness and self-conceit of such English
workmen as remained, ‘‘ the said foreigners,”
Harrison says, ‘“‘ being more reasonable in their
takings, and lesse wasters of time by a great
deale than our owne.”’

It is impossible, in treating the subject of
Interior Decoration, to avoid recurring fre-
quently to the architecture of the time, from
which it copied its peculiar character, both as
to solidity of structure and elaboration of or-
nament. A recent author observes, ‘‘ the cha-
racteristic of the scroll ornaments which enter
so abundantly into the decoration of this period
has been well described as ‘ an intricacy of- de-
sign which defies explanation ;’ but the knobs
and the bosses, with the fanciful cut work
round them, peculiar to the Elizabethan style,
were evidently intended to represent jewels.
They are clearly alluded to by Laneham, in
his account of Kenilworth Castle, as ‘ great
diamans, rubys, and sapphyrs, pointed, tabled
rok and round, garnished with their gold, &c.;’
a poor substitute, even with all the help of
blazonry, for the precious marbles and pietre
dure of Italy. In the sculptured decoration,
the taste of the age displays itself no less in
the subjects than the style; and the staple
commodities of armorial bearings and devices
are mixed up with figures and allusions, alle-
gorical, mythological, and classical. The
chimney-piece occupying the whole height of
the room, and forming part of the general

racter, is generally made a focus for the display
of decorations of the kind. These were often
executed in a grand and imposing style, but
more often deformed by extravagant allusions
and conceits. These conceits, however, far
from being considered deformities, were doubt-
less estimated by their devisers as their greatest
beauties. We may observe how the literature

—$—<————————————

of the age was disfigured by this kind of false
ornament, from which no department was free.
Neither the pulpit, the bench, the senate, nor
the stage were exempt. The divine quibbled
in the pulpit, the judge condemned the crimi-
nal with a jeu de mot, and the greatest debates
in council were disfigured with far-fetched con-
ceits; and as to the stage, those at all cover-
sant with the dramatic literature of the time,
need oaly recall to memory how often. even in
the finest and most pathetic passages some
absurd allusion or palty quibble will occur,
marring their beauty, and sadly injuring their
effect on the mind of the reader. Even in
Shakspere himself (with reverence be it spoken),
this is too often the case.

These conceits, however objectionable in
literature, were still more so in architecture ;
and though so many magnificent edifices exist,
yet the details are often barbarous and involved,
and in the smaller buildings constitute some-
times their entire character. Even in the plans
of buildings, propriety was often sacrificed to
this prevailing folly. Many of the mansions
of the time were built with two projecting
wings anda porch in the centre, the ground |
plan of which was similar in form to the Jetter |
E, and is supposed to have been intended as a
compliment to Queen Elizabeth. Far-fetched
as this may appear, it is perfectly in accordance
with the taste of the age. Such absurd fancies |
as these could not but be prejudicial to the art;
still, however, it flourished, although the en-
couragement it had received from Henry seems
to have been in some measure withdrawn by
Elizabeth, whose taste for the fine arts may be
reasonably doubted, as she appears to have pa-
tronised them chiefly when ministering to her
vanity, if we may judge from the multiplicity
of her portraits; which she forbade to be exe-
cuted by any but “special cunning painters,” a
proclamation to which effect she issued in 1563.

The style continued to flourish during the
whole of the reign of Elizabeth, and seems to
have reached its "utmost point of perfection at
the commencement of James’s reign, from
which time we may date its decline; as the
artists of the’day, in their search for variety,
grafted upon it all manner of incongruous or-
naments, every‘one thinking himself privileged
|\to introduce whatever ideas his wayward fancy

| the Elizabethan, we may conclude this imper-

might suggest, thus inducing combinations |

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

which Walpole, in after times, somewhat
harshly stigmatised with the name of ‘‘ King
James’s Gothic.’

It is worthy of remark, that while the ar-
chitectural taste of the time was declining, the
domestic fittings-up of the interiors were in-||
creasing in comfort and accommodation. It
continued in this progressive state till the ac-
cession of Charles I., whose well educated!
mind and refined taste led him to the adoption
of an entire change.

Having now arrived at the period when
Inigo Jones, by the revival of a classical spirit,
and the introduction of the architecture of the
Palladian school, had virtually put an end to

fect historical sketch of the progress of the
art, and pass on to the detail of the fittings-up:
of Elizabethan interiors.

Before proceeding to describe the moveable
furniture of the time, it may be advisable first
to notice the flooring, ceilings, &c.

Previously to Elizabeth’s reign, the floors |
were of different materials. From a very early
date we find them described as sometimes
paved with tiles of various colours, and laid in
chequer-work:—the Hall at Hampton Court
was ‘ floored with painted tyle ;’—they were
also of stone, and when boarded floors were
adopted, they were of coarse substantial work-
manship—sometimes, instead of crossing, laid
parallel only with the joists, and not depending
on them for support.

The doors also were of a rude character;
being seldom framed, as they were usually
covered by the arras. But in Elizabeth’s time,
doors of all kinds were pannelled, as well as
the ceilings and waincotting of the walls, and
often decorated with paintings and devices.—
The elaborate fretwork of some of the ceilings
of the time, ornamented with bosses and pen-
dants, is admirable both in design and execu-
tion; and the framed roofs of the great halls
were so well put together, and of so ornamen-
tal a character as to form one of the principal
features in old houses. The roof of the Great
Hai], at Hampton Court, is an admirable spe-
cimen (though partaking more of the Gothic
than the Elizabethan), and has the advantage}}
of being easily accessible to an enquiring ob-
server.

——

(Tea GUILE ee LE

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

63)

Mistery of Sculpture.

(Continued from page 193, Voi. IV.)

In ideal beauty, the eyes sre always deeper
than in nature, and, of course, the eyebrows have
|more prominency. By deepening the cavity of
the eye, the statuary increases the light and
shade, thus imparting to the head more expres-
sion and reality. In ancient statues the eyebrows
are sometimes completely joined.

The mouth is, after the eyes, the greatest vehi-
cle of expression, and therefore demands to be
next considered. The Grecian artists made the
lower lip fuller than the upper, in order to give
an elegant rounding to the chin. The lips are
generally closed in figures of mortals, and a little
open in figures of gods. Those of Venus are half
open. The teeth are seldom shown, except in

|laughing satyrs. ‘

It was not deemed consistent with the princi-
ples of ideal beauty to interrupt the rounding of
the chin by the introduction of adimple. Hence,
it may fairly excite suspicion, when dimples are
found either upon the chin or cheek of an ancient
statue, that they are the innovations of a modern
hand.

Modern artists appear often to have overlooked
the ear, as a portion of the head undeserving of
careful attention ; but they should bear in mind
that the Grecian artists, whom they affect to ad-
‘mire and imitate, bestowed much consideration
and great pains on this to them unimportant fea-
ture; and were particularly anxious, in taking
likenesses, to copy the precise shape of their
subject’s ear.

The disposition of the hair presents another
test by which the undoubted works of ancient
jart may be recognised. On coarse, hard stones
the hair was short, and appeared as if it had been
combed with a wide comb, this kind of stone
being difficult to work, and requiring immense
labour; but when the finer sorts of marble were
Submitted to the chisel of the Grecian artist, the
obedient locks descended in thin and ample ring-
lets; in the heads of women they were thrown
back, and tied behind in a waving manner, at
considerable intervals, thus affording an agree-
able variety of light and shade. This method was
adopted with the hair of the Amazons. On the
other hand Apollo and Bacchus have theirs
falling down their shoulders, which was the com-
mon habit-of youth.

It is a curious fact that, with the Greek statu-
aries, it seemed to be a point to enlarge the na-

tural appearance of the breasts in men, and to
suppress (lb in women. The figures of their]
deities, indeed, have mostly the breasts of a vir-|,
gin, the beauty of which they evidently held to||
consist in a gentle elevation, for so desirous were
their women to conform to this standard of taste,
that various arts were put in practice to restrain
exuberant prominency. The breasts of the
nymphs and goddesses were never represented
swelling, that appearance, being peculiar to wo-
men who are suckling. The paps of Venus con-|
tract and end in a point, which is considered an
indispensable characteristic of perfect beauty.

Inthe statues of men, the lower part of the
body was formed similar to the state of the li-
ving body after tranquil sleep and good digestion.
The navel was considerably sunk, especially in
female subjects. «

In the figures of young men, the joints of the
knee are slightly expressed ; that member uniting
the leg to the thigh without making any remark-
able cavities or projections. Winckelmann ob-
serves, that “the most beautiful legs and best
turned knees are preserved in the Apollo Sauroe-
thanes, in the Villa Borghese; in the Apollo}
which has a swan at his feet; and in the Bacchus |
of the Villa Medicis.” ‘The same able connois-
seur remarks, that it ig rare to meet with beauti-
ful knees either in the elegant representations of
art or in the persons of young people themselves.
With respect to feet and hands there are sufficient
relics to prove how scrupulously attentive the
Grecian artists were to develope in these members
every possible perfection; although, unfortu-
nately, the ravages committed by time or negli-
gence have sadly reduced the number of instances.
These extremities are, of course, most subject to
mutilation, and, accordingly, we find many sta-
tues wholly destitute of them. The hands of
young persons were moderately plump, with lit-
tle cavities or dimples at the joints of the fingers,
‘which tapered very gently from the root to the
point, the joints being scarcely perceptable. The
terminating joint was not bent, as it is so com-
monly found in modern statues.

lt is scarcely necessary to ’observe that, as
beauty never appears in equal perfection in every
part of the same individual, perfect or ideal
beauty can only be produced by selecting the
most beautiful parts from different models. This
however must be set about with delitacy and
judgment, in order that these detached beauties, ||
when united, may form the most exact symmetry. |
The ancients, nevertheless, even in the most
flourishing age, occasionally confined themselves
to one individual.

.:S—o0I]I]I]qaanmnaananananctnren~nDlarrrrrrnnnn nim |

64 THE DECORATGR’S ASSISTANT.
I Eee I REN Ja, MO ee

ETRUSCAN VASE.— For description, see ““ The Ornamental Drawing Book,” Part 3.

7 : Sat
THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 65) |

PORCH IN FRONT OF VEGITARIAN COTTAGE, DALSTON,
Executed in Brickwork, and covered with Parker’s Cement.—Drawn to a quarter-in. scale.

Front Elevation.

Section through Entrance, showing the
Screen Sides.

A. Stone Facings. B. Hail.

C. Earth. D. Footings.

‘Moulding of Cornice,—quarter full size. Profile of Moulding to €creen Side,
. lin. to a ft.

||dence of his ability to realize other incidents than

||how great an improvement in the external appear-

|| Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, or Composite columns of
||miserable proportions, with green vegetation all

| \steps lofty enough to serve for an ancient temple, |

of cunning devices, abounding in sphinxes and
| |obelisks, and enormous porticoes and large brass

| Cooper, the Academivian, show a larger amount of

THE ‘DECORATOR’S° ASSISTANT.” 66

377, is the best of these latter themes. The sloping
surface of the ground and its inequalities have
helped him to the production of a very picturesque
composition ; we have never seen him more to ad-
vantage in this class of subject. Alieal, 143, is
the study of an Arab charger, the property of Sir
Harry G. W. Smith, Bart., ridden by him ‘at the
Battles of Aliwal, &e.—and Surplice, 461, repre-
sents the winner of the Derby, and St. Leger, 1848.
Both are capital portrait studies in a department
in which Mr. Cooper stands almost alone.

Mr. Egg well justifies his recent selection as As-
sociate. He appears here with improved means in
an affecting incident—that of Henrietta Maria in

Qn BWortiooes.

(For Illustration see the preceding page.)

EVERY dwelling house should have its porch. or
portico of corresponding pretensions to the house,
for two reasons :—one being that it serves to keep
off the wind, and protects the entrancc, and also
points out that particular part tostrangers. Again,

ance of the most humble abode may be effected at
a small cost ;—not that we advocate the employ-
ment to small houses of two or more Tuscan, | Substitute for Proteus’s Dog, 478, is a pictorial
version of the well-kaown scene in Shakspere.

Though small in scale, and unambitious in ma-
terial, Mr. Linton has never succeeded better than
|in a picture ot the Temple of Female Fortune,
and further embellished by dead or sleeping lions,| +47 sp. Aqua Felice, 285. It is marked by an
dogs, or sphinxes. “Oh, it offends me to the soul] o ipinality of feeling which yet sacrifices no whit
to look upon a range of Alpha or Omega Villas full| of truth, Another example of the same treatment
is exhibited in the Scene near Villetri, 518. The
effect of this, while less serene, includes more rich=
ness of colour. Though placed so high, the pic-
ture which the same artist calls Retirement, 1098,
shows such soundness of principle in the manage-
ment of its effect as to bring it clear out from
among the mass of common-places by which it is
surrounded. As a poetical suggestion, it is one of
Mr. Linton’s best thoughts.

over their sham stone casing, resting on a flight of

plates, dedicated to the Joneses, Browns, and
Smiths ;”—they considering, no doubt, that the
great name even gave an addition of dignity to the
place. We commence our illustrations of this sub-
ject with the drawing of a porch erected in front of
a small cottage residence, the property of Mr. G.
Dombusch, in the Malvern-road, Dalston, It is
very effective, and the entire cost was £7. ;—truly
an improvement in the external appearance at a
small cost.

In lieu of any composition of magnitude, Mr.
Frost exhibits this year the Syrens, 127, from the
line in Comus,—

“¢ And the songs of Syrens sweet.”

Ropal Acavemyp.

Tt is an excellent example of the powers which
have gained him reputation.

There is as decided a contrast in the treatment of
two pictures by Mr. E. W. Cooke as in the sym-
pathies suggested, or the elements recorded. A
Dutch Calm, 130, is a very excellent Van de Veld-
ish selection; and we say this in the language of
compliment—without imputing plagiarism to Mr.
Cooke. In its pendant, a Vzew of the Castle of
Sé. Angeio, 153, Mr. Cooke has well secured the
general aspect of the climate. A Fern Cave, a
Scene in Mount’s Bay, Cornwall, 436, presents
one of those geological formations which from
some great disruption of nature, or gradual en-
croachment of the sea, furnish speculation to the
naturalist, and imagery to the poet or the painter.

Mr. Elmore is prominent among those who are
Highland scenes and subjects. Returning from| advancing in the ranks of his art. The quality
Deer-stalking—Urquhart Castle in the distance, | and variety of his works testify alike to his fertility

fh as |

EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS.

Mr. Patten produces the largest and most ambi-
tious work in the present Exhibition, the subject of
which is taken from Anglo-Saxon history. This
is No. 372, The Destruction of Idolatry in Eng-
land; Coifi, the High Priest, on his conversion to
Christianity, destroying the Idols of his former
worship in the presence of Edwin, the Saxon
King, A.D. 625. The pictures contributed by Mr.

variety than is usual with him. In the Wounded
Greek, 101, and the Oasis, 118, he has, in combi-
nations of human and animal forms, given evi-

distress, relieved by Cardinal Retz, 8. Launce’s|

a i Ig aL a a OA App AA A GAR A A IAA AC RIA NOOO OE

of resource and to his industry of purpose. A
Religious Controversy in the time of Louis Qua-
torze, 13, has supplied the subject of his largest
and most important undertaking this year. The
same artist’s Subject from Tristram Shandy, 378,
shows Mr. Shandy leaning on his cane, reading’ to
|the tailor at work on a pair of breeches “ a lecture
on the Jatus clavis, and pointing to the precise
part of the waistband where he was determined to
‘have it sewed on. The subject is not well chosen,
but is cleverly treated.

[ Want of space precludes a more extended notice
this week, but the subject will be resumed in our
next number. |

~~ Sac Stiles of Iusts any
Sculpture.

a RN

A MECHANICAL process is said?to have been in-
ivented at Paris, by M. Collas, whereby accurate
copies can be taken to any size of even the most
elabortely executed pieces of sculpture. Copies of
‘Michel Angelo’s Apotheosis of Augustus, seven
\inches high, thus taken, are said to be wonderful
|productions. Mr. James Gall, of Edinburgh, long
ithe indefatigable honorary secretary of the Royal
Physical Society there, is also said to have disco-
vered a method of taking a strictly accurate like-
ness in form of a bust, by means of a mask of so
peculiar a kind that sitters are able even to read at
ease while the mould is being taken, and which is
so light that not a feature is falsified by the pres-
sure or weight. We are not told what the precise
nature of the substance is, but we shall venture to
guess that his friend, Dr. Simpson’s invention of
the Samaritan oil of gutta percha dissolved in
chloroform, for pouring into wounds, has something
to do with it. The chloroform evaporates in an
instant, leaving askin of gutta percha, which res
peated until thick and resistive enough, would form
a mask which at all events, we will venture to say,
Mr. Gall’s will not excel in either lightness and
delicacy, or convenience and comfort, He, too, it
appears, has invented a mechanical process, or ma-
chine, for reducing a full-sized bust with mathe-
matical accuracy to a miniature size, and if so,
surely also sculpture, asin the case of M. Collas’s
process. We recollect, by the way, a rumour many
years since, that a Parisian had invented a machine
for copying, sculpture, or taking likeness-busts,
which consisted merely of a crop, as it were, of
needles or fine wires, so fitted into a frame, that on
pressure towards the face or other object: to be
copied, they yielded to the form, and were then

fen alae eS nnn EI ek ISB

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

screwed tight, or fixed in the form or mould so|

taken, which served the purpose of a mask for the;
reproduction of the bust or sculpture. There was
here no reduction of size, however, spoken of, but
that we should think was quite possible, too, with)
a modification of such a machine.

Fiyde Park Gallery of Modern Art.—We are}
much pleased to hear that the committee of the|
“‘Hyde Park Exhibition,” have granted free ad-|
mission to their gallery to the stndents of the Go-
vernment School of Design, Somerset Honse. This
isan example we hope to find followed by other
exhibitions in this metropolis, as such a step is well|!
calculated to improve the taste of our designers.

Public Record Office.—Mr. Moncton Milnes has |
given notice of a motion—That a humble address
be presented to her Majesty, praying that she will
be pleased to give directions for the immediate
commencement of a building suitable to contain)
the public records and State papers, and relieve
them from that dangerous condition to which Mr.
Braidwood, superintendant of fire brigade, has
stated in evidence—“ no merchant of ordinary
prudence would subject his book of account.”

Astounding Liberality to Preserve Ancient; |
Works of Art.—The Earl of Guilford has ordered |
that the beautiful frescoes (?) which literally cover
the walls of the Church of St. Cross (Winchester),|

shall next week receive an additional coat of||
whitewash ! \

Bookbinding.—Some idea may be formed of the||
extent of the London bookbinding trade from cal-
culations which have been made, to the effect, that
the weekly consumption of leaf gold, for enriching
the exterior of books, amounts to about 3,600,000
square inches; and that 350 tons of paper shavings) |
from books edges are sold annually by the London
binders.

The File Trade.—We have learned with very
great pleasure that there are some very palpable,
indications of an improvement in this branch of
trade at Sheffield.

Richborough Castle.—Mr. Rolfe has been exca-

vating round the castrum at Richborough, and has
laid open some square towers, and two circular

ones at the angles.

A cURTIOUS encaustic tile, richly embossed, was
found a few days since in excavating for a new),
sewer in Broad-street, city. It was presented by)
Mr. Haywood, the surveyor, to the Commissioners
of Sewers. The design, we are told, represents au.
empress wearing a crown, the hands being uplifted)
as if in amazement,

oe ———

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Ecsite ul erin eroca ae a orc

ST. CATHARINE.

From a Fresco painting on the Recess of Bishop Wotton’s Tomb, All Saints, Maidstone.

Cseful Receipts.

To fix Drawings in Chalk and Crayons.—The
Marquis de Varrennes has discovered a method
which is equally simple and ingenious, of giving
to drawings in pencils and crayons the fixidity of
painting, and without injury. He succeeded in
‘obtaining this result by varnishing them on the
back; that is, by spreading over the back an al-
ycoholic solution of white gum-lac.: This quickly
penetrates the paper, and enters even into the fine
marks of the crayon on the other side. The al-
‘cohol rapidly evaporates, so that in an instant all
jane light dust from the croyons and chalk, which

‘resembles that on the wings of a butterfly, adheres
HH

so firmly to:the paper that the drawing may be!},
rubbed and carried about without the least particle|
being effaced.’ The following are the accurate pro-
portions of the solution :—10 grammes of common
gum-lac are dissolved in 120 grammes of alcohol ;
the liquid is afterwards bleached with animal char-
coal. For the sanre purpose may be used even the,
ready made paint to be purchased at the colour
shops, containing:a sixth of white-lac, and adding
two-thirds of rectified spirits of wine. After it
has been filtered’, spread a layer of either of these
solutions at the back of the drawing, in order to
give them the solidity required. This plan has been
adopted with umiferm success by ge artists oe
the first celebrity.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘An Elustrate? Glossary of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
Entertor Decoration, &c.

Ova. An ornament in form of an egg.

Ovat. A geometrical figure, bounded by a
curve line returning to itself, including the ellipsis
or mathematical oval, and all figures resembling
it, though with different properties.

ier te |

Ovicutum. The diminitive of Ova, a little egg.

Ouriine- An exterior or bounding line.

OUT OF WINDING.
or forming a true plane.

Perfectly smooth andeven,

Ovt to Our. To the extremities or utmost

bounds.
OuTFALL. A canal or drain to carry off waters.
Out-works. In fortification, all works raised

without the enclosure of a place, to cover it from
the enemy.

OxyGon. An acute-angled triangle.

OuivE Crown. This crown was awarded to
those who had signalized themselves by feats of
gymnasium in the different arenas. The olive
tree was originaliy a native of Asia, whence it was
transplanted into Egypt, and the sonth of Europe ,
the wood is heavy and of an agreeable odour; the
fruit is of the form of a damson, with a soft oily,

pulp, and hard nut in the centre. The olive was
consecrated to Minerva, by the Athenians, who re-
garded the culture and protection of the olive tree
asa religious duty. The oil/of the olive is pre-
eminent among vegetable oils, and has not always
had an extensive use in culinary purposese, but
formed the menstruum, or vehicle, for the most
celebrated perfumes,

ne aetna A
>

nN et

i nn Aan ene

‘and fixes our regard. The word is also applied to};

Ovan Crown. The Romans had _ various|
crowns which they distributed as rewards of mili-
tary achievements. The oval crown was composed
of myrtle, and was bestowed only on such generals
as had the honour of a triumph.

Oru, In painting. An unctuous inflammable
substance, drawn from various bodies, both animal)
and vegetable. From the peculiar properties of;
different oils, they are naturally divided into two
kinds, the fixed or fat oils, and the volatile or es-
sential oils: the former demand a high tempera-
ture to raise them to a state of vapour, but the.
volatile oils are volatilized at a temperature of,
boiling water, and even at a lower one. Both
the volatile and fixed oils may be obtained from
plants, and sometimes from the same plant, but)
always from different parts of it. While the seeds’
yield the fixed oil, the volatile is extracted from|
the bark or wood. |

Oxzverse. That side of a coin or medal which |
bears the head of a chief or sovereign by whose
direction it was struck.

OcureE. Agenus of earths, slightly coherent,
and composed of fine, soft, smooth, and argillace-|
ous particles, rough to the touch, and easily diffu-
sible in water. These earths are of various colours.
Yellow is the one most prevalent and best. known :
but the varieties of ochres comprise also red, green,
blue and black.

OcuLar. Antiquaries have appropriated this!
term to certain stones whereon are found the name |
engraven of some surgeon-oculist, together with
the remedies proper for the diseases of the eye.

OxzsEct. In generalany thing which attracts! |

signify the end or purpose which a man proposes
to himself in any given pursuit. The object of the
fine arts, to speak in an enlarged’ sense, is. to an-
swer the ends of utiliny and of mental aceomplish-
ment in the most graceful and agreeablemanner. —

Oxscurity. Certain 1odern artists have per-
sonified obscurity by a figure wrapped in a long
black veil. She extends over her head another
thick veil or canopy, by means of which the rays
of the sun are hindered from penetrating to the
spot on which she stands. An owl is perched upon
the head of the figure, and other nocturnal’ birds
fly around her.

OBRYZUM. According to a passage in Pliny,
this name was appropriated by the ancients to a
species of gold which had been several times puri-
fied with fire. ’

ee ee ee

_||aswimming bath, 60 feet long, by 20 ft. wide.

‘| failed to produce an acceptable design.

||depth from one to six feet.
4|found some which exceeded ten feet.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. |

The Mbhronotyptst.

AT a meeting of the Court of Common Council
held on the 17th ult., permission was given to
Messrs. Blunt, Civil Engineers, to lay down an

| }electric telegraph in the river Thames, to commu-

jnicate with a coast line telegraph. The celebra-
‘ted Maria Edgeworth, the once popular novelist,
died after a few hours illness on the morning of the
'2ist ult., at Edgeworthstown, in the County of
Longford, ireland. She was in her 83rd year.—The
opening of the new station of the London and
North Western railway at Euston-square, took
place on the 2nd of June. The building extends
|220 feet in lencth, and 170 feet in depth, and was
designed by Mr. P. C. Hardwicke. It appears
that no expense has been spared to make it conve-
'nient, spacious, and ornamental. The cost is said
to be about £150,000.—— Mepal Church is about
to be restored at an estimated, expense of about
£600. The example of Sir C. Anderson is about
to be followed in the erection of a stained glass
memorial window in Lincoln Cathedral——The
public baths at Hinckley are in an advanced state.
'The building isin the Tudor style, and has been
erected by Mr. Harrold, builder, who is also to form

‘The monument proposed to be erected to the me-
mory of the late Archbishop of Paris, has been re-
committed to competition, the first attempt having
A draw-
ying and designing class has been formed at the
Literary and Mechanics’ Institution, Chelmsford,
and the authorities at Somerset House have pre-
sented their elementary course for the use of the
istudents, twenty in number, and almost all ope-
ratives.——Methley church has been extensively re-

\ paired, and was to be opened on Thursday last.
|The oak ceiling has been restored. Messrs. Iugall,
i\of Pontefract, were the architects employed.

Two painted windows have been put up in the
chancel of St. Mary de Lode Church, Gloucester,
at the expense of Miss Coglan, sister of the Vicar.

{|The artist was Mr. Rogers, of Worcester.

Ancient British Barrows.—The circumference

of the smallest barrows is about 13 or 14 feet, that
| |of the largest $3 to 35 feet ; and they are generally

surrounded by a shallow trench. The cists in
which the bodies are deposited, usually vary in
Douglas states that he
More recent
excavations on the downs beyond-Canterbury, un-
der the direction of Lord Albert Conyngham, have

added a few new objects to those already discovered.
proving incontestably that these barrows are not
the burial places of the slain, but the sepulchres of
a people in quict possession of the country. ‘* Their
situation,” observes Douglas, ‘‘near villages of
Saxon names, their numbers proportioned to a
small clan of people existing at a peculiar era, af-
ford the eritical evidence of their owners. They
are scattered all over Britain, in places which the
Saxons occupied, and are not discovered in the
parts of Wales which they had not subdued. The
relics compared with those discovered in the urns
foundat Walsingham, in Norfolk, the subject of
the beautiful old treatise on urn-burial, by Dr.
Browne, shew the identity of people, and evince
the funeral customs of the Saxons, on their visiting
this country, to be that of burning, as well as in-
terring the dead.” Those who have been engaged
in researches of this description, will testify to the ;
accuracy of these remarks; but some will be dis-
posed to question the propriety of the inference
which the author draws, when he states his opinion
that the Saxons extirpated the Britons from the)
parts which they then occupied. That the Roman-,
ised Britons were entirely snbdued by the Saxons is) |
evident, but the total annihilation of the people
formerly in possession of the country by their in-
vaders is not proved by these relics, some of which,,
but more particnlarly the urns, which are occasion-
ally found in these graves, reminds us of the pot-
tery of the Roman British period.

Go SWorrespondsents, Ke.

T. ¥. K.—Your Design shail be used.

Blucher. (Oxford.)—Z¢ shall appear in an early
number. Putience is not only a great, but a
necessary virtue ; especially as regards a work
of so varied a nature as this. |The Cases are
procurable as usual.

* *Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in future
be charged at 10d. each.

Part 26 is now ready, price 10d.

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 3; of
theSelf Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale.—The Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 5, are
now. ready.—The \ Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Beil’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand.

ee nae EN ae NDR resev

SATURDAY,]

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[June 16, 1849.

From A PAPER READ AT THE GenzRAL MeeEt-
ING OF THE Decorative Arr Soctery,
Marcu, 1844, py Mr. Cranp,

P
ath ee bi

INS

HE term, Desien,
admits of various explanations, according to
the nature of its intended purpose; the most
concise and specific meaning is—delineation of
objects, through the acquired medium of Geo-
metry, Optics, and Colour.
these may be possessed, and the faculty of de-
lineation exist, without any creative power of
mind, and therefore the real and true meaning
of the word is discovered when to these capa-
bilities is added the genius of originating ; em-
bodying such combinations as have not been
previously known, and are capable of amalga-
mation under the admitted governing laws of
nature and taste. This power is found to re-
sult from a careful study of nature, and an
accumulation of the sound principles and ex-
cellencies of our great predecessors in Art;—
producing in combination new arrangements
and beauties, in proportion to the originality
lof conception and power of invention of the
artist. Manufacturing Design requires diffe-

A knowledge of

rent modes of treatment, that it may accord
with the nature of the material to receive em-
bellishment; but the laws or great principles||
are known to be unchangeable; thus, a silk/|
damask or an iron railing may be designed
from the same given quantities of proportion.
A division under the heads of outline, light and
shade, and colour, will enable us to make a
classification for its distinctive application to||
Weaving, printing, wood, metals, and other||
great branches of trade; each requiring special ||'
instruction to produce successful design. Fit-
ness of purpose is another essential, and dou-||
bles the value of the art; nowhere can we SO}|,
perfectly study this portion of design as||
through the works of nature, where it is disco-||
vered in unity with embellished elegance of||
form, and wisdom of application.

The human figure is a beautiful illustration
of the possibility of combining great mecha-
nical power with the most graceful contour
and action; the general design affords exten-
sive varied power of motion,—the detail shows
the most profound skill in adapting the form
of each bone to its respective office, the pro-
vision of pro and antagonistic muscles, their
form, insertion, and beautiful mechanical ac-
tion discover a profound design, and the dis-
position of each pact being considered with
relation to the production of a perfect whole,
we have the upright and commanding figure of
mankind, capable of showing the athletic mus-
cular massiveness of a Hercules, or the femi-
nine loveliness of a Venus. The animal cre-
ation is replete with graceful beauty, subject
to fitness of purpose. The horse and his nu-
merous varieties, present noble examples.—
What majesty is exhibited in the lion!—pon-
derous limbs, breadth of shoulders, clothed
with a magnificent mane, thin flanks, and
enormous muscular strength. Opposed to this
king of the forests we find the lightly moulded
and elegant gazelle, whose pace is on the wind,
and

‘* Who glads one by its fond blue eye.’ |

In the vegetable world no grace of form, no
colouring is wanting; the most studied pro-
ductions of man are as nothing, compared
with the resulting effects of a gorgeously varied
tropical vegetation: through all the striking
varieties of the stately palm and smali-leaved
cedar, to bowers of citron and acacia, with

‘most profitable and most agreeable.

THE DECORATOR’S

colouring and contrasts frequently displayed

\upon a gigantic leafage, instructing, but defy-
jing the humble imitative art of man; from the

most delicate hue of green, warm or cool, to
those of most intense depth, mingled with
bright scarlets, deep crimsons, and a profusion
of brilliant and secondary colouring, blending
into repose with. the tertiaries. Imagine, for
one moment, a woody scene under the efful-
gent tropical sun, with all its curious varieties
of shape in tree and foliage, the jungle haif
choked by tall grass and knotted reeds; then
picture the gay and glittering plumage of the
birds, from pale amber to deep golden yellows,
rich purples, russets, the finest reds and glisten-
ing blues! what a study for the decorative co-
lourist! ’Tis thus nature teaches the principles
upon which her sister art should found the

theories of her charming imitations. Unpos-

sessed as we are of tropical advantages, let us

endeavour to appreciate the value of those we
enjoy. The horticulturist presents the choicest
flowers of every clime, and the botanical gar-
den will give us some idea of the palm and
olive ; we have the acasia, the stately chesnut,
the mountain ash, with its peculiar leafage and
clustered bright berries: our fields, our hedge-
rows, and the varieties of trees so common
amongst us, afford materials for studying por-
tions of design in a way that may be rendered
Many a
common plant presents a diminishing elegance,

'a graceful flow of line, colouring, and hints of
‘much value; the fine shaped leaves in this class

are replete with instruction ; exquisite tints are

frequently seen on the withering moss.-rose

leaf; the whole science of colouring is there
exemplified; yellow, a primary, continued
through the russets to the ptimary red, very
brilliant.

Who that has viewed the rich hues of au-

tumnal colouring, but must feel the varied

||tones to be a source of admiration?—and how

much more so when he can deduce the whole
apparently endless variety from three simple
original colours? But apart from other consi-
derations, there is scarcely any ornamental
production in which some object from the ve-
getable world is not introduced, and for cor-
rect delineation we ought therefore to be inti-
mate with its original source and habits. The
trees bursting imto bloom will afford delightful

examples; render, them, therefore, useful to

field for observation, from the humble prim-|

ASSISTANT.

yourselves by making notes of your one
vations ; there will be the deep pink of .the}|
almond, the delicate hue of the clustered Fi
blossom, and. the pyramidical flower of the}
chesnut, a fine mellow white, of peculiar crisp-|
like character, relieved and inspirited by a dash
of crimson.

Flowers offer to-us a much more extensive

rose, with its straw-tinted bloom and warm-
toned leaf, to the magnificent japonica, whose
elegant heart-shaped glossy leaves—stiff, dark-|
blue green—display its superb flower to the
most advantage. So true is nature to her prin-||.
ciples, that you will not observe any flowering
plant, shrub, or fruit-bearing tree whose bloom
does not only harmonize in colour, but finely
contrast with its own foliage; it is equally re-
markable that the shape of the flower or the
arrangement of petals is such as to improve by
contrast the form of leat. The ‘tribe of fuch-
sias is a remarkable exemplification ; of several
distinct sorts, the bloom bears the exact relative
proportion of colour and contrast to its leafage,
that a skilful colourist might use in matching
his tints to eXecute a work in stained glass.—
This observation brings home to immediate ap-
plication for manufacturing purposes generally
the principle advocated; and I am most
firmly of opinion that persons desirous of ac-
quiring the power of understanding grace in
form and beautiful tone and colour, will derive
the utmost advantage by following out an inti-
mate acquaintance with the productions of nature.
I would consequently present the vegetable world
as a truly instructive source from whence to de-
rive beneficial studies; outline and colouring
from flowers and leafage, and gracefulness from
the whole.

" An enthusiastic admirer of nature, I take plea-
sure in tracing the varied excellencies of art to
their original source. The most perfect produc-
tions of the sculptor are but copies of nature,|
placed in attitude and moulded into perfect. form
by the resulting skill of long study and experi-
ence; and assisted by the highest attributes of]
genius, we find it eventually creating the match-
less ‘frieze of a Parthenon. Architectural’ pro-
portions are deducible from the same source, and]
in those magnificent paintings bequeathed to our,
admiration by the most profound colourists, we
discover their principles to have been those of}
nature, and their compositions are more delight-
ful the nearer they approach to simple natural)

| |dispositions.

|\|Arthur and Ogle in the Happy Valley, 566.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Raffaelle was the poet of nature.
I am offering these desultory remarks to induce

||you to examine the very source and origin of all
| |design ; not to remain satisfied with results drawn
||from other mens’ labours, but to go to the foun-

tain head at once.

(To be Continued.)

Royal Academp.

EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS.

[SECOND Notrcr. |

Mr. Redgrave’s Sun and Shadow, 169,—the
Stream at Rest, 174,—and the Solitary Pool, 392,

'jexeellently illustrate that especial disposition to
\|details which the painter is sometimes led into

where their introduction is less useful and cha-
racteristic. The Awakened Conscience, 357, is a
figure subject—a pictorial moral on the sin of
drunkenness, based om some passages in the
|Proverbs.

It is difficult, in speaking of the pictures by
Mr. Sidney Cooper, to add anything in the-way

|\of comment to what has been said in former

years. Autumn, 312, we like better, nevertheless,
than the Clearing off at Sunset, 37. It is more
refined—less commonplace. Im Cattle returning
from the Meadows, 227, and in Mountain Scenery
—North Wales, 455—two joint productions with
Mr. Lee—Mr. Cooper has introduced the animal
forms with his accustomed mastery.

By Mr. Uwins there is but one work: that an
illustration of Spenser :—Sir Guyon fighting for
the virtue of Temperance under the conduct of
his spiritual guide, destroys the enchantments that
have tempted his companions from their duty,
I88. his is another of the moral allegories

| which are the frequent form for the expression of

this artist’s fancy. The poet or the painter who
deals with allegory must expect, in this age, to
meet with but limited sympathies.

Mr. F. Goodall’s Hunt the Slipper, 263, is not
calculated to confirm him in the reputation which
thas been somewhat too hastily assigned.

There is a particular spot of wall in a par-
ticular room to which by some sort of arrange-
ment or admission Mr. John Martin seems to
enjoy a prescriptive right. This place on the
present occasion is conspicuously occupied by
It
is a wild preternatural affair, in which the con
stellations shed down disastrous influence on the
unconscious lovers,—and they walk amid blue

lights which have no original on’earth, and which
we do not remember in romance, to their doom.:

An anecdote in the life of the late President
West has furnished the subject of a picture which
Mr. E.M. Ward has entitled Benjamin West’s
first Effort in Art, 308. In the late Mr. Allan
Cunningham’s “ Lives of the British Painters”
we read that“ little Benjamin was placed with a
fly-flap in his hand to watch the sleeping infant
of his eldest sister, while his mother gathered
flowers in the garden. As he sat by the cradle,
the child smiled in sleep; he was struck with its
beauty, and seeking some paper, drew its por-
trait in red and blackfink.” The incident has
proved in Mr. Ward;s hands a good one for illus-
tration; and he has not lost sight of its great
point,—-the young enthusiasm with which the
future artist sets himself to the work. ‘The ges-
ture and the action represent to the life the
entire absorption of juvenile attention ; and the
corresponding earnestness in the face gives good
presage of future success. A work of larger scale
and more important aim is, Daniel Defoe and
the Manuscrint of Robinsow Crusoe, 318. ‘* The
manuscript of Robinson Crusoe passed through
the whole circle of the trade before it could find a
purchaser. When at length accepted, the sale
was 80 immediate and rapid that no less than)
four editions were published in as many
months.” Hazlitt is the authority on which Mr.
Ward has founded his picture,—and it has the
true congenial and Hogarthian spirit. The hum-
ble author discussing ‘the possible chances of his
work with the dandy clerk, presents a true and
eloquent ficture of the indignities which patient
literary merit has too often had to endure from
the trader im the produce of the brain. The
author of one of the most popular romances in
the world is here writhing under the sting of
wounded pride and mortification and hope-
Jessness—in strong contrast with the fashionable
lady whose application finds entrance at once
into the bookseller’s back parlour. Mr. Ward
has lost no point that might assist his moral in
forcible art-language. In technicals, Mr. Ward,
in both these pictures, has shown a marked im-
provement : his drawing is better than of old,—
his colour clearer. The lccal tints are more
truthful; and in the general handling a more
refined style prevails.

faast Anglian Architectural Society.—On
Monday last, a number of the members of the
Kast Anglian Architectural Society had an excur-
sion, upon which occasion they visited Ely Cathe-
dral, when the Rev. Mr. Boutell, of Downham
Market, delivered a lecture on the various styles
of architecture.

74 THE DECORATGR’S ASSISTANT.

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ANTIQUE JUG.

Kopal Acavewmp.

PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

- (Continued from page 46.)
ss LECTURE TI.

Tavs Raphael has well been called an “‘ examiner
of men.”—The perception of what is false is, at
least a step towards the knowledge of what is true ;
and it will be found that the conventional and the
affected are the result of that species of mind that
will not let Nature have her own way ;—that has
formed, indeed, its notions of consistency indepen-
dently on observation. To explain what i mean,
I would say that had such a2 mind to deal with a
story of love, like that of Romeo and Juliet, it
would have deemed it a profanation of the passion
to make, as Shakespeare has done, Juliet the
‘successor of Rosaline in the heart of Romeo.

The ideal of such writers or painters is not an
ideal of selection but an ideal of their own, or more
properly, I believe, in most cases an ideal imitated
from other similarly constituted minds; for in all
their productions there is a remarkable family like-
ness. Throughout their delineations of life there
is anabsence of all that delicate discrimination of
the subtle lights and shades of character which a
thorough and unbiassed acquaintance with the men
In-
stead of such representations in painting real life,
they give us faultless heroes and heroines opposed
to characters of motiveless atrocity ;—and when
their subjects are above the world, they mistake
the conventional so entirely for the ideal as 1o keep
themselves equally out of the sphere of our
sympathies.

Such minds remain ina state of perpetual child-
hood ;—often they are highly amiable and as often
cold and unsympathizing. With the best inten-
tions, they can effect no good, but may very much
mislead,—for a writer or a painter can only serve
the cause of morality in the degree in which he is
true to Nature. InShakespere we discover no
‘aim to enforce a moral, but heis the most. moral of
‘all the delineators of life, because he is the truest.
Itis a mistake to suppose that human nature
‘may not be studied within a confined limit. The

and women that surround us can only teach.

constant inhabitant of a village may learn far more
of mankind, if he be a close and fair observer, than
‘he whose life is spent in traversing the world if he
observes not carefully, and above all if he studies
not bimself. Indeed, the opportunities of knowing
a few individuals long and intimately are more fa-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

vourable to a knowledge of Nature than seeing
much of the surface of life, which is nearly all that
is seen in travelling, Few men ever travelled less
than Shakespeare, few less than Raphael, few less
than Hogarth.

In refering to the assistance Painting may de-
rive from Science, I should omit a duty were I not
to call your attention to a most valuable contribu-
tion of knowledge and taste to Art,—Sir Charles
Bell’s work on the ‘ Anatomy of Expression.’ On|
consulting such a book, the painter will find how
little he can trust to his own unassisted observa-
tions of Nature, in many cases, and particularly in|
all with which disease, either of mind or body,—or,
death in its many forms, have todo. And so it is)
with every thing in which scientific knowledge may
assist the eve. !

In the study of Art we may take an hint from.
what Burns has recorded of his study of poetry.
After enumerating the stock of books to which he.
had access, when about sixteen years of age, he.
adds that a collection of English songs was his
vade mecum. “T poured over them,” he tells us,
driving my cart or walking to labour, song by song,
verse by verse; carefully noting the true tender or,
sublime from the affectation and fustian; and I am)
fully convinced that I owe to this prace|
tice, much of my critic craft, such as it is.” We
here see how constantly the art that was to distin-,
guish Burns was in his thoughts. Thisspoiled him
for a farmer, but enabled him to leave an undying.
name.

In the loose language in which the productions
of Art are spoken of we often hear of the creations.
of the poet or the painter. But invention is com-
bination, not creation ; and in Painting whatever,
may with any degree of correctness be called crea-|
tion can only be the monstrous or the false. Man-}
nered Art of every description is properly a crea-
tion of the pencil. It has graces, expressions,
styles of composition, lights, shades, and colours.
all its own, and all mistaken, by the mannerist
himself and by his employers, for the ideal.

Selection and Combination are then the princi-
ples on which invention, like everything elsein art,
must proceed ; and in recurring so frequently to
these, I would observe that I wish as much as pos-
sible to avoid splitting general principles into rules,
as*l constantly find that wherever a rule is laid
down for practice in particular cases, instances will
be found in Art in which it has been ‘‘ more ho-
nored in the breach than the observance.” The
only mode therefore in which instruction can be
conveyed, after the general principles derived from
Nature are stated, is to draw attention, in detail,
to the varieties of practice, that have prevailed in

different ages and schools; and ascertain how far
they are founded in truth,—not so much to recom-
Jmend their imitation as to foria tastes for ourselves
that may serve for safe guides in new and untried
ways.

| “Invention and Expression are the powers that
have always first displayed themselves in Art, mo-
\dified, of eourse by the existing conditions of so-
ciety. In the dark ages, Religion was driven by
the ferocity of the times into the Monastery and
the Herrhitage, whither she was accompanied by
all that remained of Learning. Convents, there-
fore, became the nurseries of Art and of Science
as well as of Religion, and Painting, in the hands
of the medizeval artists, was consequently employed

subjects. Giotto was I believe, the first dramatic
painter of much genius, and whether, in the age of
Julius or Leo, he might have been what Raphael
was, is a question that it may be honourable to both
to ask, but which it is fair to both that it should be
left without an attempt towards an answer. As it
is, the advantage, if it be but that of time, is on the
side of Raphael, and he stands torward pre-
eminently as the painter of Christianity, not con-
fined to the cloister, but entering into the world,

is human, relieving the infirmities and satisfying
all the real wants of our nature, to purify’and to
elevate it. And to be this it was necessary that
Raphael should be, as Fuseli calls him, “the warm
master of our sympathies,’’—as well as heir to all
the highest powers of the artists who preceeded
him.
(Io be continued.)

@n CAater-colours tor Lluminating
Wrints, Ke..

-Or PURPLE,
(Continued from page 57.)

A FINE transparent ‘purple may be made either
redder, or nearer the blue, as you would have it, by
boiling four ounces of rasped Brazil-wood in a pint
of stale beer, with half an ounce of logwood, or
|Campeachy-wood, till the liquor is ‘heightened to
the colour you desire, which may be known by
dipping a piece of paper into it.

If you find it too ‘red, add an ounce of logwood
to the Brazil-wood, which will make it much
nearer to the purple than the former; and by this
method you may humour it to any degree of pur-
ne by putting in either more or less logwood. to

'THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

almost exclusively on contemplative and devotional:

‘bottom of the vial in which is the bone of the||

adapted to the world,—sympathizing with all that.

77
the former composition, and fixing the colour with
alum. This will produce such a clear purple as no
mixture of solid reds and blues will do, and the
receipt has been for a long time kept secret. It is
said, that the best purple colour that can be made,
may be composed between the carmine and indigo,
to strengthen which, orf the red side, you may add
lake between the lighter and darker part; and so
lake, when it is used in the same way, on the fore-
going purple, or the liquid crimson, produces a
very fine effect. yh Pies

The colour may be varied, and made either . red~
der, by putting more carmine, or bluer, by using
more indigo, which being mixed ona white Dutch
tile, will shew itself. A fine purple may be made
of the gross part of sediment of lake-columbine,
both for oil and water-colours as follows :—Take
the sediment of lake-columbine, which falls to the

cuttle-fish, let it dry, and grind it; there will be
no lake so fine as this; and if you mix it with lake
it will give it a better body, besides more strength
and vigour. :

Or BLUE.

The ultramarine blue is not only the first, but
the best sort of bright blue we have, as it gives a
spirit to all paintings where blue are used. This
colour is made from the lapis lazuli divested of its
gold, and ground into an impalpable powder,|
which is done as follows:—Take half a pound of
lapis lazuli, and putting it upon red hot coals, let it
stay there till it is red-hot: then quenching it in
very strong vinegar, and grinding it on porphyry,
or any such hard stone, with rectified brandy to an
impalpable powder, make a pastil, with, which the
lapis is to be incorporated: for the making of this
pastil, take bees-wax, turpentine, resin, and linseed)
oil, of each a quarter of a pound; aud melting
the whole together over a slow fire, when it begins
to boil, pour it intoa glazed pot ; this is the paste
of ultramarine. Take of this paste an equal quan-
tity equal to that of the lapis, knead them together
upon the marble, and being well incorporated, let
them remain for one night; after which, to bring
out the ultramarine that is in the paste, pour water.
upon it, and knead it with your hands as paste is.
kneaded, and the ultramarine will come out; for
the receiving of which, place a porringer or other
proper vessel under your hands, and lec it settle in
this water till you see the ultramarine at the
bottom of it.

ES
Pe

The annual election of Fellows at the Royal So-
ciety took place on Thursday last:—the Earl of),
Rosse, President, being in the chair.

||in the remains of Egyptian buildings. It is also

te of the pentagraph is here shown. It con-

78 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

that length. On the exact fittings of the holes

. and joints chiefly depends the perfection of this
An Elustrate Glossary of Cechntcal instrument. Those in the middle of the long

Cerms used wr Architectural any ulers at E and D, are to be at the same distance

#4 ‘ from those at the ends of the longer ones at 8,
Entector Mecoration, KE. and those of the short ones at G, so that when

aula put together they may make a parallelogram.—||
The joint at B must have a little pillar, round at||
the end, underneath for the instrument to slide
upon ; of the two parts of the long rulers which
extend beyond the parallelogram, one, c., should
have a piece of lead attached to it by a moveable
socket, so as to keep the instrument firm whilst
in use, and at « and a should be sockets for pen-
cils and points; that at F being moveable. The
mode of using it is evident from the figure.

Pace. A measure of five feet.

Pacerrine. A name given to rough plastering,
especially to that used in the interior of chimney
flues.

Parntine In Fresco. This ig very common

traced in the architectural remains of India. In
the middle ages, the place of pamting on the
walls was supplied by embroidery and tapestry.
This practice appears to have been brought from
the east, and probably originated from the costly
hangings of the palaces of the kings of Persia
and Pheenicia. Ceilings, stair-cases, and works
which require no great care and preparation, are
generally painted in common water colours, that
is, with earths infused in water and diluted in
size. All kinds of colours may be ground in wa-
ter only, when the tint is made; and when they
have been infused in water, they must be mixed
up with size. If on new plaster, the colours re-
quire more size.

Pacopa. The name given to the temples of
India, China, &c.

Penpant. <A hanging ornament in very rich

PantograpH. An instrument for copying and
enlarging or diminishing drawings It was in-
vented in the seventeenth century, and a descrip-
tion of it appeared at Rome, in 1631. ‘The in-
ventor of this instrument is supposed to have
been Christopher Scheiner, 2 Suabian jesuit. The

Gothic groined roofs, '

Patace. The dwelling house of a king, prince,
or bishop. In China it is customary to build pa-
laces in honour of celebrated ancestors, and in
the year 1263, Hu-pi-lay, of the Mogul empire,
built one for his ancestors, after the example of
those of China.

Paxuestra. That part of the Grecian Gymna-
sium more particularly appropriated to wrestling
and other gymnastic exercises. The term was
sometimes applied to the whole building. The
palzstra contained also baths, which were thrown
open for the use of the public. Vitruvius asserts
i'sists of four brass or wooden rules, two of them | positively that there never were any palestra at
|from 15 to 18 inches long, and the other two half| Rome.

TRE DECORATO R’S ASSISTANT.

Endusirial Znowledge.

Extracted from the Voice of the People.
€. Knight, London.

WE are sometimes told that education has very
little to do with manual industry; that the one
relates to the head and the heart, while the other
deals only with muscle and sinew. ‘Look,’ it is
said, ‘‘ how many are there, who, having received
an efficient education, start in trade, and fail.
Look, again, how many succeed eminently in trade,
who have received no education worthy of the
name!’ Yes: if education consist in making
Greek and Latin an end, instead of means to an
end—if a whole course of school instruction pass
without one lesson relating to the physical world
around us—then, indeed, may we well understand
how an educated man may fail in trade or manu-
facture. Butif education consist in the right de-
||velopement of all the faculties that God has given
us; thenis the man who steadily watches and stu-
dies the external world, and the power he has over
it, acquiring industrial knowledge at every step.
Nearly all industry consists in the transformation
and adaption, by human means, of materials abun-
dantly scattered around us; and he who uses his
external senses and his “common sense ” in study-
||ing the properties of these varied materials, is ac-
quiring the elements of industrial knowledge,
which, even if he had not the advantage of that
more systematic education which expands the in-
tellect and warms the heart, will one day be fruitful
of good to him, though the mode and the moment
may be equally beyond hisken. ‘‘A young man,”
says Sir Robert Kane, ‘‘ wanting to sell spectacles
in London, petitions the corporation to allow him
to open a little shop, without paying the fees of
freedom, and:he is refused. He goes to Glasgow,
and the corporation refuse him there. He makes
acquaintance with some members of the Univer-
sity, who find him very intelligent, and permit him
to open his shop within their walls. He does not
sell spectacles and magic lanterns enough to occu-
py allhis time; he occupies himself at intervals in
taking asunder and re-making all the machines he
can come at. He finds there are books on mecha-
nics written in foreign languages; he borrows a
dictionary, and learns those languages to read those
books. The University people wonder at him, and
are fond of dropping into his little room, in the
evenings, to tell him what they are doing, and to
look at the queer instruments he constructs. A
machine in the University collection wants repair-

ing, and he is employed. He makes it a new ma-
chine. The steam-engine is constructed; and the
giant mind of Watt stands out before the world—
the author of the industrial supremacy of his coun-|
try, the herald of a new force of civilization. But)
was Watt educated? Where was he educated ?
At his own workshop, and in the best manner,
Watt learned Latin, when he wanted it for his|
business. He learned French and German; but
these were tools not ends. Heused them to pro-
mote his engineering plans, as he used lathes and
levers.

The Ascot Race Cup.—The Royal Hunt Cup)
which was run for last week at Ascot, is a cup of;
novel design, and of a shape different from any)
former ones which have been prizes of a race
course. It is a Tazza, supported on a foot, on
which are represented in relief devices, emblama-
tical of field sports. There are the heads of stags
and does, and the mark of buckhounds, and on
the summit of the cover of the cup, is a very spi-|
rited group of dogs mastering a stag. The work-
manship is very elaborate and the design elegant._|
The style partakes of the Italian and Elizabethan,
characteristic. It has been modelled at the esta-
blishment of Messrs. Hunt and Roskell, of Bond
Street, London, under the direction of Mr. Bailey
of the Royal Academy, and is one of the best spe-
cimens of this species of art hitherto produced.

Silkworms.—It appears from the statement of)
a late writer, that it requires thirty thousand
worms to produce five pounds of silk. If we
reckon that at the present time a million and a
half pounds are imported annually, it therefore
requires nine thousand millions of insects to sup-
ply the raw silk for British manufacture.

Nait-Maxrne.—Mr. Moses Poole hag obtained
a patent for some improvements in machinery for
making nails. The metal is passed between the
edges of a top and bottom roller, to split it into
rods of the requisite thickness, which are then
passed between the edge of a second top roller
and the other edge of the bottom roller, whereby
they are formed into a succession of rectangnlar
triangles. These triangular-shaped rods are then
forced between a pair of vertical or horizontal
matrices, to point them, and likewise a pair of
cutters to separate them, and subsequently
through a punching machine, by which the heads
are formed. Claim.—The mode of arranging
machinery for making nail-rods, by first splitting
the metal and then shaping it. Making nails by
means of the matrices in combination with the
heading machine. The application of the machine
Isat described.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Che CMbhronotyptst.

ee
A

Preparations have commenced for the removal
of the celebrated marble arch from the east front
of Buckingham Palace. It will be re-erected at
the principal entrance to the Home-park at Wind-
sor Castle-——The first stone of the Printer’s
Almshouses at Wood Green, near Tottenham, was
laid by Viscount Mahon, M.P., on the 11th inst.—
—The Duke of Northumberland has presented
‘£100 to the fund which is being raised for com-
| pleting the United Service Institution by the crea.
\tion of a lecture theatre.——Mr. Portal, of Christ
Church, Oxford, has been elected chairman of the
heraldic section of the Architectural Society of
Oxford. At the meeting on the 30th ult., Mr.
''Norris Deck read a paper on legendary coat
armour..——His Royal Highness Prince Albert
laid the foundation-stone of an addition to the
Licensed Victuallers’ Asylum in the Old Kent-
road. ‘This addition is to be called the “ Ladies’
¢Wing,” and is to cost £4,000. It will contain
twenty-five dwellings.——The Metal Trades Pen-
\!sion Society held a general meeting, on the 28th
ult., at the ondon Tavern, for the election of six
additional pensioners, and other business. There
are now twenty-five annuitants on the roll of this
useful society, with pensions, as we understand, of
_|twenty guineas each per annum. More than 200
names of new subscribers or donors appear in an
appendix to the report, and 100 more are greatly
‘desired before the Ist of August, to ‘enable six
‘more pensioners to be added to the list.——We
| learn from the New York True Sun that what is
‘called soluble glass is now beginning to cume into
luse as a covering for wood, and other practical
‘purposes. Some of vur clever artisans may like to
experiment upon it. It is composed of fitteen
‘parts of powdered quartz, ten of potash, and one of
charcoal. These are melted together, worked in
‘cold water, and then boiled with five parts of
‘water, in which it entirely dissolves. It is then
applied to woodwork, or any other required sub-
‘stance. As it coolsit gelatinizes, and dries up into
‘a transparent colourless glass, on any surface to
‘which it has been applied. It renders wood nearly
‘incombustible. The reduction of £1 per ton in
the price of iron has been generally adopted, and
‘it now appears that many of the masters never
sold at the advanced rate resolved upon at the
January quarterly meeting. Some dealers are of
opinion that it will be difficult to maintain even
the present price, and that a further reduction
may be expected at or before next quarter-day.—

—The Paris Exposition was opened on the 4th}|

instant, and comprises 4,500 exhibitors. The
building is 800 feet long and 350 feet wide, con-
taining three courts, one of which is filled with
metal work, chiefly cast-iron and zine. The erec-
tion of the building alone is said to have cost
£36,000, but this seems scarcely credible.——
An exceedingly interesting collection of sketches
and studies from nature by English painters, 239,
in number, is now being exhibited by Mr.
Hogarth, at his gallery in the Haymarket.——
We have to report the recent death at Rome of;
Mr. Henry Timbrell, the sculptor. Mr. Timbrel}|
was a pupil of Mr. Baily, the Academician,—and
in 1837 obtained the gold medal of the Royal:
Academy, for his group of ‘ Mezentius tying the
living to the dead.”

“ Hercules throwing Lychas into the Sea.”
Art-Journal reports that at the time of his death
Mr. Timbrell was engaged on two figures for the
view Houses of Parliament, to be cast in bronze.

To Corresponvents, Ke.

W. S. S—You can obtain this work of any book-
seller in your neighbourhood. They will com-
municate with their London agents.

E, B.—Send the ground plan.

J. S. N.—You will find it in the Fourth Volume
All are in print.

F. B. T.—Try astrong sointion of yellow soap

W. W.—We do not think it procurable.

* *Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in future
be charged at 10d. each.

Part 26 is now ready, price 10d.

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 3, of
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale. the Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 5, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Crick t, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to}
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand. |

va SOc

In 1843 he was elected tra-||
velling student,—the election being gained by his! |
The! |

SaTURDAY.,]

THE DECGRATOR’S*’ ASSISTANT.

| Jone 23, 1849.

On the Nature, Origin, and Wro=
gress of Bestan.

From A PAPER READ AT THE GENERAL Meer-
ING OF THE DecoRATIVE ArT Society,

Marcu, 1844, py Mr. Crasp.

——_

(Continued from Page 46.)

i AKE buta common
serrated leaf and see. with what mathematical
precision it radiates from one centre, and how
perfectly each point is shaped. The elegant,
but casual disposition of the acanthus over a
basket originated the Corinthian capital, The
beautiful ornaments, of foliage in Gothic archi-
tecture may be directly traced to nature; they
are faithful copies, gracefully and skilfully ar-

{ranged.. Examples from various styles might
be usefully adduced, and each would be found
to contain some peculiarity and marked princi-
ple, deserving the designer’s careful attention.
The most celebrated and successful artists in
the highest walks of Art have recommended

the study of nature, as originating their chief

beauties.. To the manufacturing designer, who
has less opportunity for deep study, a con-
templation of the beautiful productions of the

meadow and woodland will at once afford ele-'
gant recreation and valuable improvement.

I know not a word so completely misappro-
priated and misunderstood in England as de-
sign ; it being generally used to express draw-
ing, or a pattern, which is not its signification
in Art. The linen-draper aims to catch a stray
buyer of a mousseline de laine by pinning to it
*‘new design ;”” various trades are bitten by the
same mania, and we may anticipate the butcher
frizzing a sheep’s head and ticketing it “new
design.” It is of the utmost consequence that
design should be popularly known as an mpor-
tant art mcluding much beyond mere drawing.
Design cannot receive its true appreciation un-
tilthis takes place; therefore every opportunity
should be taken to remove an error by no means
confined to the lower classes. It is a word of
but recent use, forced into notice by our con-
tinental neighbours’ successful application of
educated art to their manufactures ;—occa-
sioning a world of grumbling among our old
fashioned tradesmen, who were well disposed
to adhere to their fathers’ notion of all fo-
reigners being humbugs, and as a consequence,
stuck to the perfection of their own taste ; but
some younger men, adopting those foreign no-||
tions, sadly confused their trade. . The ladies
naturally possess a more lively perception of
the beautiful than man, and will always be
found the first to appreciate the elegancies of
refinement. It was thus that, guided by their
natural taste, they chose dresses whose im-
proved colouring had come from France, bought
French ribbons for similar reasons, and eagerly
sought the nicely-fitting French slipper and
French glove; all this was declared prejudice,
protective duties were tried without success,
for he will be a clever tradesman to defeat a
woman when dress is concerned. Customers
of a quarter of a century’s standing looked at
their neighbours, admired the taste or novelty,
and bought elsewhere; it became high time for
both tradesmen and manufacturer to accom-
modate themselves to the growing change; de-
ficiency of intelligence upon the origin of true
taste prevented enquiry into the causes which
produced the improved articles in France, and
they sought, and still seek, to meet the
difficulty by importing and copying patterns,
Then came a parliamentary enquiry, and a
great mass of evidence was collected; among
many others I contributed to state our defi-

ete ieee ee ee

eS
ciencies. Subsequently a School of Design| nental neighbours will tend to place us in our|}

was instituted, which has continued putting
forward excellent theories, but unsuited for
practical purposes, and a continued series of
failures has resulted from an unbusiness-like
management,

There are very many persons, who, without
much thought, and with a deficient capability
of comprehension, consider the art of Devising
or Design to be nothing more than mere draw-
ing, and as ‘easily: learned as any mechanical
craft. By taking this deteriorating view of
the Art, it immediately ceases to be held in the
estimation to which, from the importance of
its varied and extensive application, it is
justly entitled.

A creditable designer requires to haye natu-
rally a fine perception of the beautiful, a feeling
for the charming versatility of form and co-
louring, a lively imagination, facility in asso-
ciating ideas and applying the materials col-
lected by study to produce invention, and an
extensive acquaintance with the sources of
ornament and principles in which the Arts of
Design originated among the nations of anti-
quity, and ultimately arrived at very great per-
fection. A peculiar knowledge separate from
artistic skill, is also requisite for the application
of design to manufactures. Judicious culture,
aided by experience, will produce a purity of
taste, a power of adjusting and adapting the
separate principles with sound judgment, so as
to create the highest excellencies.

A man thus endowed claims respect and at-
tention; and we find in all countries, and in
al] times where the elegant arts have been ap-
preciated, the artist, in his several gradations,
placed in a conspicuous position, and supported
in honour and opulence. The nation that
would live in after ages, by acquiring dis-
tinction in the refinements of Art, must elevate
the artist, and however indisposed we may be
to admit the fact, it is unquestionable that in
England this has not been done. A want of
appreciation of the artist’s labours for the ap-
plication of Fine Art, has caused secondary
design to be neglected, and the inordinate de-
sire to, accumulate wealth has caused the
softening, elegant refinements of universal Art,
to be subverted by the British,standard of man’s
worth—money. | :

But brighter prospects are dawning ; thesuc-
cessful cultivation of Design by. our conti-

THE -DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

proper position. The most powerful and),
wealthy kingdom must not continue to do less),
for the encouragement of Art than such a state|}.
as Bavaria. - Although a nation of shopkeep-
ers, we may hope to see a taste spring up
among our merchant princes that shall demand
a revival of the sumptuous decorations of the)
old Italian trader. What a cheering hope to)
think of our City companies and corporate bo-
dies all over the country, sparing a little wealth
from gross feasting, to decorate their halls, en-|'
courage Art and do honour to themselves!)
The Hgyptian Hall may yet present other than
its newly poverty-stricken attempt at decora-
tion: some Medici in embryo may spread one
dinner less, and cover its naked surface with
decorations suitable for the chief apartment of
the first (i.e. the richest) of corporations.

Once enable the public mind to understand
the real beneficial purposes of Art, and it
would be fostered: fewer discreditable public
edifices erected, anda desire for the universal
embellishment of interiors arise, with the ca-
pability of appreciating the ennobling and hu-
manizing qualities associated with a love of||
the fine arts. Architecture, Painting, and
Sculpture are all equally incomplete without
each other; and design for the manu-
facturer is indispensable. It is in the power
of each one of us to contribute towards the
better understanding and consequent apprecia-
tion of these social benefits, which are obtained
by cultivating the refinements of understading ;
and it will be found a means of accelerating the
advancement to superior feeling for both Art
and artist, especially for its appreciation when|/
applied to manufactures.

It is necessary we should constantly keep
before us the fact, that ourown more humble
branches of art are inseparably associated with|\
the success of the higher branches. They cannot
be cultivated apart, and when speaking of one
I include both, A noble architectural mansion||
requires the rich embellishments of historic} |
painting, decoration and gilding, sculpture in
its halls, elegant furniture and costly plate,||

| more or less in good taste, as the owner is in-|}

fluenced by liberality and fine feeling toward
art. Dress and ornaments partake of the

|splendour, and thus we have a universal be-

nefit, creating and extending itself to a variety
of minor employments. qs

Yer aa ap TD ON OEE DD eR TOTS De ee ee gs

Royal Academy.

PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

(Continued from page 77.)

LECTURE III.
Tur Cartoons make me present at the scenes
they represent more than the works of any other
painter who has treated such subjects; and it is
only in the recollection of them that I can fancy
I have seen the Apostles. It may be unfair to
judge entirely of Leonardo’s “ Last Supper” from
our copy, fine as it is, or I should say that, with
the exception of that of the Saviour, all the heads
there, are less satisfactory than those of the same
persone? in the Cartoons.

In their representations of humanity, the ear-
lier Italian painters, as far as I can judge, seem
to have given portraits of persons about them,
with little attention to propriety of character ;
in this respect resembling the naturalisti of the
latter part of the sixteenth century. They were
ideal only in their impersonations of the divine.
Where, however, their subjects were dramatic,
their inventions are often very fine, and the
engravings from the Campo Santo at Pisa wlll
show you from whence many of the materials of
Raphael and Michael Angelo were derived. But
whatever Raphael adopted, either from this
great treasure-house of medizeval art. or from
other sources, he adopted to improve, which
cannot perhaps be so strictly said of Michael
Angelo, whose “ Last Judgment” might pro-
bably have been better planned, as unquestion-
ably the principal figure might have been more
finely conceived, had he never seen the “ Last
Judgment” of Oreagno.

The great work of that early painter, “ The
Triumph of Death,” has, however, not been
imitated, to my knowledge, in its principal fea-
ture ; indeed, the conception is So fine as to pre-
clude amendment, Nothing could be added,
nothing taken from if, without injury. Our agso-
ciations of the skeleton form with Death have, it
is true, to be got rid of at the first sight of the
beldame of Orcagna, an Atropos armed with a
seythe, with streaming hair, and the wings and
talons of a harpy. She disregards the solicitations
of a group of beggars, and hastens towards a
party of fair dames and gallant cavaliers who are
Seated under the shade of orange trees listening
to minstrelsy, while Cupids are fluttering above
them. This group is separated from the beggars
by a heap of the dead and the dying, kings,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

aN nN ea neem

queens, churchmen, warriors, lords, and ladies,}
many of them still grasping in their hands the|’
things of the world. No finer sermon wag ever
painted; and it has a passage which I cannot
but notice, because it does the highest honour to
the painter’s feelings, when we consider the
spirit of the age in which he lived. Among the
poor and the miserable who are calling on Death
for relief, a wretched man extends towards the
phantom his arms, from which both hands have
been lopped by the barbarity of the law, which
is evident from the mutilation also of his fea-
tures. Now, though the obtrusion of objects of
horror is, in most cases, unjustifiable, yet here
the humanity of the motive, undoubtedly that of
interesting the better feelings of the rulers of hig
time, and opening their eyes to the cruelty ot
their laws, places the painter among the bene-
factors of his species.

Thus it is that intentions and circumstances
was to entirely change the character of the
imagery of painting as to render it impossible
to lay down any mere rule to which an exception
may not prove an excellence of the highest order.

Hogarth, in his “ Gin Lane,” has accumulated
objects of horror far beyond this. An admirable
critic, speaking of the coarse etching of this sub-
ject, which was published by Hogarth at the
lowest possible price, that it might be accessible
to the poor classes for whose instruction it was
intended, says, “‘ Everything in the print, to use||
a vulgar expression, tells. Every part is full of
‘strange images of death.’ It is perfectly amazing
and astounding to look at. Not only the two
prominent figures—the woman and the half-dead
man, which are ag terrible as anything which
Michael Angelo ever drew,—but everything else
in the print continues to bewilder and stupify ;
the very houses, as I heard a friend of mine
express it, tumbling about in various directions,
seem drunk—seem absolutely reeling from the
effect of that diabolical spirit of frenzy which
goes forth over the whole composition. To show
the poetical and almost prophetical conception
of ‘the artist one litéle circumstance may serve.
Not content with the dead and dying figures)
which he has strewed in profusion over the
proper scene of the action, he shows you what (of'|,
a kindred nature) is passing beyond it. Close by
the shell, in which, by the direction of the parish
beadle, a man is depositing his wife, is an old
wall, fwhich, partaking of the general decay
around it, is tumbling to pieces. Through a gap
in this wall are seen three figures, which appear
to make a part in some funeral procession which
ig passing by on the other side of the wall out of
the sphere of the composition.

a ae

(OIHLOD) ‘SAULSOT LHMOVUE WOT sNOISTAG OAL

—S

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Che UAooven Roefs of Bld
Mngland.

AT a recent meeting of the Hereford Archzeo-
logical Society, after other communications (re-
‘ported at length in the local papers), Mr. Beloe
read some remarks on wooden roofs.

Mr. Beloe observed that the timber roofs of the
ancient regal and baronial halls merited in an
‘eminent degree the attention of all to whom the
science of construction is an object of interest,
| although he was unable to enter into it, then, at
the length which its importance demanded. He
could then only furnish a few observations, which
might prove not uninteresting. He remarked that
| the artificers of the early Saxons appeared to have
jbeen, for the most part, either yaonks or slaves.
| They were, in fact, nothing more than mere neces-
sity made them; and they lived and died poor,
| unhonoured, and unimproved. Mr. Sharon
‘Turner, the historian, had remarked that “the
| /Habits of life were too uniform, its luxuries too
jfew, its property too small, its wants too nume-
rous, and the spirit of the great mass too servile
‘and dull, to have that collection of ingenious,
‘respected, and inventive men, who make and cir-
joulate ‘our internal and external commerce, with
eager but not illiberal competition, or to have
those accomplished artificers and manufacturers,
whose taste in execution equals the most elegant
fancy of its invention.” Mr. Beloe went on to
remark that the Anglo-Saxon carpenter was con:
sidered as part of what we are aceustomed to call
the plant of an estate, transferable with the land.
He was called the Treow-wyrta (tree or wood
workman), and thegAnglo-Saxon verb used in
‘speaking of building is getymbrian (to make of
‘'wood). it was well known that churches were at
; times constructed of wood, one of them—Green-
sted, Essex—still remaining.

‘| The Norman period was touched upon by the
‘lecturer, who observed that it was marked by the
| introduction of more durable materials, which
were used for several centuries before the construc-
| tion of any wooden roof. This art the Norman
| architects practised with such admirable skill and
| effect, that their works have not unfrequently been
considered beyond the pale of modern imitation.
| After alluding to various instances of this style, the
| lecturer passed to the Semi-Norman (1154 to
| 1189), which, he remarked, possessed all the cha-
' racteristics of the Norman, combined with the

| pointed arch. Castle Acre Priory was selected as

‘an example. The Early English or Lancet (1189

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. —

to 1272) was next explained, the illustration being
a doorway at Paul’s Cray, Kent, and the lecturer
referred to the beautiful windows of this style in|’
our cathedral, as well as at York, Salisbury, &c.

The lecturer then proceeded to explain the form
and idea of the open-timbered roof, remarking |
that the upright strut or queen-post, which rises
from the extremity of the hammer-beam, in most
of these roofs, suggested the idea of a pillar being
cut away at that point. The whole roof, therefore,
reminded one of two rows of pillars, dividing the
area into three aisles. He observed that the palace
of the Bishop of Hereford, and Westminster Hall,!
as originally built by William Rufus, were built on
this plan, which indeed seemed to be the usual
mode of constructing halls of large dimensions
previous to the fourteenth century, when an im-
proved manner of constructing arched roofs of
timber superseded the necessity of columns.

The Decorated period, including the greater part
of the fourteenth century, was next referred to.
After explaining the architectural characteristics
of the style, the lecturer remarked at length upon
the timber roofs of Nursted Court, Kent; Balsall}
Temple, Worcestershire ; Coventry School; Croy-
don Palace, &c. The roof of Crosby Hall, and
other buildings, though erected in that period, was
perfectly distinct in principle from those yet con-
sidered, being based on the property of the tri-
angle to resist racking or change of form.

He then passeé on to consider the Perpendicular
style (1377 to 1485), illustrating the architecture
from a sketch of a doorway in St. Mary’s, Beverley,
and explaining its characteristics. In considering
the timber roofs of the period, he gave a2 detailed
description of that of Westminster Hall. That
edifice was rebuilt by Richard II., almost from the
foundation ; he said almost, because Mr. Pugin
says that some of the lower portions of the side
walls are the original works of the time of William
Rufus. As it now stands, the span of the roof is
nearly double the ordinary width of Gothic groined
roofs, which seldom exceeded 35 feet. Numerous
obstacles to the erection of a stone roof in that
case must have presented themselves, and the
builder was thrown upon the resources of his art.
The result was a novel as well as elegant applica-
tion of that great element of lightness and beauty
in the arch. The former ponderous and friable
material was exchanged for one equally sus-
ceptible, and greatly supericr in both tenacity and||
tractability. The lecturer went on to refer to the}
roof of Romsey Abbey Church, and that of Eltham||
Palace. ‘The nearest example to the latter in this
locality was the roof of St. Martin’s Church, in
this city ; but the idea was not carried out to its||

eee

nee

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

fullest extent of beauty, some parts being plastered
jover. The lecturer then referred to the Guard-
penis, Lambeth Palace.

\ At that period, he remarked, ceilings were
\vellued ornaments of palaces. They usually con-
|tained representatious of memorable actions, but
our azure church ceiling with stars occurs. in
jancient crypts; in other cases the ceiling is in
black, with painted and gilt lattice-work, and
grotesque heads, &c.; and others were of wood,
painted or plastered in panels. After explaining
the construction of the roof of King’s College
Chapel, Cambridge, the lecturer went on to allude
to the interesting specimen of the roof of the clois-
ters of Hereford Cathedral, at the same time ex-
pressing his acknowledgments to the Very Rev. the
Dean, for having drawn his attention to that
roof, and to the President, for a specimen of
carving.

In speaking of the Tudor period, the lecturer
referred at some length to Wolsey’s Hall, Hampton
Court, perhaps the most elaborate specimen extant
of the style. As a scientific construction, it was
mich inferior to the roof of Westminster Hall, al-
though it displayed much ingenuity. Reference
was then made to Westminster School, the Middle
Temple Hall, and other excellent specimens of the
period.

The lecturer proceeded to glance briefly at the
general heaviness and inelegance of the Debased
style (1547 to 1640). The illustration was from
St. Peter’s-in-the- East Church, Oxford. An inte-
resting roof of this period exists in the chapel on
the estate of Mr. C. T. Bodenham, of Rother-
was.

He concluded by dividing Gothic roofs into four
classes :—first, those of simple arched ribs ;
second, those which have a grand arch spanning
the entire width ; third, those that have the arch
supported on brackets ; fourth, such as are formed
of two intersecting triangular frames, in which the
lateral pressure is counteracted by the longitudinal
stress upon the connecting beams. After that
period it became very difficult to trace the princi-
ple of the style at all.

British Museum.—The total amount expended
on the| new buildings and fittings of: the British
Museum, and for ornamental sculpture, from the
commencement of the rebuilding in 1823, up to
the 31st March, 1849, amounts, as shown by a
Parliamentary return, to £696,995. The total
(jamount of expenditure that will be required for
new buildings and fittings is estimated at

£56,500.

enamels, &c.

The sale of Mr. Hope’s collection of bronzes, &c.

took place last week at Messrs. Christie and Man-|

son’s, King-street, St. James’s, and it consisted of
a very fine collection of Etruscan vases, bronzes,
Some of the specimens were very
rare, and they all fetched good prices, as may be
seen by the following :—Lot 50, an amphora, of
elegant form, of fine Nolan ware, 50 guineas. Lot
62, an amphora, with the death of Achilles, ‘75
guineas. Lot 69, a rare two-handed cylix, 70
guineas. Lot 81, an amphora of Nolan ware, 88
guineas. Lot 82, a pelice and cover, 93 guineas.
Lot 85, a pelice, 55 guineas. Lot 97, a tall cir-
cular Etruscan vessel and cover of bronze, 105

guineas. Lot 98, an Apollo of Greek work, of
bronze, 400 guineas. 'The sale excited considerable
interest.

In a collection of drawings and sketches now on
view at the house of Mr. Hogarth, the printseller,
in the Haymarket, much valuable information may
be obtained on the nature and progress of a branch
of Fine Art in which the school of England may be
said to have taken the lead :—we allude to paint-
ing in water-colours. In this exhibition are some
of the earliest specimens of the art, when it con-
sisted rather in tintings of Indian ink or of bistre
than of painting; and the development of its
powers may be traced onwards until the examples
of the present time, when the full force of the
palette is employed with a power and brilliancy in
no degree inferior to those of the oil material.
Several of the chalk studies of the nude by Mul-
ready are fine; but there is a late drawing in pen
and ink, An Aeiienieal Study, 141, by him, that
is quite a marvel of intelligence. In the back view
of the form presented there is all to satisfy the
requirements of the physiologist ; for Mr. Mulready
has expressed in it his acquaintance with the struc-
ture of muscular development, and his observation
of the most subtle of its movements in complicated
action. The studies for the figures in the Game at
Whist, by Mr. Webster, Nos. 142-3-9 and 150,
are evidences of this painter’s careful preparations.
There is an admirable study of A Lioness by the
veteran academician Ward, 145; and there is an
early study of a Dog’s Head, 165, by Mr. Edwiu
Landseer.
the age of thirteen is 175, drawn by Mr. John!
Hayter. There are some capital studies about
Hampstead Heath, by Mr. Stanfield ; views about
Seville, Granada, and the Alhambra, by Mr.
Roberts ; excellent little studies for oil pictures,

by Mr. Frost; and scenes in the East from the};
pencil of Mr. Dadd. There are’ also studies by||
other artists too numerous for us to particu-||
larise.

A portrait of the last-named artist at/|

|
ee |
An Elustrates Glossary of Technical

Termsusey tn Architectural anv
Eniertor sBecorvatton, Ke.

88 THB. DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

| Party Wauts. Partitions of brick between;
buildings, in several occupations. re

Pate. In fortification, a kind of platform: in |
shape of an horse-shoe, encompassed only with a
parapet, and, having nothing to plank it, usually
erected in marshy ‘grounds to cover a gate of a
town.

Pause. A pointed stake, and piece of board,
'/used in making enclosures.

PATERNOSTERS. Rows of beads carved on
mouldings.

PALISADES. Pales or stakes set up for an en-~-
closure. Or strong sharp pointed wooden stakes,
sometimes armed with iron spikes, fixed in the
ground, are used. in fortification.

Pinaster. A kind of square column, which
has its proportions and ornaments, such as flu-
tings, &c. like those of the columns of the order

PALING ror TREES. A sort of fencing for se-
parate trees, formed by three small posts, connec-
ted with cross bars.

| Pauutrer. A French term, which signifies a
landing place in a staircase, which is broader than
the rest of the stairs, and serves as a resting place.

PALLIFICATION OR PILING. The act of piling
ground-work, or strengthening it with piles.

Pampre. An ornament composed of vine
leaves and bunches of grapes, with which the hol-
low of the circumvolutions of twisted columns are
;\gometimes decorated.

PaNcaRPr. Garlands and festoons of fruit,
flowers, and leaves, adorning altars, doors, vesti-
bules, &c.

PAVEMENT (TESSELLATED). A pavement of
mosaic work used bysthe ancients, made of square
pieces of stone, &c. called essere. The Romans
greatly delighted in this kind of ornamental floor,
which succeeded, Pliny tells us to the old painted

from which it is named. It is generally engaged
in the wall, having a projection of the third, |
fourth, fifth, or even only the sixth of its breadth.

PaneL. Athin board having all its edges in-
serted in the groove of a surrounding frame. A
panel, in masonry, is one of the faces: of :a hewn
stone.

PARrGeT. A name applied in a general sense to
the several kinds of gypsum, which, when slightly
calcined, forms plaster of Paris, but more particu-
jarly applied to the gypsums brought from Derby-
‘| shire and Montmartre. »

‘Panera. A vessel used inthe Roman sacrifi-
ces, in shape of a dish, sometimes introduced. as
an ornament. in friezes, &c.

pavements which originated in Greece. Many spe-
cimens have been found in various parts of Eng-
land, as well as in every part of the continent

z a iu er the church
which was under the Roman dominion, Parvis, Formerly a room over t

porch, where schools used to be held.

Wseful Ieceipts.

| Cleaning of Engravings.—Put the engraving
jon a smooth board, cover it thinly with common
salt finely powdered ; then squeeze some lemon
juice upon the salt so as to dissolve a considerable
portion of it; elevate one end of the board, so that
it may form an angle of about 45 or 50 degrees
with the horizon. Pour on the engraving boiling
water from a tea-kettle until the salé and Jemon
juice be all washed off; the engraving will then be
perfectly clean and free from stains, It must
be dried on a board, or some smooth surface, gra-
dually. Ifdried by the fire or the sun, it will be
tinged with a yellow colour. Any one may satisfy

trying it on an engraving of small value.—J. F.

To Dissolve Copal in Spirit of Turpentine
without the use of Camphor.—Reduce two ounces
of copal to small pieces, and put them into a glass
vessel capable of containing four times.as much,
with height in proportion to its breadth; then mix
a pint of spirit of turpentine with one-eighth of
spirit of sal-ammoniac; shake. them well together,
and put them to the copal ; cork the glass, and tie
it over with string or wire, and make a small hole
through the cork. Set the glass in a sand heat, so
regulated as to make the contents boil as quickly
as possible, but so gently that you may count the
bubbles as they rise from the bottom. The same
heat must be kept till the solution is complete.
It requires the. most accurate attention to succeed
in this operation. After the spirits are mixed,
they should be put to the copal, and the necessary
degree of heat be given as soon as possible; it
should likewise be kept up with the utmost regu-
larity. If the heat abates, or if the spirits boil too
quick, the solution will immediately stop, and it
will be in vain to proceed with the same materials;
butif properly managed, the spirit of sal-ammoniac
will be seen gradually to descend, and attack the
copal, which swells and dissolves. Itis of great
consequence that the vessel should not be opened
till some time after it is perfectly cold, for if un-
corked, even when not warm enough to affect the
hand, the contents will most probably blow out
with considerable violence.

To Dissolve Copal in, Alcohol.—Dissolve half an
ounce of camphor in a pint of alcohol, put itina
glass vessel, and add four ounces of copal in small
Pieces ; set it in a sand heag, so regulated that the
bubbles may be counted as they rise from the bot-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. .

himself of the perfect efficacy of this method, by |

tom, and continue the same heat till the solution is
completed. Copal will dissolve in spirit of turpen-|}
tine, by the addition of camphor, with the same
facility, but not in the same quantity, as in
alcohol.

On CBAater-colours for LMuminating
Prints, K,.

(Continued from page 77.)

OF BLUE.

‘

Ir your colour seems to be clammy or nasty, you
may correct it thus: add thereto tartar, dissolved
in water, as much as will drown it, and let it rest
for one day at least ; then wash it in warm water,
and you will by this. means have it correct and well
purified. Ultramarine must be chosen of a high
colour and well ground, which may be known by
putting it between the teeth; for if it feels gritty,
it is a. sign that it has not been well ground.

To know whether it be pure and unmixed, put a
little of it into a crucible, and heating it red-hot, if
the powder does not change its colour after trial, it
is certainly pure ; but, on the contrary, if there be
any change or black specks in it, then it has been
adulterated.

The Prussian blue is next to ultramarine in
beauty, if it be used in oil, though it is not agreed
on whether it will hold so well as the other, par-
ticularly as not having the body of the ultramarine.
The Prussian blue does not grind well in water,
because there is such an oily quality in it, that it
does not mix kindly with water, and at the best
will change, as it is now prepared in the common
way. Attempts have been made to make it a blue}
ink, which indeed has held the colour for a month
or two, but then turned to a muddy yellow. And
when you put your pencil with gum-water into a
shell of this blue, you will find that where the water
spreads, the blue will turn yellowish, till the body
of the colour is well stirred up; and after all that
can be done with this colour in water, it will only
serve to shade ultramarine with: but in oil it may
serve very well, for the present, to supply the place
of ultramarine.

Blue bice is a colour of good brightness, and the
next to the Prussian blue. It is also a colour of a
good body, and will flow pretty well in the pencil,
especially if it be well washed, as is directed to be
done of the whites and minium.

a
rr cE a er

eee

| exhibited in the saloons, Amongst them were
| Alman’s patent Electric light, and a model of a

||design of Mr. W. H. Smith, and several specimens
‘lof home grown flax,"which attracted great atten-

‘jelbows between the seats. There will not be any

90 THE DECORATOR’S’ ASSISTANT.

The Britannia Bridge.—The tubes forming this
bridge are eight in number, four of which, smaller
than the rest, are to be seen in the course of con-
struction, on scaffolding of great strength, occu-
pving the spaces between the land towers and the
inland abutments, which are 230 feet apart, at
either extremity of the bridge, two tubes being
placed parallel to each other, forming the roadway
to andfro. The four larger ones.are placed toge-
ther on stages reaching into the river, and cover-
ing a long distace along the Carnarvonshire shore,
each measuring 472 feetin length, and weighing
1,800 tons. Three piers, of:masonry of stupen-
dous dimensions, the highest of which rises on the|
Britannia Rock in the middle of the straits some
230 feet, being about 70 feet higher than the arch
hollowed out for the reception of the tubes, stand:
towering over the foaming’ waters. ‘The traveller
is also attracted by the collossal sculpture of four;
monster lions, which distinguish the entrance to the,
tubes, two at each end, couched on the summit of
lofty pedestals. They contain about 8,000 cubic:
feet of limestone. Near to the stage on which the
tubes are erected are eight pontoons, two of iron,
and the others of wood, ready for floating the first
tube to its resting-place between the pillars. This
has just been completed. The piles on which it
was built have just been removed, and it now rests)
on two walls of masonry, erected at feither end, af-
fording sufficient room for placing the immense
pontoons beneath. Its strength has been tested
with satisfactory results.

The Cbhronotyptst.

Mr. Joon CRoAuLL, the coachmaker of Edin-
burgh, is now manufacturing an extensive series of
mail coaches for the Emperor of Russia. The
President of the:Royal Society, the Earl of Rosse,
held his last soirée for the season at Somerset
House on the 16th. Some interesting models of
recent invention and several scientific objects were

new description of a Harbour of Refuge, after a

tion. The sale of Mr. W, W. Hope’s valuable

collection of pictures, concluded? on the 16th, at
the rooms of Messrs. Christie and Mason, King
Street, St. James’s, and the lots, fifty-nine in num-
ber, fetched good sums.——A return obtained by
Mr. Ewart, M.P., shews that in the new House of
Commons there will be seats 20 inches wide, for
462 members. There will not be any partitions or

shelves below the seats, as they would interfere
with the ventilation ; but presses, affording a closet
under lock and key, forjeach member, are proposed
to be made in the private gallery between the re-
freshment room and the library. Each lobby will
afford accommodation, on divisions, for from 450 to
500 members. There will be seats for the public
in the “ Strangers’ Gallery,” 18 inches wide, for 96
persons, besides other accommodation for 54 per-
sons, either standing or seated, as may be deter-
mined. There will be seats 20 inches wide,in the
Speaker’s and Peers’ Gallery for 52 persons, and
seats for 28 official persons attending ihe House,
under the gallery, 18 inches wide. Lastly, there
will be’seats for 82 newspaper reporters in a gallery
at the back of the Speaker’s chair. The Society
of Arts has opened an exhibition of the works of
illiam Etty, R.A., at their roomsin John Street,
Adelphi. Amongst the collection, which is very
large, will be found some of the best paintings of
this popular artist. The northern portion of the
main line of the North Staffordshire Railway’ is
now completed, that is to say, the part between
Congleton and the junction with the London and
North-Western at Macclesfield. The directors
opened it for passenger traffic on the 18th. The
viaduct over the Dane Valley isa great work, and
on the opening of the line the Potteries will be
permanently placed on the shortest route between
Manchester and Birmingham, and both plaves and
London.

Co Correspondents, Ke.

G. Jones.—The First Steps to Geometry; will be
found in Volume I. of this work.

J. F.—You will find your article inserted in the
present number.

W. G.—Many thanks for your suggestions, we
wiil avail ourselves of them, and that, perhaps,
very shorily.

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 3, of
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing

lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale. the Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 5, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J LW. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand. ‘

a Sm.

* Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in future
be charged at 10d. each.

Part 26 is now ready, price 10d. |

a a

BLUE-BELL.

From the Basso-relievo by R. Westmacott, A.RA., in ihe Collection of the Right Hon. the Earl

of Eliesmere .
No. 110.—Vot. V.! | Two-PENCE,

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112.—Vot. V.!

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SatTurDAY, |

Portraiture.

ORTRAITURE in its true and
jcomplete intent and meaning, we take to be
that Art-presentment in which we read the
history of the original as much almost as his
immediate individuality. Not merely should
we have the forms and the distinct and peculiar
action characteristic of the individual as dis-
jtinguished from all others, but the moral im-
press—the result, as it were, of the habitual
thought—that stamps the idiosynocrasy of the
‘subject. In this way it is that a portrait gal-
lery would be an informer of the highest in-
_ terest, handing down to us the very presence,
as it were, of the men who are yet morally
with us by their influence on the condition of
things amid which we live. The history of
Art accordingly shows us Portraiture early as-
‘sociated with the highest names, and with the
loftiest aim. In its first form this branch is
‘not seen narrowed to the exclusive practice of a
professor—but mingled with the general prac-
tice of the highest painters of imagination.
We need only recall the attention of our rea-
iders to the fact that from the hands of Giotto,
in his portrait of Dante, we obtain our most
authentic knowledge of the personality of the

THE DECORAOTR’S ASSISTANT.

[June 30, 1849.

| Tuscan bard. By means of the art of Simone
Memmi we are made acquainted with Petrarch
and the host of his contemporaries—literary,
artistic, and political—in the adornments of
the far-famed chapel of the Spaniards. Both
these aim at individuality—have that intense
rendering of the intellectual speciality to which
we have alluded, with a beautiful simplicity of
the means employed in their artistic revelation.
Proceeding onwards, the evidences are conti-
nued of adherence to the same integrity of
views, with an impruvement in the Art-lan-
guage of the record,—in the Medicean family
and other distinguished characters in the Pisan
Campo Santo by Gossoli: and yet higher
forms of portrait expression meet us at a still!
more advanced period in the frescoes by Ghir-
landajo, occupying the space behind the altar
of Sta. Maria Novella, or in the chapel of the
Trinita. Here the more enlarged Art-intention
never induces the painter to lose sight of the
individual look and bearing. We may refer
also to the constant occurrence of the head or
figure of the donatore in votive pictures. The
same spirit which Raffaelle, inheriting this
practice, infused into many of these votive
pictures—as in the heads of the donatori of
the Madonnas del Foligno and St. Sisto—he
carried into these minor performances in which
the objective truth was unassociated with reli-

gious influences.

We are thus brought down to a period when
the art of portraiture was in the hands of the
“¢ divine painter’’—constituting quite a distinct
branch. In the early portraits of Angelo
Doni and of his wife,—in the ‘Leo between
the Cardinals”—in the warlike Julius—in the
Cardinal Bibbiena—are seen the same high
sincerity of purpose arriving at the true per-
ception of character; the powerful present-
ment of habitual expression being helped pro-
bably by the advantage which the painter en-
joyed in constant personal intercourse with his

originals. For it must be borne in mind that
in those days—as will be seen also in the
works of Holbein—it was not the habit of the
artist to ‘‘chronicle small beer,” The time
and talents of the portrait painter were not
then dissipated in the record of insignificance
or deformity—and the art had not degenerated
toatrade. ‘The sitters were a picked class,
and the painters were impressed with the im-

a a A TI CPE a ee ee

THE DECORATGCR’S ASSISTANT.

pressed with the importance of rendering them
to posterity. That Holbein, with whose
works the English student may make such
intimate acquaintance, wrought with such mo-
tive is proved by the fact that his portraits are
corroborated by the estimate which must be
formed from our knowledge derived from other
sources of the lives and histories of his ori-
ginals. Itwas with sounder feeling and im-
proved art that the painter of ‘‘Cadore” so
wrought in the treatment of the magnificos of
Venice as to make a proverb of the ‘‘ senatorial
dignity’? which he imparted to them: and
Tintoretto, if he did not surpass his master, at
least degraded not the model of his stern and
simple grandeur. In Sebastian del Piombo the
same dignity of native character was preserved ;
and of Leonardo da Vinci, whose portraits are
not abundant, we may point as an example to
the celebrated portrait, in Vienna, of Francis
Sforza, Duke of Milan. All these artists fol-
lowed Plutarch’s maxim, laid down in his
“‘ Life of Alexander :’’—“ Therefore as pain-
ters in their portraits labour the likeness in the
face, and particularly about the eyes, in which
the peculiar turn of mind most appears, and
run over the rest with a more careless hand;
so we must be permitted to strike off the fea-
tures of the soul, in order to give a real
likeness of these great men, and leave to others
the circumstantial detail of their labours and
achievements.” This remark is of importance
at a time when we give up so much time and
consideration to the elaboration of occasional
particulars, and lose sight of the noble qualities
of this department of Art. Of Titian it has
been observed that the sacrifice which he made
tothe delineation of the human eye was great:
yet though unequalled in its imitation, and
with an execution that leaves us wondering as
to the manner of manipulation employed, all

things were with him subordinated to the more.

noble and elevated aim of conveying the habitual
eXpression and dignified look of the class who
sat to him. The attitudes are simple and
unaffected in all his portraits ; and no extrinsic
or unnecessary details were ever permitted to
interfere with the conception of character.
Before his time, form more than colour was
the element studied for such representations.
Holbein aimed at the reproduction of the object
before him by means of more force of mere

actual truth in form, and the result was more
of formality and rigidity than the truth of light
and shade and colour would have given him.
This was probably the result of national cha-
racter. The Venetian presented the more
picturesque and luxurious senatorial dignity of
his land ; while the German brought with him
into England the more ascetic Teutonic tastes.
Titian gives more of the fluctuating emotion ;
Holbein more of the fixed and permanent aspect
of the general character; Raffaelle the most
sublimated yet vital conception of the counte-
nance, in which we read the workings of the
inner soul developed in the absence of all
Art pedantry and without any professional
effort.

Our limits compel us to this mere sketch,
and to pass on at once to later times, when
the dignity of portraiture was differently
expressed by Rembrandt. This great artist
obtained his results, with a congenial absence
of effort or affectation, by means of masses of,
light and shade and colours, producing the’
largest amount of general breadth and truth.)
The “* Dutch Burgomaster” survives in equal)
force of individuality with the “Venetian
Senator.” The dashing and intrepid pencil! of
Velasquez puts the fidalgo on the canvas in all,
the vitality of his grave deportment and with
the most consummate art; just insisting on
the main features, and the main features only,
of the character, in a language that fascinates,
as much from its wonderful truth as from its,
daring eXecution. !n Rubens, the severity and)
integrity of this art are already on the wane.
The principles of the Venetian School are in,
him seen diluted; and the artist himself and
his palette divide the attention of the spectator.
Richness of colouring, vigour of light and,
shade, and the commencement of a taste for!
are
ground. His canvasses are given up to com-
binations that sacrifice to the desire of engraft-
ing the resources of historic art the separate
integrities of the abstract and the actual. The,
same influences are seen directing his scholar
Vandyke; and in his hands have resulted in
some of the most refined and varied specimets
of painting (technically viewed) that are now
eXtant.

accessorial introduction seen gaining

(Zo be continued.)

Bulwich Callery.

AT this season of the year, we advise ali our
readers living in and near London, who can spare
[an afternoon from their employments, to visit the
[Dulwich Gallery of Paintings. It is a beautiful
collection, and the public are admitted without
having to pay anything either for admission, or to
the attendants at the gallery. The paintings were
bequeathed to Dulwich College by Sir Francis
Bourgeoise in 1811, on condition, we believe, that
the public should be admitted to view them gratu-
itously ; and the directions of the testator have
been acted upon in a liberal spirit, which it would
be well for the public if the trustees of other be-
quests for the benefit of the nation would imitate.

Dulwich Gallery is situated about five miles
from London Bridge. From April to November,
it is open from ten o’clock in the morning, till five
in the evening,. During the winter season, from
November to April, it is open from eleven till three.
It is closed on Fridays and Saturdays throughout
the year. In order to be admitted it is requisite to
procure acard, which must be presented to the
keeper of the gallery. It may be obtained from
any of the Printsellers in London, who, all give
tickets of admission on being applied to for them ;
and it is requisite that those who wish to view the
paintings should provide themselves with tickets
before leaving town, as they will experience great
difficulty in obtaining any at Dulwich. The door-
keeper will not admit any visitors without present-
ing a ticket; but one is sufficient to introduce a
party. On entering the visitors have to enter their
name ina book kept for the purpose; and they
are then at once allowed to enter the gallery. It
consists of one long room, divided into compart-
ments, and contains between three and four hun-
dred paintings, which are nearly all in very good
condition. Some few want cleaning; and some—
one in particular—we think it would be adviseable
to remove altogether, although to the artist and
connoisseur such paintings as that which we allude
to, may not appear to overstep the modesty of na-
ture, we are inclined to believe that the majority of
the visitors of the gallery think otherwise. We
are no advocates for the modesty that would clothe
the Appollo Belvidere in breeches, but a painting
that might not be improper in a private collection,
issometimes unfitted for a public exhibition, and
we think this to be the case with the one alluded
to. We suppose however that the trustees, or go-
vernors of Dulwich College, to which the gallery
isattached, have good reasons for continuing the

ee
a

painting in the collection, and also for removing

THE DECORATOR’S ‘ASSISTANT. ~

| the veil, which we believe was once placed before

‘t. Among the paintings the visitor will find the
ce ebrated portrait of Mrs. Siddons as the Tragic
Muse, by Sir Joshua Reynolds ; the Descent from
the Cross, by Vandyke; the Martyrdom of Saint
Sebastian, by Guido; and the Group of Cupids, by
Rubens. Besides these the gallery contains some
very excellent specimens of the Italian and Flemish
schools; and the works of our English masters
will be found equally worthy of attention. Artists
wishing to copy any of the paiatings, can obtain
permission to do so on making application by letter
to the Master of Dulwich College, and forwarding
their name and address,

The excellent state of preservation of the pic-
tures, and the entire absence of any of those
scratching and scrawlings by which many persons
like to make it known that they have visited and
disfigured any work of art, &c., affords, we think
sufficient proof of the injustice of the charge that
the exhibition of works cannot be thrown open to
the public without leading to their mutilation and
disfigurement. It is true that the public being ad-
mitted to this gallery by tickets, there is some
slight check upon those who might. otherwise be in-
clined to misconduct themselves; and the atten-
dants also protect the paintings; but when it is
borne in mind that many places to which admission
can only be obtained either by a douceur to the at-
tendants, or by paying acertain fee, have not es-
caped the “ English propensity,” we think there
is very good reason to conclude, that where the
visitors of an exhibition, being admitted free, feel
‘thatian injury to the works exhibited, is an injury
to themselves, there is far less likelihood of their
permitting it to be effected, than where they feel
they are only viewing some person’s property,
about the preservation of which they may feel but
little interest or concern.

Polishing Powder.—Certain of the French ma-
nufacturers of polishing powder use in their manu-
facture scraps of old iron, which they put ina tub
and cause to rust quickly by sprinkliug with wa-
When a sufficient quantity of rust has thus
been formed, it is collected by washing, and after
allowing it to settle, itis dried and calcined in a
crucible. The longer the calcination is continued,
the more the oxide approaches to a violet hue, and
the harder its grain, Ata very high temperature
the oxide is partly reduced, its colour becomes more
gray, and the grain is too hard for polishing. The
red oxide serves for polishing gold or silver, the|}
violet oxide is fit for polishing steel. When taken|)
out of the crucible it is first triturated, and then||}
levigated, in order to collect the finest parts.

ter.

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ORNAMENT.

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THE DECORATOR’S' ASSISTANT.

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96. THA

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Royal Academy.
| PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

(Continued from page 83.)

LECTURE III.

THs e tending of the interest beyond the
bounds of the subject could only have been con-
ceived by a great genius. Shakespeare in his de-
scription of the painting of the Trojan War in his
§ Tarquin and Lucrece,’ has introduced a similar
device where the painter made a part stand for
the whole :—

“‘For much imaginary work was there,

Conceit deceitful, so compact, so kind,

That for Achilles’ image stood his spear,

Griped in an armed hand ; himself behind

Was left unseen, save to the eye of mind

A hand, a foot, a face, a leg, a head.

Stood for the whole to be imagined.”
This he well calls imaginary work, where the spee-
tator must meet the artist half way ; and it is pe-
culiar to the confidence of high genius alone to
trust so much to spectators or readers. Lesser ar-
tists show every thing distinct and full, as they re-
quire an object to be made out to themselves before
they can comprehend it.”

I was unwilling to abridge this ‘eulogium on Ho-
garth, which is as just as it is eloquent and instruc-
tive. Itis from the pen of one of the most refined,
one of the purest-minded and warmest-hearted of
men—Charles Lamb ; and it is only to be regretted
that in his Essay on the great moral painter—the
best ever writlen—he has introduced a comparison
between him and Reynolds, disparaging to the lat-
ter, Hogarth neither needs nor can gain any ele-
vation in this way. Sir Joshua and he are as two
great luminaries in the Art of their couutry, nei-
ther of which is in the slightest degree dimmed by
the other.

Christian Art was checked in its earlier stages by
the dread of Idolatry ; and it seems from this fear
that the first Christian Artists refrained, or were
prohibited from any attempt to introduce represen-
tations of the real person of our Saviour into their
works. Another reason for this is supposed to
have resulted from a literal construction of the
passage in Isaiah in which it is said, ‘“He hath no
form or comeliness ; and when we shall see Him,
there is no beauty that we should desire Him.”
The figurative image of the Good Shepherd was,
therefore, adopted; at other times a lamb or a vine
where the types resorted to, and even Orpheus allu-
4jng the beasts of the forests by the sound of his

ce eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eee

lyre became, though less frequently, atype of Christ
teaching. This system of typical representation
accounts for.the frequent preference of subject
from the old Testament. Abraham in the act of
sacrificing Isaac, alluded to the one great sacrifice,
—the rock struck by Moses “was the spiritual
Rock, the stream, the Well of salvation,’? and the
ascension of Elijah to Heaven the ascension of our
Lord.

This system was adopted also by Michael Angelo
in the Sistine Chapel,— where Christ appears only
as the Judge of the World; and Raphael, in the
frescoes of the Vatican, complimented the Popes
Julius the Second and Leo the Tenth by typical
allusions to passages in their lives. The subjects
in which he has done this were no doubt suggested
to him, and not perhaps such as he would have
chosen; but the skill with which hehas managed
the unavoidable anachronisms cannot be too highly
praised.

When, however, near the close of his life, Ra-
phael was employed by Leo to furnish a series of
designs for tapestry, from the New Testament, to
adorn the Sistine Chapel, he was no longer fettered
by any other than the direct meaning of the story,
—and he produced the Cartoons, of which the se-
ven that (so fortunately for this country) belong to
the Royal collection, and which are the only ones
that exist. would alone have given him his trans-
cendant reputation, were they the only series of his
works known to us, containing, as they do, the
highest soarings of his genius.

In ‘The Miraculous Draught of Fishes,’ we see
the Redeemer selecting his friends and ministers
from the humblest class of men. In ‘The Charge
to Peter’ the choice is ratified in a still more solemn
manner. In ‘The Death of Ananias’ and ‘ The
Punishment of Elymas’ the gospel purity is vindi-
cated, —at Lystra, and at the Beautiful Gate, its
beneficence is manifested,—while at Athens it op-
poses the pride of philosophy, and demands of the
sophists that they should become as little children,
It is true these subjects might have been selected,
as some of them have been, by other painters, but,
the peculiar feeling with which Raphael has treated
them belonged to himself alone,—and there is not
an instance in which any story of the series has
been repeated by another hand, however great
which is not comparatively a failure.

In‘ The Sacrifice at Lystra’ the centre group,|}

consisting of the kneeling priests and the man who
is about to strike the victim is taken from an an-
tique bas-relief. Butthis group, though occupying
the larger portion of the picture, is but accessory
'o thé story of the miracle.— have before noticed

the introduction of the two sweet children at the

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

eae aang eNO ase AE CPA FA Res SYNE EP ES ein seein Ree eres Nee

altar—-an exquisite emanation of Raphael’s own
gentle mind. The charm is not in their being
there, but in their inattention to what is going on
about them ;— so natural and so unlike the 1a0de
in which children are represented by inferior pain-
ters with expressions beyond their years ;—and I
would here remark, in passing that Raphaelas well
as Michael Angelo, in their ‘Holy Families,’ suf-
fered themselves (and very lightly) to be guided by
nature rather than by prescription. This, I think,
will generally be foundin comparing such subjects
by themiwith the treatment usual among Medizval
painters. Inthe beautiful unfinished marble by
Michael Angelo in our Library, you would parti-
cularly observe the preference of a natural to a
mystical treatment.

The happy invention by which the story of the
miracle at Lystra is told by Raphael has been so
often the theme of praise, that I need not dwell on
it. But if on this most admirable work, so. filled
with the very highest quality of Art, I might ven-
ture any remark in the way of objection, it would
be on the action and expression of St. Paul. No-
thing can be more elegant than the lines of the
figure; but (and this is rare indeed with Raphael)
the meaning is not clearly expressed. The left
hand does not hold the drapery so that it could be
torn, and the attitude altogether seems to me want-
ing in that energy that so peculiar characterised

St. Paul.
i| How different is he from the earnest man, who
on the steps of the Areopagus, directs the group
||of philosophers before him to the true God, you
cannot fail to perceive. We here see St. Paul him-
self,—the Paul whose fervid eloquence made Felix
tremble and almost persuaded Agrippa to become
a Christian as he stood in chains before them. In
the whole wide range of Raphael’s compositions I
know not one, indeed, in which truth of expression
and discrimination of character are carried farther
than in this cartoon. The Stoic whose principles
of self-denial and indurance may in some degree
have prepared him for the reception of the new
doctrine, or at any rate do not demand its rejection,
|stands with his head declined on his breast, his eves
closed, and his mantle closely wrapped about him,
“ thinking from head to foot,” as it has been hap-
pily observed. Next to him a Cynic, with a mind
as hard as the crutch on which he leans, listens not

without some interest toa dovtrine so little pala- |

table to the rich man, the luxurious. The Epict-
rean (the next figure) is amused rather than inter-
ested ; and behind him an older man is solving in
his mind some doubt to which the arguments of
| che apostle have given rise. The space between
these and the saint is}filled by the ‘‘eager disputants
of the Academy,” while on the steps close behind

him sits a caviller by nature, who is crattily
watching for some contradiction—some illogi-
cal deduction in the chain of argument, and be-
yond him we see gross figure, the personification of
a sensuality that stands entirely between its victim
and the pure religion that is preached for the first
time in Athens.

(To be continued.)

Giseful Weeewts.

Receipt for making Blue Writing Ink.—Take
of Prussian blue one drachm, oxalic acid two
drachms, powdered gum half a drachm, water four
ounces. Rub the Prussian blue and oxalic acid to-
gether in a mortar to a fine powder, then add the
water gradually, and lastly add the gum, which is
necessary, as without it this ink will sink deeply
into the paper, and consequently fade in colour.

Another Blue Ink that turns Black.—Dissolve
indigo in sulphuric acid, by powdering the indigo
and boiling it in the acid; then add gradually
boiling water until the colour is sufficiently
diluted ; it will then be a solution of sulphate of;
indigo; add chalk to neutralise the acid, and you
will then have a solution of indigo in water, while
the insoluble sulphate of lime will fall to the bot-
tom of the vessel; add to a pint of this solution
one ounce of powdered: galls, one ounce of log-
wood, and half au ounce of sulphate of iron.

To make Pink Ink.—Pink ink may be made by
infusing, three or four days, Brazil wood, chopped
into small pieces, in vinegar; the infusion must
then be boiled for an hour, strained and thickened
slightly with gum Arabic and sugar. A little alum
improves the colour. ~About twoounces of Brazil
wood to @ pint of vinegar is the proper quantity.

Preparation of Gold Powder for Gilding.—
Gold powder may be prepared different ways—
viz., put in an earthern mortar some gold-leaf with
a little honey or thick gum-water, and grind the
mixture till the gold is reduced to extremely
minute particles ; when this is done, a little warm,
water will wash out the honey or gum, leaving the
gold in a pulverulent state.

Another Method.—Dissolve pure gold (or the
leaf) in nitro-muriatic acid, and then precipitate it
by a piece of copper, or a Solution of sulphate af
iron. The precipitate; if by copper, must be
digested in distilled vinegar, and then washed by,
pouring water over it repeatedly, and dried.

a A TERRY

a et ND IT PST :

98 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

PINNACLE. The top orroof of a house termi-

An Elustrated Glossary of Technical |Ptine in a point, most frequently used in Gothie
' arhitecture. Amongst the ancients it was almost

Germs used tn Architectural anv
Literioy Wecovation, se.

PEDIMENT. An ornament generally of a low
|triangular form, which crowns the ordonnances,
finishes the fronts of buildings, and is used as a de-
coration of windows, doors, &c.

PorcH. An arched vestibule at the entrance of

entirely confined to temples. Pinnacles with
vanes mark the fifteenth century.

PEDESTAL. The square ‘support of a column,
statue, &e. and the base or Jower part of an order
of columns.

a church, or other building.

PECTINATUM TECTUM. A kind of roof among;
the Romans, which was shaped like a comb, and|
threw off the water in two ways.

Piscina. Among the Romans was a fish pond ;
a shallow reservoir for persons to bathe in who did
not know howto swim; or a place for watering |
‘horses and washing clothes. In ecclesiastical ar-| Penn. In Gothic architecture, a vaulted roof
without groining.

Penpant. A hanging ornament in very rich
Gothic groined roofs.

PENDENT BRIDGE. A wooden bridge, ree

butments only at the ends, and supported by posts |
and pillars,

PENDENTIVE. The whole body of a vault,'’
suspended out of the perpendicular of the walls. (|
I

PENDENTIVE BRACKETING. Or cove bracket-
ing, springing from the rectangular walls of an
apartment upwards to the ceiling, and forming the
horizontal part of the ceiling into a circle or

|
3 ie
ellipse. |

chitecture, the piscina was a bow] for water, gene-| PENDENTIVE CRapLING. The timber-work |
jally in a niche in the wall of the church, in which| for sustainiag the lath and plaster in al

the preist laved his hands, ceilings.

PINNING. Fastening tiles together with oak; Penracon. In Geometry, a figure of He
pegs. sides and five angles. |

| THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Gye Arts.

Hine

ALLAN CUNNINGHAM, in his “ Lives of the most
eminent British Painters, Sculptors, and Archi-
teets,”—a work that we cordially recommend to
the notice of those who wish to learn something
of the history of the progress of art in this coun-
try,—gives a very happy description of the inti-
mate connection that exists between the Fine
Arts—showing their relation to each other, and
the peculiarities by which each are distingnished.
\Poetry, painting, sculpture, and musi¢e are the
natural offspring of the heart of man. They are
found among barbarous nations; they flourish
among the most civilised; and springing from
nature, and not from necessity or accident, they
can never be wholly lost in the most disastrous
changes. It may indeed be said that the tongue
of poetry is occasionally silent, and the hand of
painting sometimes stayed; but this seems not
‘to affect the ever-living principle, which may be
justly claimed as their characteristic ; they are
heard and seen again in their seasons, as the
birds and flowers are at the coming of spring;
and assert their title to such immortality as the
\things of earth may claim. It is true that the
poetry of barbarous nations is rude, and their
attempts ab painting uncouth; yet even in these
we may recognise the foreshadowings of future
excellence, and something of the peculiar cha-
racter, which, in happier days, the geniuses of
the same tribe is to samp upon worthier produc-.
tions, The future Scott, Lawrence, or Chantrey
may be indicated afar off in the barbarous bal-
lads, drawings, or carvings of an early nation.
Coarse nature and crude simplicity are the com-
meneement, as elevated nature and elegant sim-
plicity are the consummation of art. When the
Spaniards invaded the palaces of Chili and Peru,
they found them filled with works of art. Cook
found considerable beauty of drawing and skill
of workmanship in the ornamented weapons and
war canoes of the islanders of the South Sea; and
in the interior recesses of India sculptures and
paintings, of no common merit, are found in
every village. In like manner, when Czsar
landed among the barbarians of Britain, he found

savage successors, the Saxons, added to unextin-
guishable ferocity a love of splendour and a rude
sense of beauty, still visible in the churches that
they built, and the monuments which they
erected to their princes and leaders. All those
works are of that kind called ornamental: the

| graces of true art, the truth of action, and the

them acquainted with aris and arms; and his!

dignity of sentiment are wanting, and they seem
to have been produced by asort of mechanical
process, similar to that which creates figures in
arras. Art is indeed of slow and gradual growth :
like the oak, it is long of growing to maturity

and strength. Much knowledge of colour, much |

skill of hand, much experience in human dha.
racter, and a deep sense of light and shade, have
to be acquired, to enable the pencil to embody
the conceptions of genius. The artist has to
seek for all this in the accumulated mass of pro-
fessional knowledge which time has gathered for,
his instruction, and with his best wisdom, and)
his happiest fortune, he can only add a little
more information to the common stock, for the
benefit of his successors. In no country hab
painting risen suddenly into eminence. While
poetry takes wing at once, free and unincum-
bered, her sister is retarded in her ascent by the
very mechanism to which she must at last owe
half her glory. dn Britain, painting was cen-
turies in throwing off the fetters of mechanical
skill, and in rising inte the region of genius.
The original spirit of England had appeared in
many a noble poem, while the two sister arts
were still servilely employed in preserving incre
dible legends, in taking the likeness of the last
saint whom credulitythad added to the calendar,
and in confounding the acts of the Apostles in
the darkness of allegory.

ifines and Collieries.—A bill, prepared by Mr.
T.S. Duncombe, Mr. Hume, and Mr. Aglionby,

providing for the better ventilation of mines and||

colliertes, &c., is now under the consideration of)
Parliament. Three Government inspectors are!
to be appointed, with regular salaries, for the
supervision of mines and collieries, and the pro-
tection of the lives of the persons employed. {The
wages of colliers and workmen are to be paid)

according to the weight of coal raised, and not to |

be paid at greater intervals than two weeks.

Wages are also to be paid by the owners of mines If
No gunpowder is to] |

to each workman severally.
be used in mines where it is unsafe to work with
naked lights, under a penalty of £20.

A New Oscillating Steam-Engine.—A model
of an improved oscillating steam-engine has been
constructed by Mr. Hick, of the firm of Hick and
Son, Bolton, Lancashire. The whole strain is
taken off the trunnions upon which the cylinders
oscillate, by having two pistons im each cylinder,
the rods of which communicate their power direct,
at opposite ends to the crank-shaft.

100

The Chronotpypist.

——

THE new church of Christ Church, Greenwich,
was consecrated by the Lord Bishop of London on
the 19th. it is of large dimensions, and capable
of containing nearly 1,400 persons.——The church
of St. Stephen, in Kent-street, Borough, was also
consecrated on the 19th by the Lord Bishop of
Winchester. It is in the Early English style of

‘architecture, and is built of brick with Bath stone

dressings. It consists of a nave, north and south
transepts, and chancel, which are all of equal
length, owing to the ground on which the church
is built being a perfect square. The tower, which

is 95 feet high, occupies the angle formed by the
‘mave and north transept; the vestry, which is of

an octagon form, occupying a similar position on
the south side.——At Rugby School, the Queen’s
gold medal for the best historical essay has been

‘awarded to G. Goschen.——Lord Frederick Fitz-

clarence has given orders for two full-length
statues, one of Nelson and the other of the Duke of
Wellington. That of Nelson is to be placed on the
spot where he trod his native land for the last
time ; and that of Wellington upon the place where
he first stepped’ again on British ground after his
last great triumph.——It is reported that the Dean
and Chapter have it in contemplation to throw
Salisbury Cathedral open to the public.——At a
meeting last week, at Leicester, it was resolved,
«‘ That a bronze statue of the Duke of Rutland, on
a granite pedestal, be erected in the market-place
at Leicester, provided a site can be procured for
the same.—-—The Archeological Society of*Athens
held their annual general meeting on the Acropolis
on the 6th instant. The King was present, and
the attendance was very numerous.——The Topic,
which has arrived at Liverpool from Valparaiso,
has brought gold from San Francisco to the amount
of between £40,000 and £50,000.——On the 23rd
the ceremony of laying the first stone of the new
almshouses of the Fishmongers’ Company, at
Wandsworth, took place.——-On Wednesday even-
ing, the 20th, the exploit of depositing the tube of
the Britannia Bridge, with one or two trifling mis-
adventures, was accomplished, after two hours of
the most anxious and critical toil, in its bed of
masonry at the base of the piers. The tube was
floated obliquely, and then gradually swung round,
with its face to the space between the piers.
Arrived here, the next step was of a most difficult
nature, seeing that if, from anything in the run of
the tide, or any giving way in the great network of
tackle, the tube overstepped then its line of desti-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘T. James.—The Bude or Gurney Light is an oil)

nation parallel with the piers, the experiment must!
have failed, and the process of bringing it back
would have been of great difficulty. Fortunately
however, such were the nicety of the measure-
ments, and skill and quickness of the directing
power on the top of the tube, and the moment of
its march to the spot so geometrically baer
that the success of the final step was unerringly
secured by the vigorous action of a giant vice|
upon the Anglesea end of the tube, which, Ruste
clenched its extremity, locked it in an unreleasable
embrace. The next operation, that of elevating
the tube to its permanent position, will be accom-
plished as soon as possible. This is to be done y
huge hydraulic presses, of a magnitude commer.
surate with the whole of the works, one cylinder, |
alone being large enough at the entrance to con-| |
tain a man standing, and of the prodigious weight!
of forty tons. 1t is the most powerful machine!
ever constructed.

To Correspondents, Ke.

E. V. (Bayswater.)—Yes. The word mixed is
omitted.

T. Y. K. (Hertford.)—Accept our thanks for the
Design sent, it shall appear shortly.

G. G.—For fixing copper upon copper.— Use pow-
dered quick-lime and bullock’s blood. To fix; |
the same upon zinc, we should say, either brass. |
or zine solder.

Argand lamp, witha jet of oxygen thrown up
in the centre. The commonest oil may be used ;
indeed the more smoky the oil burns in com-
mon, the better is the light. When the oxygen'
is made to pass through the flame, the been
strikes the nascent carbon and vapour of the oii, |

- and produces an intense light. |
!

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 3, of;
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale. the Book of Ornamental and Early,
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 5, are|
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as:
revised by the Marylebone Clu , with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,|
Holywell Street, Strand.

* “Parts 1 and 2 are re-printed, and will in future
be charged at 10d. each.

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SATURDAY, ]

Painting on Glass.

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T the time when vast
sums of money were expended by pious indi-
viduals in endowing churches and chapels, and
in repairing and building cathedrals, the art of
glass painting attained a very high state of per-
fection. From this state, however, it soon
declined when the patronage it had been used
to receive was no longer extended to it, until
at last it was so much neglected that it was
supposed to be a lost art. This, however, it
appears, is not the case. A knowledge of the
means by which the artists of the middle cen-
turies were enabled to produce such beautiful
specimens of stained glass still remains. A
correspondent of the “‘ Philosophical Maga-
zine’? communicates the following interesting
particulars.

It is a singular fact, that the art of glass-
painting, practised with such success during
former ages from one end of Europe to the
other, should gradually have fallen into such
disuse, that in the beginning of the last century
it came to be generally considered as a lost
art. In the course of the eighteenth century,
however, the art again began to attract atten-
tion, and many attempts were made to revive

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[Juny 7, 1849.

painters on glass might in most respects be
successfully imitated; but they were totally
unable to produce any imitation whatever of
that glowing red which shed such incom-
parable brilliancy over the ancient windows
that still adorn so many of our churches.
For this splendid colour they possessed no
substitute, until a property, peculiar to silver
alone among all the metals, was discovered,
which will presently be described. The art of
enamelling on glass differs little from the well-
known art of enamelling on other substances.
The colouring materials (which are exclusively
metallic) are prepared by being ground up|!
with a flux, that is, a very fusible glass, com-
posed of silex, flint-glass, lead, and borax: the
colour with its flux is then mixed with volatile
oil, and laid on with the brush. The pane of
glass thus enamelled is then exposed to a dull
red heat, just sufficient to soften and unite
together the particles of the flux, by which
means the colour is perfectly fixed on the
glass. ‘Treated in this way, gold yields a
purple, gold and silver mixed a rose colour,
iron a brick-red, cobalt a blue; mixtures of
iron, copper, and manganese, brown and
black. Copper, which yields the green in
common enamel-painting, is not found to pro-
duce fine colour when applied in the same way
to glass, and viewed by transmitted light; for
a green, therefore, recourse is often had to
glass coloured blue on the one side and red on
the other. To obtain a yellow, silver is em-
ployed, which, either in the metallic or in any
other form, possesses the singular property of
imparting a transparent stain, when exposed to
alow red heatin contact with glass. This stain
is either yellow, orange, or red, according to
circumstances. For this purpose a flux is used :
the prepared silver is merely ground up with
ochre or clay, and applied in a thick layer
upon the glass. When removed from the fur-
nace, the silver is found not at all adhering
to the glass; it is easily scraped off, leaving a
transparent stain, which penetrates to a cer-
tain depth. Ifa large proportion of ochre has
been employed, the stain is yellow; if a small
proportion, it is orange-coloured; and by re-
peated exposure to the fire, without any addi-
tional colouring matter, the orange may be

it. It was soon found by modern artists, that | converted into red. This conversion of orange

by employing the processes, always in use
among enamel painters, the works of the old

into red is, I believe, a matter of much nicety,
in which experience only can ensure success-

i 2

102

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Till within a few years this was the only
bright red in use among modern glass-
'||painters; and though the best specimens cer-
tainly produce a fine effect, yet it will seldom
bear comparison with the red employed in
such profusion by the old artists.

Besides the enamels and stains above de-
scribed, artists, whenever the subject will al-
low of it, make use of panes coloured through-
out their substance in the glass-house melting-
pot, because the perfect transparency of such
glass gives brilliancy of effect, which enamel-~
colouring, always more or less opaque, cannot
equal. Itwas toa glass of this kind that the
old glass-painters owed their splendid red.
This in fact is the only point in which the
modern and ancient processes differ, and this is
the only part of the art which was ever really
lost. Instead of blowing plates of solid red,
the old glass-makers used to flash a thin layer
of lead over a substratum of plain glass. Their
process must have been tq melt side by side in
the glass-house a pot of plain and a pot of red
glass: then the workman, by dipping his rod
first into the plain and then into the red glass
pot, obtained a lump of plain glass covered
with a coating of red, which, by dexterous
management in blowing and whirling, he ex-
tended into a plate, exhibiting on its surface a
very thin stratum of the desired colour. That
such was the method in use, an attentive exa-
mination of old specimens affords sufficient
evidence. One piece in the possession of the
Editor of the “ Philosophical Magazine” exhi-
bits large bubbles in the midst of the red
stratum; another consists of a stratum of red
inclosed. between two colourless strata: both
circumstances plainly point out the only means
by which such an arrangement could be pro-
duced. In this state the glass came into the
hands of. the glass-painter, and answered most
of his’ purposes, except when the subject
required the representation of white or other
colours on a red ground; in this case it
became necessary to employ a machine like a
lapidary’s wheel, partially to grind away the
coloured surface tlll the white substratum
appeared.

- The material employed by the old glass-
makers to tinge their glass red was the pro-
toxide of copper, but on the discontinuance of
the art of glass-painting the dependent manu-
facture of red: glass of course ceased, and all

knowledge of the art became so entirely extinct,
that the notion generally prevailed that the
colour in question was derived from gold. In
1793 the French government actually collected
a quantity of old red glass, with the view of
extracting the gold by which it was supposed
to be coloured! Le Vieil was himself a glass-|
painter employed in the repair of ancient
windows, and the descendant of glass-painters, | |
yet so little was he aware of the true nature of
the glass, that he even fancied he could detect
the marks of the brush with which he ima-
gined the zed stratum had been laid on! It is
not a little remarkable that the knowledge of

‘the copper-red should have been so entirely

lost, though printed receipts have always ex-
isted detailing the whole process. Battista
Porta (born about 1540) gives a receipt in his
Magia Naturalis, noticing at the same time the
difficulty of success. Several receipts are
found in the compilations of Neri, Merret, and
Kunckel, from whence they have been copied
into our Encyclopedias. None of these re-
ceipts, however, state to what purposes the red
glass was applied, nor do they make any men-
tion of the flashing. The difficulty of the art
consists in the proneness of the copper to pass
from the state of protoxide into that of peroxide,
in which latter state it tinges glass green. In
order to preserve it in the state of protoxide,
these receipts prescribe various doxygenating
substances to be stirred into the melted glass,
such as smith’s clinkers, tartar, soot, rotten
woad and cinnebar.

One curious circumstance well deserves to be
noticed, which is, that glass containing copper
when removed from the melting-pot sometimes
only exhibits a faint geeenish tinge, yet in this
state nothing more than simple exposure to a
gentle heat is requisite to throw out a brilliant
red. This change of colour is very remarkable,
as it is obvious that no change of oxygenation
can possibly take place during the recuisson.

The art of tinging glass. by protoxide of cop-
per flashing it on crown glass, has of late years
been revived by the Tyne Company in England, |,
at Choisy in France, and in Suabia in Germany,|;
and in 1827 the Academy of Arts at Berlin gave)
a premium for an imperfect receipt. To what)
extent modern glass painters make use of these |
new glasses I am ignorant; the specimens I have)
Seen were so strongly coloured as to be in parts
almost opaque, but this isa defect which might, |
no doubt, be easily remedied. ,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

103

Royal Academp.
PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.
(Continued from page 97.)

LECTURE III.

How striking is the contrast presented to all}

these by the two nearest figures of the composition,
—Dionysius, the Areopagite, and Damaris. Their
hearts are penetrated, they regard what they hear
not as a system of philosophy, but as divine truth,
and they advance with a modest and earnest re-
verence to the Apostle, expressed as Raphael alone
could express it.

If the head of the Saviour even as it appears in
the copy which we possess of Leonardo’s great
work be, as it seems to me, the best image of a
countenance of which no representation can ever
satisfy us—the heads in ‘‘ The Miraculous Draught
of Fishes” and “‘ The Charge to Peter,” are per-
haps the next in value. The expression “ divine”’
is often applied to human works by an hyperbole
of language which custom has sanctioned, but
where is the power that is to give the divine in ex-
pression, or where the authority by which the at-
tainment is to be confirmed? With a lofty con-
ception of humanity we must be content. In
Leonardo’s work such a conception shows us the
“ Man of Sorrows,” in “The Miraculous Draught
of Fishes,” the gentlest of masters, but in ‘‘The
Charge to Peter,” where we expect so much more,
Art could go no higher.

Are, then, such subjects as this or “‘ The Transfi-
guration,” or ‘The Last Judgment,” not to be
painted? Whatever may be the answer to this
question, an objection that rests on the inadequacy
of human powers would exclude a great deal from
Art that we should be sorry to lose. It would ex-
clude, for instance, Claude’s representations of the
sun, or those of the matchless pencil of a great.
living master; and if Art may attempt nothing
but with the hope of entire success it would be
limited indeed. In all that relates to the imitation
of material nature this question is settled by the
principle I have endeavoured to illustrate, that de-
ception is in no case the end of Art; and in what
relates to higher things it is a question that had
better perhaps be left open. At any rate, I will
not presume to settle it.

In speaking last season of that often-repeated
subject, “‘The Sacrifice of the Innocents,” I
omitted to notice the only instance within my
knowledge with which it has been touched, as I

think, with true taste—an instance among the
works of a painter of whom I know nothing, but

from two or three very coarsely-executed engrav-|

ings in the volume published at Brussels of the col-

lection of prints from the gallery of which Teniers

had the care. It isa very small engraving from
Domenic Feti; an Italian painter who lived in the
early part of the seventeenth century. He has

-|made the subject subsidiary to “‘The Flight into

Egypt.” Joseph, as usual, leads an ass, on which
Mary sits holding the Babe; and as they cross a
narrow causeway, they cannot avoid passing close
to the bodies of two infants. The Virgin Mother

lifts her veil with one hand as she looks down on

them, and presses her child, with the other, closer
toher bosom’; while tar off, among distant hills, a
single mother flies with her child in her arms pur-
sued by two horsemen, from whom the Holy
Family are screened by some trees. In this way
the two subjects are made to assist each other, and
enough, and not too much, is indicated of the mas-
sacre. I am not aware of any similar treatment of
the story, nor can I learn anything of Feti except-
ing from these small engravings, in none of which
is the treatment of subject comparable to the one
I have described.

Though Titian stands secondary to Raphael in
dramatic power, as Raphael does to Titian in
colour, yet instances may be selected from his
works in which neither the expression nor the
story could becarried further. His “ Entombment
of Christ,” in the Louvre, is a picture of the deep-
est and truest pathos, and would be so even were it
unaided by its solemn evening effect. Nothing
was ever conceived finer than the Mother in
this pieture, bowed down by sorrows but sup-
ported by the Magdalen, and contrasted by her
different though equally pvignant expression of
grief,

(To be continued.)

London University.—After the delivery of Mr.

Donaldgon’s concluding lecture on the 19th ult.,
to the students in the classes of architecture for
this session, the senior student of the classes
made a gratifying address to the professor, and
offered to him, in the name of the class, a pa-
rallel ruler, with silver mountings, as an earnest
of their appreciation of his exertions and uni-
form kindness.

Public Museum and Library at Salford—The
town-council have resolved to provide and keep
up the requisite accommodation and attendance
for donations, &c., in a mansion-house in Peel’s

Park, to which the public will have free access} |:

at all reasonable times. A rate of one halfpenny

in the pound may afterwards be granted.

ape Ie RON Te NT OR ae a PW TPE NTE Te OR Te aT IT eR ee tre Rr Te EE EN a REE ae Ee ane PT

THE “DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

CURVILINEAR FOLIAGE—(ACANTHUS).

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

103

An Lllustrated Glossary of Cechnical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
Entertor Mecorvation, Ke.

PatRRA. An ornament something like a rose,

used to conceal small openings.

Pua@yix. A bird famous in antiquity, but ge-
nerally considered by the moderns as being fabu-
lous. The ancients speak of this bird as unique,
and their artists represent it as of the size of an

eagle, its head finely crested with a beautiful plu-
mage, its neck covered with feathers of a golden
colour, and the rest of it purple, with the exception
of the tail, which is white. The eyes are extremely
sparkling like stars.

PyrRaAmID. A building of a pyramidal form.
The most ancient people raised pyramidal struc-

tures to serve for monuments. The most famous
pyramids of antiquity are those of Egypt.

Prume, Plumes of feathers were often used by
the ancient artists to decorate the heads of their
divinities and other personages, both male and fe-

male. The nine Muscs are frequently to be met
with thus adorned.

PROFILE. A portrait, or bust, is said to be in
profile when they are presented in a side view;
4s, when in a portrait, there is but one side of the

face shown, and nothing of the other. On almost
all medals, this is the manner in which the head is
represented.

Puurir. -An elevated place for public speeches ;
the place in a church whence the sermon is pro-

nounced. Some of them, particularly in Roman
| Catholic churches, are richly ornamented.

106

PRoJECTURE. The prominence of the mould-
ings and members beyond the naked surface of a

column, wall, &e.

PALLETT. A small oval table used by painters,
to plan the several colours upon. It is held on the

left hand, with the thumb placed through the hole.

PENTASTYLE. Having five columns in front.

PERIPHERY. The circumference of a circle,
ellipsis, parabola, or other regular curvilinear
figure.

PERFORATED Scrouu. Used in Elizabethan

architecture,

PENTAPASTOS. A machine mentioned by Vi-
trivius, which was used to raise great weights, such
as stones, to a certain height in building.

PERISTYLE. A’ range of columns within a court
or building, as the internal colonnade of an hype-
thral temple. One of the courts of the Roman
villas, which was defended from the rays of the sun
bv a colonnade, which was called a peristlye.

PILE ENGINE. - Or Pile driver, a machine in-
vented by M. Vauloue, to drive in the piles for the
foundations of Westminster Bridge, A great im-
provement has since been made by Mr. S. Bunce,

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

PILASTER Masses. In Gothic architecture,|
rectangular pillars or portions of wall, with impost||
mouldings. ; ~ i}

PILASTER’ Demi. ‘Or Membretto; a pilaster] |
supporting an arch. |

PHALANGH. A name given by Vitruvius, to a}
kind of wooden rollers, which were used to trans-
port heavy burdens from one place to another.

PHEASANTRY,
sants in.

A building for rearing phea-

PERPENDICULAR LiInE. (See Geometry.)

PERSPECTIVE. (See articles: on Perspective,
commencing page 126, Vol. 3.

PILE PLANKS. Have their ends sharpened to
drive in the ground, and form a dam in acanal, &c.

PILLAR. An irregular, and rude column. The
supporters in Saxon, Norman, and Gothic architec-
ture are pillars not columns. The form and di-
mensions of pillars are guided by no rules: they
have generally a kind of foot or base, and a sort of
cornice above ; but are sometimes without either.

PitcH. The vertical angle of a roof; the pro-
portion between the height and span. When the
length of the rafters is equal to the breadth of the
building, it is denominated’ a Gothic pitch.

Pitcuine Prece. A horizontal timber with
one of its ends wedged into ‘the wall, at the top of
a flight of steps, to support the upper end of the
rough strings.

PuaIn Tries. Or Plane Tiles, tiles that have
their surfaceplanes.

Pix. In the architecture of the middle ages, a
box or shrine, sometimes called a tabernacle, and
intended to contain the host, or consecrated wafer,
suspended under the cibarium, or canopy of the
altar.

Puan. The draught of a building, taken on
the ground floor, shewing the distribution, form,
and extent, of its several rooms, passages, &c.

PLANE. In Geometry, a surface which coin-
cides every where with aright line, which is every
where perfectly true and ‘level.

PLANIMETRY. The part of geometry which
treats only of liues and surfaces.

PituaGE. A word used sometimes for a square
pillar, with a round base and capital standing be-
hind a column, to bear.up the arches. ‘

THE. DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 107

Wublic Amusements. devil.

CREMORNE GARDENS. Dessiens for Gothic Monuments, Gravestones,
&e., by J. B, Robinson, Architectural Sculptor.

ON previous occasions it has been our pleasing | pybjished by Weale, High Holborn
g :

duty to speak in terms of unqualified praise of
this delightful place of public resort, but the pre-
sent notice affords us a greater opportunity in con-
sequence of the numerous additions made—not
only to the gardens, but also to the increased at-
traction in the scenic effects. The storming and
capture of Mooltan, aided by ingenious scenic,
mechanical, and pyrotechnic effects, is the great
feature in the entertaiuments at these agreeable
suburban gardens. The storming incidents ofthat
memorable military enterprise have been so com-
pletely and beautifully realized that the spectator
has some difficulty of divesting himself of the feel-
ing that he is actually witnessing the terrible scene
presented to him with such extraordinary skill.
The power of attraction is unprecedented in our
experience of public amusements. In No. 66,
vol. 3, we gave an illustration of one of the beauti-
ful panels in the Banqueting-hall; but it requires
to be seen to be fully appreciated. No expense
seems to have been spared by the proprietors in
keeping up an excitement for the pleasure-seeking
public. From three o’clock every afternoon a
never-ceasing round of entertainment is in motion.
Among the attractions we may enumerate the
archery -and rifle-shooting, California, and the
Emigrant’s Hut, statues, and the Nelson tableaux.
The present delightful weather is most favourable
for the enjoyment of the gardens and grounds of
Cremorne, which Mr. Ellis has spared no pains or
expense to render attractive to the public.

This is anew work by Mr. Robinson, and we feel
assured, that any of our readers requiring designs
of this class, will hail it with delight, as it has long
been wanted, and to which, the author has devoted
much time and study, producing a work useful to
the Architect, Sculptor, and Mason. The designs
are drawn to a scale of one inch to one foot, with
details quarter size, sufficiently plain, that’ any
workman of moderate abilities may execute them.
The Gothic ornament introduced is very chaste, Mr.
Robinson having taken Nature as his guide, has
produced it without that stiff and formal apperance,
peculiar to Gothic carving. We trust that his
exertions may be rewarded by an extensive sale,
as the work is produced at a low price, and execu-
ted in the first style of lithography. In conclu-
sion, we cordially recommend it to our readers as
the best work of its class, published.

The Glazier’s Diamond.—The art of using the
diamond for cutting glass has undergone within a
few years a very important improvement. <A gla-
zier’s apprentice, when using a diamond set in a
conical ferrule, as was always the practice about
thirty years since, found great difficulty in ac-
quiring the art of using it with certainty ; and, at
the end of seven years’ apprenticeship, many were
found but indifferently skilled in its employment.
This arose from the difficulty of finding the precise
angle at whith the diamond cuts, and of guiding it
along the glass at the proper inclination when the
angle is found. Almost the whole of the time con-
sumed and of the elass destroyed in acquiring the
art of cutting glass, may now be saved by the use of
an improved tool. The gem is set in a small piece
of squared brass, with its edge nearly parallel to
one side of the square. A person skilled in its use
now files away the brass on one side until, by trial,
he finds that the diamond will make a clean cut,
when guided by keeping this edge pressed against
aruler. The diamond and its mounting are now
attached to a stick like a pencil by means of a
swivel allowing a small angular motion. Thus,
even the beginner at once applies the cutting edge
at the proper angle, by pressing the side of the
brass against the ruler.

Fossil Remains in Southwark.—A singular cir-
cumstance, alike interesting to the geologist and
natural philsosopher has occurred within the last
week or two—we allude to the finding of a large
quantity of bones of the megatherium, the mylo-
don &c. uot far from one of the railways in the
borough of Southwark. The number of bones in
many instances in perfect condition is considerable,
and the mélange of medieval and Roman debris,
with which they are mixed up ‘in most admired
disorder,’ seems at first to baffie all conjecture as
as to the time of the deposit; they seem however,
to lie mostly superimposed upon a soft muddy
clay. The discovery is due to Mr. Gwilt, of
Southwark.

108 p THE

indian SMethovs of UAorking Fron
anv Steel.

On the Damascus Gun Barrels—The gun- bar-
rels made at Bombay, in imitation of Damascus, so
much valued by the Orientals for the beauty of
their twist, are manufactured of iron hoops, ob-
tained from European casks, mostly British. The
more these hoops are corroded with rust, they are
proportionably acceptable to the workmen : should
there be any deficiency of this necessary oxidation,
they are regularly exposed to moisture, until they
are sufficiently prepared for welding. Being cut
into lengths of about twelve inches, they are formed
into a pile, an inch or an inch and half high, laying
the edges straight, so as not to overlap each other:
along piece is then so fitted as to return over each
end, and hold the whole together in the fire. This
pile is then heated to a welding heat, and drawn
out into a bar of about one inch wide, and one
third of an inch thick ; it is then doubled up in
three or more lengths, and again welded and drawn
out as before ; and this operation is repeated gene-
rally to the third or fourth time, according to the
degree of fineness of twist required. The bar
is then to be heated about a third of its length at a
time, and being struck on the edge is flattened the
contrary way to the stratification. This part of the
operation brings the wire or vein outwards upon
the strap. The barrel is then forged in the usual
way, but much more jumping, or upsetting end-
ways, by striking the barrel against the side of the
anvil while it is of a welding heat, than in the
English method, in order to render the twist finer,
The most careful wormen always make it a prac-
tice of covering the parts exposed to the fire with
alute, composed of mud, clay, and the dung of
cows or horses in order to guard against any unne-
cessary oxydation of the metal. When the barrel
‘is completed, the twist is raised by laying the barre
from four to five days, either in vinegar, or a solution
of the sulphate of iron, until the twist is raised ;
this process is called the wire twist.

To produce the curl, the bars or straps are drawn
into bars about three quarters of an inch square,
| and twisted , some to the right and others to the left
hand; one of each sort is then welded together,
doubled; up and then drawn out, as before de-
| Scribed ; and according to the skill and experience
of the workman, any intricacy of twist is produced,
|\by thus drawing out, doubling and twisting.

Sometimes, to save trouble, and economise the
‘iron thus prepared, the artist will rough file an

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

English barrel, weld a strap of Damascus iron spi-
rally round it, or several straps are laid longitudi-
nally along it, and welded on. A native artist
never works with pit coal, under any consideration:
charcoal from light wood forms his only fuel.

On the Damascus Sword Blades.—In making
the sword blades, there are several methods used °
some workmen make.a pile of alternate layers of
softer and harder cast-steel, with powdered cast-
iron mixed with borax, sprinkled between each
layer. These are drawn out to one-third more than
the length of the intended blade, doubled and
heated, twisted, and re-forged several times ; the
twist is brought out in the same way as that in the
gun barrels, namely, by the use of vinegar, or a
solution of sulphate of iron.

Some sword-blades are forged out of broad plates
of steel thus prepared, with a narrow plate of good
iron welded between them, toward the back, and
thus leaving solid steel for the edge, to a consider-
able depth. Others prefer to make them of one
plate of steel, with a lamina of? iron on each
side of it, to give them strength and tough-
ness.

The Hardening Composition.—The blade is co-
yered with a paste, formed of equal parts of barilla,
powdered egg-shells, borax, common salt, and
crude soda, heated to a moderate red heat; and
just as the red is changing to black heat, quenched
in spring water.

From the information of the workman, it appears
that Damascus obtains all its steel from the upper
part of the Deccan, where it is called fontone hend,
or Indian steel, of which there are great quantities,
and but little or no demand for it. The Damasaque
(or joar) is natural to this steel; and the veins in it
are raised by immersing the blades in acid solutions.

The Birmingham School of Design.—Qn Friday
week the annual exhibition and distribution of the
prizes took place at the Society of Arts, New
Street, and was very numerously attended. The
Bishop congratulated the donors and the subscribers
on the progress made since last year. The number
of students, as well as their proficiency, had much
increased. In the female school the classes are full.
Announcement was made of the increase of the
Government grant, and the appointment of, Mr
Kidd, a modeller, as second master, and of a pupil
of last year, Mr. W. O. Williams, as third mas-
ter. The drawings, models, &c., have since been
publicly exhibited.

| On the Wature, @rigin, and Bro-=
gress of Design.

From A PAPER READ AT THE GENERAL MeExntT-
ING OF THE DecorATIVE ArT Socrery,
Marcu, 1844, py Mr. Crass.

(Continued from page 82.)

DESIGN, or creation of form and enrichment,
being as essential to manufacturers among the an-
cient nations as at present, we may consider the
arts to have then originated, and to have been sys-
tematically encouraged; and, although the existing
sources for obtaining certain information are limi-
ted, we can arrive at highly interesting general
conclusions respecting the actual formation of Art,
and the embellishment of their manufactures.

Scripture informs us before the deluge, when the
\habitations were in tents, God had discovered to his
‘people the arts of spinning wool and flax, and the
weaving it into stuffs and linen,—and also of po-
\lishing brass, iron, é&c, The metals being thus ren-
dered subservient to the uses of man, of course re-
ceived shape for their several purposes. Soon after
the deluge, human industry made several disco-
jveries conducive to the improved beauty of their
fabrics: among others, the art of spinning gold
thread and interweaving it, if not the actual em-
\broidery of a pattern upon stuffs. The extreme
‘ductility of gold. was also known, as we find it
'beaten into thin leaves, and applied to the surface
of wood and metals,—and the secret of casting
imetals, brass, silver, and gold. They were used to
‘produce figures in imitation of nature, and even
statues, vessels for use and ornament, and warlike
weapons, Carving upon wood, stone, and marble
was in use— and the imitation of natural objects
by colour (i.e. painting). They became exceedingly
celebrated for dying their stuffs and silks, giving to
them the most exquisite variety of beautiful co-
lours. ‘To all these several discoveries, the art and
practice of design must have been an essential ad-
dition in their progress to perfection. ‘The East
was the cradle of the arts.and sciences, and it is suf.
ficient purpose to mention the Eastern empires,
which, through their long duration and immense
extent of power became associated with other na-
tions of note, as the Egyptians and the Greeks.

Egypt was contemporaneous with the Assyrian
empire, which made way for the Babylon, Median,
Persian, Macedonian and Roman. In discovering
and tracing the invention, cultivation, and im-

THE DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT.

109

provement of the Arts and Sciences, their origin
and progress, we perceive the nearer we approach
those countries once inhabited by the sons of Noah,
the more perfect is the knowledge of those arts ; so
that in after times, when men desire to revive the
forgotten arts, they found advantage in going back
to their original source. The people of Asia were
of a warlike cast, varying according to the nature
of the country they inhabited; thus the arts of
manufacture would be early applied to offensive
weapons and armour. They had helmets and ecnir
asses of brass, which, it is recorded, fitted so well
to the body as not to intercept motion and agility of
limb. Greaves covered the legs and thighs of the
horsemen ; their brazen shields of great length
were very celebrated, and their horses were usually
armed, the faces, chests, and flanks, being covered
in brass. Now we read that this armour was dis-
tinguished for its elaborate workmanship, its rich-
ness and costliness; design must therefore have
largely entered into its original construction and
subsequent embellishment. Their chariots, body
and wheels, were elegant, and of great strength,
the pole, axletrees, &c., armed with scythes. In
later ages, luxury and extravagance rose to*excess:
it became the custom of the court aud wealthy
men to make the most profuse display of magnifi-
cence and pompous splendour, calculated to dazzle
the eyes of a people, In war they went to the field
accompanied by their wives and concubines, each
in proportion to his ability. The equipage of such
a troop must have been immense, and the most ex-
quisite dainties were to be procured wherever this
host might be encamped. They had their jewels,
and vessels of gold or silver; their garments were
richly shining with gold,—the dresses of the wo-
men, of the nobles, of the king, were equally nu-
merous and magnificent. A people thus disposed
to luxurious enjoyment would naturally seek to
enrich and embellish with the refinement of art
every manufacture that could promise the creation
of new ideas or new pleasures. Design would be
lavished upon their robes, their armour, weapons,
and plate, and upon all the artificial wants of a
vast voluptious nation.

Their cities in time became of wonderful magni-
ficence. Nineveh was one of the most extensive
and celebrated. A description of Babylon may’
probably give us the most perfect idea of the gi-
gantic grandeur of their undertakings. Babylon
was situated upon the banks of the river Euphra-
tes, in an immense plain of fat rich soil, intersected
by long straight canals, bordered by lofty poplars
or lime trees.

(Io be continued.)

THE, DECORATOR’S- ASSISTANT.

The CHronotyptst.

‘borough, in Leicestershire, was opened on Friday,
the 20th ult.
of the perpendicnlar period of architecture. It is
fifty-four in length, twenty-three feet in width,
‘and the height to the crown of the roof twenty-
seven feet. In the centre light of the east window
is a medallion, representing the taking down from
the Cross, after Rubens. In the tracery imme-
diately above the centre light, angels are repre-
sented bearing appropriate texts of Scripture. The
seats are open, with carved hobbyheads ; the pulpit
is of wood, with carved panels anda stone base ;
the reading desk is of beautifully carved open
work.~-—There is a subscription ou foot for the
[purpose of erecting a small column, with an appro-
priate inscription, to the memory offJames Thom -
son, the poet of “ The Seasons,” in some part of
Richmond.——The first electric telegraph erected
in Ireland has just been constructed on the Great
Southern and Western Railway, for two miles, be-
tween the company’s works at Inchicore and the
‘terminus at Kingsbridge.-——A “‘crow’s nest,”
very similar in structure to that which was on the
top of St. Paul’s Cathedral, has just been completed
‘on the tower of Gloucester Cathedral, for the pur-
Ipose of taking observations for the survey of [the
‘river Severn.——The new Fishmongers’ Alms-
houses at Wandsworth are to be built in the Eliza-
‘bethan style. They are forty-two in number, and
will form three sides ofa quadrangle, each about
320 feet long, and one of which will, with the
‘chapel and school in the centre, look upon the
river Thames. ‘The edifice is expected to be com-
pleted about Midsummer mnext.——On Mon-
day, the 25th ult., when the mould from Mr.
Carew’s noble design of the ‘‘ Death of Nelson”
was perfected, the molten metal was successfully

transferred through the great feeding apertures of
the bas-relief, and ina few minutes the most im-
portant figures of the composition were faithfully
secured in enduring bronze. The cannon which

wich—spoils of war taken by the hero himself from
his country’s enemies.——-Two new churches are
to be erected at Lambeth. We observe that
Messrs. Southgate and Barrett are about to sell by
auction the library of the Rev. H. F. Lyte. The
sale commences on the 4th of July, and will con-
tinue for sixteen days; and we draw the attention
of those who may propose being present to the fact

THe new church at Cranoe, near Market Har-| o¢7ine rods.——The first stone of the Pawnbroker’s

The style is of the commencement | 99,4, by the Lord Mayor. The architect, in the

furnished the chief material were sent from Wool- |}

that it is to take place iu the evening of each day
at six o’clock.——Rods of zinc rolled for bolts being
considered ‘charyeable with duty as being in a
partly manufactured state, importers recently

urged the authorities for their decision. Directions
have accordingly been given for the free admission

Almhouses was laid, at Forest Gate, Essex, on the

newspaper accounts, is said:to be Mr. Francis.

Go Correspondents, Ke.

H. W. (Chelsea.)— Brass must be dressed in aqua
fortis, to make the pale yellow. After dipping;
it must be rinsed in some water, and brushed
dry in saw-dust. You may bronze brass with
borax and spelter. Mix your spelter and borax
in a little water, and lay it on enough for your
work; if it donotrun to your wish, throw a
little dry borax on the spelter when hot.
must heat work over a forge, or you can do wt
with the blowpipe if the work be small.

T. T. (Leeds.)\—The best plan is to procure card-
board of the colour required, such as stone, slate,
or (ead colour, and shade it with warm sepia.
In ail cases where brick colour is required, co-
lour the cardboard with Indian red, and
shaded as above.

F. G.— The ‘* Theatrical Programme” is published
weekly, and contains the bills of the perform-
ances of ail the principal places of amusement:
Tt also contains a list of the Hackney Coach
and Cab Fares, with other useful and inte-
resting matter. It may be procureé of any
bookseller.

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 3, of
the Self Instructing Drawing Book,containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale. tlie Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 6, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to

—_—_____—_~—,

You}

Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand.

*.* Parts 1 and 2 are reprinted, and will in future
be charged at 10d. each.

Part 27 is now ready, price 10d.

To re me

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THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[Juny 14, 1849.

BWatnuting on Glass.

(Continued from page 102.)

HOUGH it is difficult
to produce the copper glass uniformly coloured,
it is easy to obtain streaks and patcbes of a
fine transparent red. For this purpose it is
sufficient ta fuse together 100 parts of crown
glass with one oxide of copper, putting a lump
of tininto the bottom of the crucible. Me-
tallic iron employed in the same way as the
tin throws out a bright scarlet, but perfectly
opaque. We shall now conclude these obser-
vations by a few notices respecting glass tinged
by fusion with gold, which, though never
brought into general use among glass-painters,
has, I know, been employed in one or two in-
stances, flashed both on créwn and flint glass.
Not long after the time when the art of making
the copper.-red glass was lost, Kunckel appears
to have discovered that gold melted with flint
glass was capable of imparting to it a beautiful
ruby colour.

As he derived much profit from the invention,
he kept his invention secret, and his successors
have done the same to the present day. The
art, however, has been practiced ever since for
the purpose of imitating precious stones, &c.,
and the glass used to be sold at Birmingham
for a high price under the name of Jew’s glass.
The rose-coloured scent bottles now commonly

made, are composed of plain glass flashed or
coated with a very thin layer of the glass in
question. We have made numerous experi-
ments on this subject, and have been com-
pletely, and at last uniformly successful in pro-
ducing glass of a fine crimson colour. One
cause why so many persons have failed in the
same attempt, I suspect is that they have used
too largea portion of gold; for it is a fact that
an additional dust of gold, beyond a certain
point, far from deepening the colour, actually
destroys it altogether. Dr. Lewis states that
he once produced a potfull of glass of beautiful
colour, yet was never able to succeed a second
time, though he took infinite pains, and tried
a multitude of experiments with that view.—
We find that a degree of heat sufficient to melt
cast-iron, is not strong enough to injure the
colour. It would appear, that in order to re-
ceive the colour it is necessary that the glass
should contain a proportion either of lead or
of some other metallic glass. We have found
bismuth, zinc and antimony to answer the pur-
pose, but have in vain attempted to impart any
tinge of this colour to crown-glass alone.

Glass containing gold exhibits the singular
change of colour on being exposed to a gentle
heat, as has been already noticed with respect
to glass containing copper. ‘The former when
taken from the crucible is generally of a pale
rose colour, but sometimes colourless as water,
and does not assume its ruby colour till it has
been exposed to a low red-heat, either under
a mufile or in the lamp. Great care must be
taken in the operation, for a slight excess of
fire destroys the colour, leaving the glass of a
tingy brown, but with a blue transparency,
like that of gold leaf. ‘These changes of colour
have been vaguely attributed to change of oxy-
genation in the gold; but it is obviously impos-
sible that mere exposure to a gentle heat can
effect any chemical change in the interior of a
solid mass of glass, which has already under-
gone a heat far more intense. In fact, we
have found the metallic gold gives the red co-
lour as well as the oxide, and it appears to ad-
mit of scarcely any doubt that in a metal so||
easily reduced, the whole of the oxygen must
be expelled long before the glass has reached
its melting point. It has long been known
that silver yields its colour to glass while in the
metallic state, everything leads one to suppose
that the case is the same as gold.

EN EN

112

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

There are still some other substances by
means of which we find it is possible to give a
red colour to glass, and that is a compound of
tin, chromic acid, and lime; but our trials do
not lead us to suppose that glass so coloured
will ever be brought into use.

@n the Nature, Orig, and Wro-
gtess of Mesign.
From A PAPER READ AT THE GunERAL Meer-
ING OF THE DEcoRATIVE ARr Soctery,

Marcu, 1844, By Mr. Crass.

(Continued from page 109,)

Its area was about sixty miles, and an exact
square, enclosed by walls every way prodigious,
350 feet in height, and 87 feet in thickness,
built of brick, cemented by bitumen, a gluti-
nous slime arising out of the earth, binding far
stronger than lime, and even growing harder
than bricks or stone. Exterior, and lined, was
a vast ditch, and the earth«dug in forming it
composed the bricks. On every side of this
square were 25 gates, 100 in all, of solid brass,
with towers ten feet above the wall. From
each gate in this great square went 25 streets
jin straight lines, being 50 streets, each 15 miles
long, and 150 feet broad, crossing from gate
to gate at right angles, cutting the city into
676 squares; around these squares were built
the houses, detached, and three or four stories
high—their tronts richly decorated. The hol-
low of the square was as gardens, or open
space, not building; thus, half the area of the
city formed pleasure grounds; the river ran
through the city, bordered by quays and a
wall, having brazen gates to each street, and
steps to the water; and a kind of tunnelling
covered the river for three miles. The plan of
erecting this singular structure is on record,
and deserves our attention. The snow melting
on the mountains of Armenia, caused, in sum-
mer, the Euphrates to overflow the country,
much as the Nile does Egypt. To preserve
the city an immense lake was dug, and canals
connecting it with the Tigris; when this was
ready the course of the river was turned into
it, and subsequently the lake remained as a

reservoir to supply the canals, which, inter™
secting the immense plains, fertilized the coun-
try all the year. The bottom of the river was
sandy, and to secure for the arches a firm foun-
Gation, ‘large stones were bound together by
chains and melted lead; the immense struc-
ture was then erected, and the channel through
the city lined with brick. At either end of
this bridge was a palace, connected by a tun-
nel, built under the bed of the river. Near
the old palace stood the Temple of Belus, and
to the new one was attached the hanging gar-
dens. The latter surrounded by three concentric
walls, seven miles in circumference; consider
able space existed between each wall, and they
were adorned by an infinite variety of sculp-
ture and fine ornament,—one represented Se-
miramis on horseback, throwing her javelin at
a leopard, and her husband, Ninus, piercing a
lion, These works of art must have been in
relievo, and a knowledge of their existence is]| #
highly interesting.

The hanging gardens of all these mighty
Structures became the most celebrated; they
containad a square of 400 feet each way, and)
were carried up in a succession of decreasing
arched terraces to a level with the city walls;—
stairs ten feet wide led from the terrace, stones
were laid upon the arches, then rushes floated in
bitumen, and two rows of brick, covered by
thick sheets of lead, upon which lay the mould
of the garden, so deep that the greatest tree
might take root. Groves, plants, and flowers
adorned the gardens, and an engine was con-
trived to raise water for its use; in the spaces
between the supporting arches were spacious’
apartments commanding magnificent prospects.
The Temple of Belus was a prodigious tower,
used for worship and for astronomical purposes,
for which the peoplemwere famed. The riches of
the temple are described as immense, consisting,
of statues, tables, ceusers, cups, and various sa-
ered vessels, mostly of pure gold, and richly
wrought. A

Of the extent and magnificence of these cities
there can be no doubt, and it is equally certain
that a people so powerful and luxurious would
as far as possible embellish their manufactures
with elaborate workmanship; slight traces re-
main to guide our enquiries, but from the un-
varying habits of the Hastern nations, we may
presume the many beautiful fabrics of India to
have descended from them. Rich carpets and}
woven shawls of elaborate design remain a staple
commodity of Persia. |

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

Royal Acavemp.
PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

(Continued from page 103.) |

LECTURE TI.

In a small picture"by Tifian, belonging to Mr.
Rogers, of the apparition of our Lord im‘the gar-
den to\Mary, ‘the treatment is scarcely below the
subjectseven in ‘the princpal figure,—but the con-
ceptionof the Magdalen is beyond:all*praise. She
seems |torun forward ‘towards her Master .on her
knees,—herstreaiaing hair and drapery denoting
utmost rapidity of action, while her hand extending
to touch him, is suddenly checked ‘by his words.
It is to me byfarthe most expressive conception
of the subject with which I.am acquainted, not ex
cepting its treatment by Raphael himself.

The Venetian painters dealt much in allegory ;—
but in some instances their meaning is obscure;
and of one of the finest pictures of this class by
Titian the key seems to be entirely lost. i allude
to that of which the Academy possesses a copy by
the late Mr. Geddes, from the original in the Bor-
ghese Palace at Rome. It is called, for want as
I think of the true name, ‘Sacred and Profane
Love ; and is astriking proof of what I have in-
{sisted on—that the Poetry of Art is something
wholly independent on subject; for this splendid
Wiwork is of the most poetic order. Not but that
the want of its meaning is very tantalizing—and
it is evidently full of meaning.

Had Titian intended the picture for what it is
\called, Lam confident that he would have felt no
difficulty in characterizing the persenifications more
clearly. But I have fancied that I could entirely
read the ‘meaning of a lesser work, ‘‘ The Ages of
||Human Life,” in the possession of the Earl of
Ellesmere.—On the right of this picture two
children are asleep close toa road (the road of Life).
One has been gathering flowers by the way-side,
which are dropping from his hands, while a third
child, who is the only one winged, is climbing the
stem of a tree which is withered, signifying, pos-
sibly, the worthlessness of human pursuits. In
the middle distance an old man sits on the ground
in deep meditation, with a skull in each hand.
Age has brought convictions that are unthought of

ground. She is but little more than a child, and
the youth seems for the first time to regard her
with love,—while she, wholly unconscious of this,
looks innocently in his face. Nothing can be more

by a young shepherd and shepherdess in the fore-.

charming than the expression of this pair, though
they might certainly have had more of personal
beauty, and I remember, when I first saw the pic-
ture I felt this as a drawback, which has long
ceased to be one with me, tor it is with pictures as
in real life,—we cease to regret the absence of
beauty in those with whom we have become inte-
rested by long acquaintance.

In looking’at ‘such ‘pictures fhe allegory is apt to
be forgotten‘m the.actors. “You*will.zemember the
fine Paul Veronese, belonging to Mr. Hope, which
was exhibited last summer:atthe British Gallery.
I mean that in which ‘the painter ‘has:represented
himself between Virtue and Vice, and choosing
Virtue. Yet he looks back, and mo ‘wonder, for
Vice is the more beautiful to the eye, and the almost/
invisible talons that he has placed atithe ‘ends of|
her fingers do not interfere with the exact sym-|
metry of her hands and arms. “Many other in-|
stances might be mentioned of allegoric invention
in which the moral intention, to say the least, is
rendered nugatory by the mode of treatment.

The truth is, that such subjects have probably)
been more often chosen with a view to the pic-
turesque than with any other serious aim by Paul
Veronese and by Rubens. The picturesque was
indeed always uppermost in the mind of the latter,
when the choice of his subject was left tohim. In
the autograph letter, preserved at Cologne, he
gives asa reason for selecting the ‘‘ Crucifixion of
St. Peter” as a subject to present to the church in
which he was christened, that the circumstance of
the head of the saint being downward madea novel
and fineincident for a picture. This is the ruling
principle also of his magnificent history of Mary
de Medicis, a series of subjects which he was for-|
tunately allowed to treat entirely in his own way ;—
for, however our individual tastes may*@bject to}
this or that mode of treatment, it is best ialways
that the painter should do that which he vcan best}|
do. When Reynolds «expressed great admiratiou
of a style of Art entirely distinct from ‘his own,

Northeote asked him why he did not attempt
something like it,—and ‘the reply was” ~“ Appainter ||
cannot always do what he «may “ge must
content himself with doing what he can.’

I must here notice the difference between alle-
gory, so lightly treated, in the thands of Paul
Veronese and of Rubens, by what may be called
subjective Art, that where Art is nearly everythiag,
and the noble use to which it may be applied, as in
the example have taken from Orcagua’s “ Triumph
of Death, in which the allegory is paramount and
so simply as to be intelligible to every mind. To
Oreagna the Art of Painting was unknown, and an
objective treatment was the only one possible to him.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

DESIGNS FOR TESSELLATED PAVEMENTS.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

FROM A MS. IN THE RECORD OFFICE.—(121H CENTURY.)

Se eee

116

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

An LNustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used 1 Architectural and
Entertor Mecoration, Ke.

———

PLiIntH. The lower member of a base. Every
body placed in an upright position, ought to have
its base orfoot, and the part inferior to this is the
plinth, by which the place of the former is often

supplied. In a-wall, the term is applied to two or
three rows of bricks which project from it, to any
flat moulding in a front wall, to mark the floors,
sustain the eaves, or the larmier of a chimney.

Puantine. Laying the first courses of stone
on foundation.
' PuAsreR. A composition of lime, with sand,

&c. to cover the walls of a building.

PLASTER OF PaRIs. A preparation of a spe-
\|cies of, gypsum or alabaster, dug near Monmartre,
a village in the neighbourhood of Paris. It is cal-
cined by fire into the fine plaster, which is so valued
for modeling, &c. When diluted with water to a
thin paste, plaster of Paris quickly sets, and has
its bulk increased at the instant of setting,

PLASTER Floors. Are exceedingly useful in
cottages, &c. where they may be constructed “at no
great expense, and afford ‘a great security against
fire. The plaster must be composed of lime of a
strong binding quality, and is laid on a kind of
strong reed, or on laths nailed to the joists, which
must be laid in the usual manner, These kinds of
floors are in general use in Nottinghamshire and
Rutlandshire.

PLATBAND. Any square moulding with a little
projection ; the fasciz of an architraye; the list
between flutings, &e. The platband of a door or
window is the lintel, when it is made square, and
not much arched.

PLAtTFoRM. A rowof beams, which support the
timber-work of a roof, lying at the top of a wall.
A terrace, or open walk at the top-of a building or
in gardens.

into holes previously drilled into the rock for that
purpose, and thus forcibly split it.

lead, and using it in building, principally in roofs,
windows, pipes, &c.

kind of earthenware, principally manufactured in

either of vaults su pported by arcades, or flat roofs

‘times called post and railing.

PLUG ARD FEATHER, or Key and Feather, Aj

mode of dividing hard stones by means of a long}
tapering wedge, called the key, and wedge-shaped

pieces of iron, called feathers, which are driven

Puumsrne.. Theart of casting and working in

PoInTED STYLE. (In Architecture.) AB mame

given by some ‘writers to the Gothic.

Potyson. See Geometry.
PoRcELAIN. A beautiful and semi-transparent

China.

Portico. A long covered space, composed

supported by pillars, the sides being quite open.

PoLisH. To make smooth in enamelling. We
say of those paintings in enamel which, placed to
the fire, acquire thereby a high lustre, that they
have taken a good polish.

POLISHER OR BURNISHER.. An instrument
for the purpose of polishing or burnishing things
calculated to undergo that Bee

PotisHine. The operation of giving a gloss or
lustre to certain substances, ‘such, for example, as
glass, metals, marbles, &c. The usage of polishing
marble figures appears to have been very common
in ancient times, and remains so still.

PLATTE.

In old church architecture, a mode
or plan.

Post awp Paurine. A close wooden fence,
made by ‘posts fixed in the ground, and pales
nailed between them. This kind of fence is some-

PostERN. A small door or gate at the back of||
a building. Posterns in ancient castles, were en-}
tranees for the private ingress of messengers to the
governors.

Posticum. The porchinthe back front of an}
ancient temple.

Postique. An ornament, &c. added after the
rest of the work is done.

PRoscENIUM. The frout part of the stage of
a theatre, immediately bevond the orchestra, and
under the sounding buard.

PROPORTIONAL Compasses. (See Compass.)

REE

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pee ee acer 5 : pa aes nett

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

117

: eethe te) rey

WP rwstorp of Sculpture.
(Continued from page 63.)

_ THEODORUS, who was visited by Socrates and
his disciples, served asa model for the artists of
his day. Phryne also seems to have been a model
both for painters and sculptors. On the other
hand, Zeuxis, when about to paint Helen, united
in his picture the various charms of the most
handsome women of Crotona.

Having thus exercised the most patient attention
and care on the several portions of the human
body itself, the Grecian sculptors proceeded with
equal scrupulosity to invest them with becoming
drapery. The vestment of the Grecian women
usually consisted of linen cloth, or some other
light stuff, in latter times, either of sill or occa-
‘sionally of woollen cloth. In the works of sculp-
‘ture, the linen may be distinguished by its trans-
|parency and small udited folds, The principal
garments worn by the Greeks were the tunic, the
robe, and the mantle. The tunic, or.that part
jof the dress next the body, may be seen in sleeping
figures, or in those in dishabille ; as, for instance,
the Flora Farnese, and the statute of the Amazons
in the Capitol.
‘consisted of two long pieces of woollen cloth, des-
\titute of any particular form, attached to the
shoulders by a great many buttons, and sometimes
by a clasp.
came down to the wrists. The young girls, as
well as the women, fastened their robe to their
side by a cincture, as is still done in many parts of
Greece.
ribbons somewhat resembling a rose in shape, as
has been particularly remarked in the two beautiful
daughters of Niobe.
rather than square, and when the ancients speak of
|square mantles, they allude to the addition of four
tassels, which were fixed to them, two visible and
two concealed under the mantle.

Women seldom wore any other head-dress than
jhair: using the corner of their mantle when they
wished for further covering. Sometimes, how-
ever, we meet with veils of a fine transparent tex-
ture.
or sandals, the latter generally up an inch thick,
and composed of sundry soles of cork.

‘The colour of vestments peculiar to eastern sta-
tues is curious, and must not be omitted. To begin
with those of the gods:—the drapery of Jupiter
was red, that of Neptune according to Winckel-
mann, sea-green, which colour belonged. likewise

The robes of women commonly |

They had straight sleeves, which |

The cineture formed in the side a knot of |

The mantle was round |

The covering for the feet consisted of shoes |

to the Nereids and Nymphs. The mantle of
Apollo was blue or violet. Bacchus was clothed
in white. Martianus Capella assigns green to Cy-
bele; while Juno’s vestments were sky-blue, with
the occasional addition of a white veil. Pallas

ting at Herculaneum) is in flowing drapery of a
golden yellow. Kings were arrayed in purple;
priests in white; and conquerors sometimesin sea-~
green.

Of the different Modes of Process in Sculp-
ture.—Works of sculpture are performed, either
by hollowing or excavating, as in metals, agates,
and other precious stones, and in marbles of every
description ; or by working in relief, as in bassi-
relievi in the materials just mentioned, or in sta-
tues of metal, clay, wood, wax, marble, or stone.

The excavation of precious stones forms a parti-
eular branch of art called intaglio, which, together
with the working them in rilievo, when the term
camayeu is applied to them, belongs to the art of
seal-engraving.

engraving, in its various branches, on metal of any
kind ; and its relief comprises enchasing, casting
in bronze, &c-

The process of hollowing hard stone or marble

of letters in monumental or other inscriptions.
In working in relievo the process is necessarily

work is performed.

models are still made in clay or wax, for every
work undertaken by the sculptor; we shall first
consider the method of modelling figures in clay
oY wax.

_ The clay being placed on a stand or a sculptor‘s
easel, the artist begins the work with his hands,
and puts the whole into form by the same means.
The most expert practitioners of this art seldom
use any other tool than their fingers, except in such
small or sharp parts of their work as their fingers
cannot reach,

lf clay could be made to preserve its original
moisture it would undoubtedly be the fittest sub-
stance for the medels of the sculptor; but when it
is placed either in the fire, or left to dry imper-
ceptibly in the air, its solid parts grow more com-
pact, and the work shrinks, or loses a part of its
dimensions.
no consequence, if it affected the whole work
equally, so as to preserve its proportions. But this

The excavation of metals constitutes the art of|

will need no particular description; especially as

itis now wholly in disuse, except for the forming|

different, according to the materials in which the,

As not only the beginning of sculpture was in}
clay, for the purpose of forming statues, but as)

Few tools are necessary for modelling in clay.)

was robed in flame colour, and Venus (ina pain-||

This diminution in size would be of||

'|he intends to execute.

er — — — — —

118

—=r

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

is not always the case: for the smaller parts of the
figure drying sooner than the larger ; and thus
losing more of their dimensions in the same space
of time, than the latter do; the symmetry and pro-
portions of the work inevitably suffer.

This inconvenience is obviated by forming the
model first in clay, and moulding it in plaster of
Paris before it begins to dry, and the takiug a plas-
ter cast from that mould, and the repairing it care-
fully from the original work ; by which means you
have the exact counterpart of thé mode in its most
perfect state; and you have, besides, your clay at
liberty for any other work.

In modelling in wax, the artist sometimes uses
his fingers, and sometinies tovls of the same sort as
those alluded to for modelling in clay. It is at
first more difficult to model in wax than in clay,
but practice will render it familiar and easy.

Of the Use of the Model.—Whatever consider-
able work is undertaken by the sculptor, whether
basso relievo, or statue, &e. itis always requisite
to form a previous model, of the same size as the
intended work; and the mode! being perfected,
according to the method before described, whether
it is in clay, or in was, or a cast in plaster of Paris,

,|becomes the rule whereby the artist guides himself

in tlre conduct of his work, and the standard from
which he takes all its measurements.

Of Sculpture in Wood.—A sculptor in wood

{\should first take care to choose wood of the first

quality, and the most proper for the work which
If he undertakes a large
work, requiring strength and solidity, he ought to
choose the hardest wood, and that which keeps
best, as oak and chestnut ; but for works of mode-
rate size, pear or apple tree serves very well. As
leven these latter woods are still of considerable
hardness, if the work consists only of delicate or-
naments, the artist will find it preferable to take
some more tender wood, provided it is at the same
time firm and close; as, for instance, the Indian
tree, which is excellent for this purpose, as the
chisel cnts it more neatly and easily than any other
wood.

The ancients made statues out of almost every
different kind of wood. At Sicyon was a statue of
Apollo made out of box; the statue of Diana at
Ephesus was of cedar. As these two sorts of wood
are extremly hard and undecaying ; and as cedar,
in particular, is of such a nature as, according to
Pliny, to be nearly indestructible, the ancients pre-
ferred them for the images of their divinities. In
the temple built on mount Cyllene in honour of
Mercury, Pausanias relates that there was a statue
of that god made of citron-wood, eight feet in
height. This wood was also much esteemed. The
cyprus likewise, being a wood not apt to spoil, nor

to be damaged by worms, was also used for statues ;
as were the palm tree, olive, and ebony, of which
latter, according to Pliny’s account, there was
another statue of Diana at Ephesus. ©

Several other kinds of wood were equally em-
ployed for this purpose, even the vine, of which the;
same author says there were statutes of Jupiter,
Juno, and Diana.

(To be Continued.)

@setul Wecetyts.

The method of Quicksilvering Gilass G'lobes,
like Looking-Glasses.—Take of quicksilver two
ounces, of bismuth one ounce, lead and block-tin,
of each haif an ounce ; melt the lead and tin to-
gether, and then putin the bismuth, and when that
is melted, let it stand till the mixture is almost
cold; then pour in the quicksilver. Take care
that the inside of the globe be clean, and with a
paper funnel pour in the mixture very gently, and
then move it about, that the mixture may touch
every part; if it does not lay on equally, warm it
over the fire, and then it will freely flow. If the
amalgam, or mixture, be too thin, put a little more
lead, tin, and bismuth. The finer and clearer the
globe, the better the looking-glass will be.

To Prepare Red-Lead:—This is prepared by
calcining lead upon a reverberatory hearth with a’
slow fire, and frequent renewal of the surface with
a rake, till it becomes an oxide, taking care not to,
fuse it. The calcined mass triturated into a fine
powder in a paint-mill, where itis elutriated with
a stream of water, to carry off the finely-levigated,
particles, and to deposit them afterwards in tanks.
'The powder, thus obtained, being dried, is called
massicot ; it is then put into trays, and piled up on
the reverberatory hearth, where it absorbs more,
oxygen, and it becomes partially red lead. This,
after being stirred about, and subjected toa similar
low calcined heat again, will be red lead.

To remove Fruit and Wine Stains.—Put abont
a table spoonful of muriatic acid into a teacup and

add about a teaspoonful of powdered manganese,||

then set the cup in large one filled with hot water,)
moisten the stain with water, and expose it to the
fumes that rise from the teacup. If the exposure’
be continued a sufficient length of time the stains
will disappear. This solution can only be applied
with safety to white goods, as it discharges all prin-
ted and dyed colours.

To make Black Sealing Wax.—Half a pound
of gum-lac, orshell-lac, and one ounce and three
quarters of ivory black.

FD Sg ONE TSO BD RG ELD Oe PS ee

THe Progress of Cutlery AA anuz
factures.

ENGLISH steel makers, it may not be generally
known, give much’ higher’ prices for the Swedish
Panemora (or Oregrund) iron than for English
iron, and the sales have been to such an’ extent as
to give a monopoly to the sale of the produce of
such mines to England: hence it has been worth
the attention of Sheffield cutlers to perfect most
elaborately articles manufactured from Danemora
iron. The cause of the superiority of this iron
over English for the-fine’ articles of cutlery, has
never beenexplained ; but whiether it’ be the pre-
sence of manganese,,or silica, or the nature of the
peeuliar process) employed, the first character
razors can. be made from no other iron., The pa-
tentees (C. Stewart and Co.) of the new razor—
which invention we noticed on its introduction as
a great improvement, the razor having a simple
moveable guard adjusted to it with such precision
and nicety, that a.complete protection to the skin
\is secured, even if the razor were used in a railway
carriage, and the beard is removed with the most
perfect freedom and accuracy—have exhibited, at
their establishment, 22, Charing-cross, some spe-
cimens'of this‘ Swedish iron, and the razor forged
from it. The specimens show the progressive
stages of the manufacture of steel for the razor,
from the iron in a crude state, or pig, to'the rough
or blistered steel, the latter in a refined state, the
ingot broken to show the fineness of the grain in
comparison with the blistered steel; refined steel
drawn out in bars preparatory to being forged into
razor blades, and the latter in their several states
of forging, hardening, grinding, and fitting on the
guards, to the completely finished and highly po-
lished razor. The simple arrangement of these
|specimens, each of which is described, is highly
interesting, and gives a' good general idea of the
|manipulation of iron and. steel, and the various
changes it undergoes in the course of manufacture.
The processes of tempering razors, pen-knives, and
table-knives are different. A temperature of 430
to 450 deg. Fah. being required for razors; for
| pen-knives, 470 to 490 deg. Far.; while table
knives require 510 to 550 deg. Fah. The tempering
jof a razor is not less important than the grinding,
since the fineness and durability of the edge depend
|creatly upon both. Hach cutler uses such a heat,
and tests it by such ‘signs as seem best to accord
with the result of his own experience.

Many razors are made of iron, without being

THE) DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

‘converted into steel ; and thousands are sold at al}

mitted to the test the Swedish iron can alone un-|
‘dergo,'would fritter away in the subsequent pro-|

cheap price, made of English iron, which, if sub- |

cesses, or become honeycombed and porous. Razors
are often made from sixpence to several guineas||
per pair, and it is, consequently, folly to attempt to
persuade practical men that a shilling razor, which
at the price can only be made of English bar-iron,
from which the commonest character of hardware
is manufactured—for instance, fire-irons, &c.—has
the same fine enduring edge as the razor made from
the Swedish iron converted into steel. It gives us
pleasure to draw attention to the exquisite superi-
ority and finish of Stewart’s patent razors, which
must ultimately restore this beautiful class of Bri-
tish manufactures ; for, as we have before stated,
they make all their razors from the Swedish Dane-
mora iron, applying the best workmanship to its
conversiou into steel, and the tempering and finish
when the razor is forged; and it is gratifying to
think that the result shows that we were not wrong
in our conclusion, that this patent razor, with its
guard, would soon become an established favourite,

and ultimately supersede the ordinary make of
razors.

Bulla Percha Tubing.

—

A SERIES of interesting experiments ,has just
been concluded at the Birmingham Water-works,
relative to the strength of Gutta-percha Tubing,
with a view to its applicability for the conveyance
of water. The experiments were made under the
direction of Mr. H. Rolfe, engineer, upon tubes
of three quarters of an inch diameter and one
eighth thick of gutta-percha. These were at-
tached to the iron main, and subjected for two
months to a pressure of 200 feet head of water
without being in the slightest degree deteriorated.
In order to ascertain, if possible, the maximum
strength of the tubes, they were connected with
the water company’s hydraulic proonng pump, the
regular load of which is 250 pounds to the square
inch. At this point they were unaffected, and the
pump was worked up to 337 pounds, the tubes
still remainifig perfect. It was then proposed to
work the pump up to 500, but it was found that
the lever of the valve would bear no more weight.
The utmost power of the hydraulic pump could
not burst the tubes. The gutta percha being
slightly elastic allowed the tubes to become a little
expanded by the extraordinary pressure which ‘was
applied, but on its withdrawal, they resumed their
former size,

SE =
= ee
—_———_—_ ee

120

The Mbronotypist.

BotH ends of the Reading, Gulldford, and Rei-
gate railway, namely, from Reigate, on the South
Eastern railway, to Dorking—eight miles,—and
from Reading, on the Great Western railway, to
Farnborough, on the South Western railway,—six-
teen miles,—were opened on the 4th inst. That
portion of the Norwich Extension of the Eastern
Union railway to Diss and Burton, within 17 miles
of Norwich, was opened on the 2nd inst. The
Colchester and Stour Valley railway was publicly
opened on the 2nd jnst.-----The Commissioners of
Woods and Forests have allotted two pieces of
ground in Holyrood-park, each between three and
four acres in extent, to be used as public washing
and bleaching grounds.——-The ‘ Contemporaneo’
of Rome, states that a cannon ball has struck the
celebrated ‘ Aurora’ of Guido Reni, a fresco paint-
ing, and on the same day a 36-pounder broke a
piece off the cornice of the Temple of Fortune Vi-
rilis. ——The Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s have
given a site for a new church at Wood-end, in the
parish of Ardeley, Hertfordshire, and the Rev. W.
M, Malet, the Vicar, has liberally contributed to
the cost of erection. As the daily papers an-
nounced that the Diorama was about to be dis-

| posed of by public auction, it may be well to in-

form the'public, and especially visitors from the
country, that it was not sold, and therefore con-
tinues open as usual. It is said that the choice
to be made of an artist for the restoration of the
Rubens Masterpieces in Antwerp Cathedral is be-
coming a matter of competition; many men of
‘note looking out for the appointment with no ordi-
nary ambition ——At Malines there have been,
this week, a series of fétes on occasion of the in-
auguration of the statue of Margaret of Austria.
|The King and his children were to be present.
A new monument is now about to be erected tore-
place the stone pillar, on the spot where General
Wolfe fell, on the memorable 13th of September,
1759. It is from a design by Sir James Alex-
ander, forming a very neat column of about 40
feet in height—and is visible from the St. Lewis
‘road. The column is surmounted by a bronze
helmet and sword, the former being encircled by a
wreath of laurel. A farmer of Ny, near Marche,
‘has discovered a jar full of silver coins, nearly
2,000 in number. They are of the same model
and,nearly the same weight as a quarter of a france
piece. They comprise 28 varieties of coins of the

princes of Liege, from Albert de Cuik down to

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Robert de Langers (1194 to 1258), and some of
them of. the Empire of the same period. Samples
have been forwarded to the governor of the pro-
vince. The village of Ny was in the neighbour-
hood of some of the villages of the Liege country,
the money of which had currency in Luxembourg.
—the steeple of Saint Martin’s chureh, Bir-
mingham, is said by an architect to be in a dan-
gerous state. On cxamination, he finds its depar-
ture from the perpendicular to be far greater than!
it was, and its vibration during bell-ringing to be
rather alarming. The whole edifice is thought to
require restoration or rebuilding, which there are
surely people in Birmingham quite rich enough
and ready enough to do.——At a preliminary
meeting of iron masters, on Saturday week, a fur-
ther reduction of 10s. per ton was resolved on, and
itis considered to be very doubtful whether even
the prices that now remain after the deduction of
the recent nominal or admitted reductions of 30s.|}
can be maintained. A notice of further reductions|
in wages has also been given,

To Corresponvents, Ke.

E. N.—Send the design you mention, and if suit”
able it shail be used.

P. L.—Try flour of sulphur.

I. F. K.— You can procure this work either in
numbers, parts, or volumes, of any respectable
bookseller.

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 3, of,
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale. the Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to6, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as|
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand.

* * Parts 1 and 2 are reprinted, and will in future
be charged at 10d. each.

Part 27 is now ready, price 10d. -—

nen

ee
———————————

DESIGNS FOR CHARIOTS.

No. 115.—Vo1. V. | Two-PENCE,

\ eee am

SS a

OR DS

erat agai

5
Wher

SATURDAY, ]

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[Juny 21, 1849.

@n Architectural Ornament.

RNAMENT, observes Mr.
Foggo, in his lecture on Architectural Orna-
ment, is the source of much beauty and plea-
sure when judiciously applied in subordination
to the principles of architecture as a science,
and in character with the building and its pur-
pose, but becomes ridiculous when it presumes
to supplant the main principles of utility and
construction, as in many Christian churches,
where the emblems of heathenish sacrifice pro-
fane the temple of mercy.

In looking back to past ages, we find the
history of architecture written in characters
too plain to be misunderstood; from the sim~
ple forms of the pyramid and other Egyptian
edifices, which all partake of the simple out-
line of the tent, to the Doric temple, of which
||that of Solomon is an early and important
example of Phoenician construction, and in
the description whereof in holy Scripture, every
ornament is defined with accurate detail. From
the heavy Doric examples still to be found in
Sicily, near Corinth, and at other places of an-
tiquity, down to the more elegant specimens
of the time of Pericles, and onward to its cor-
ruption, first in Italy, and thence degraded, as
knowledge failed into the clumsy Saxon, we
see a course of progressive improvement in pro-
portion to the state of general civilisation, and
a proportionate decline under circumstances
inimical to the cultivation of the human intel-
lect.

After a period of unusual degradation, when
science began once more to dawn on the pur-
suits of man, architecture again assumed more
elegant proportions, more variety of forms and
of ornaments, and gradually a style, both new
and characteristic, was produced to astonish
future ages. Roman edifices are corrupted
from the Grecian, but the Gothic is in most
respects quite different from either, and for its
main purpose, far superior to both.

As a public mart and treasury, as a place for
the exhibition of merchandize without, and
noble works of art within, as an arsenal for
the preservation of warlike stores, and at the
same time, an edifice consecrated to a divinity,
whose name added to the other terrors, by
which it was prohibited from the outrage of
surrounding barbarians, the Doric temple was
at once beautiful and efficient ; and under other
circumstances, the vast cathedral, along whose
pavement lengthened processions marched in
solemn array, and amidst the dim splendour of
a thousand torches, raised the swelling anthem
to the lofty vaultings, shot up into majestic
groves and varied imagery, subordinate to
science. Two styles more opposite can be
scarcely imagined; the one exhibits the per-
fection of simplicity and symmetry; the other
effects a gorgeous display of fanciful caprice.
The one, from its horizontal and square form,
seems to hold fast to the earth, and well suited
to bridges and other constructions of one
story ; the other, in its upward growth points
heavenward, and that way leads our imagi-
nation; but in both, ornament ig subservient
to the main principle, and presumes not to
usurp the privilege of useful science. In
Grecian architecture, ornaments are light in
character, and superficially applied to the con-
struction, not embedded in its substance, as we
find in the works of the Romans, who lost
sight of their propriety in their thirst for su-
perfluous beauty, often placing an egg-shell, or
a delicate flower, as a support to a mass of in-
cumbent stone, cutting away the solid cup
around which the acanthus entwines so ele
gantly in a Corinthian column. The same
good sense is observable in the best Gothic
edifices, as in the Grecian ornament, being
added to, or made to disguise science, but not
to supplant it.

Having explained the different principles of

122

construction in Grecian and in Gothic archi-
{tecture, the only two styles which he consi-
|dered worthy to be compared, or great, pe-
\culiar, and distinct, Mr. Foggo observed, that
jhowever distinct in appearance, the peculiar
jcircumstances in which they flourished were
jnearly similar, and highly interesting, Whilst
slavery was the lot of most men, and they
were fixed to the soil, and doomed to ignorance
and oppression, a small part of mankind, de-
voted to science, and subservient to the religion
of their time, were blessed with freedom, ho-
|noured and esteemed. When one place of
worship was completed, they travelled in per-
fect safety into other states, where the cause
of religion claimed their ingenuity. Slaves
were abundantly supplied to assist in the
heavy drudgery; but in all cases they were
bound to live in community by themselves,
apart from the ignorant multitude. The chief
or grand master architect was their chief or
Judge, and if any wanderer claimed protection
or employment, his claim was decided ac-
cording to the mathematical knowledge he
evinced in the examination he was subjected
to, and his rank as a free mason or architect,
was determined.. Hence in the eyes of the
ignorant the appearance of mysticism in those
societies which flourished wherever slavery and
privilege necessitated a monopoly of practical
knowledge, which societies became merely
mystical when their talent was suffered to de-
cline, and the desire for preserving the advan-
tage of exclusive privilege outlived the object
of their institution. The great shock to Gothic
freemasonry in Europe, was given by Edward
the First employing some of the architects as
military engineers. That monarch, by first
introducing mathematical talent into his army,
rendered warfare a highly cultivated science,
and opened a wider field for the educated than
even the hierarchy could afford. Deprived of
its supremacy of talent, real freemasonry
dwindled, and in place of the sciences mystical
forms alone were clung to by the ignorant suc-
cessors of the architects of Gloucester, York,
Lincoln, and of Salisbury cathedrals. Then
ornament supplanted construction, without re-
ference to judgment.

That the florid and unmeaning beauties of
Henry the Seventh’s Chapel should be more
admired than the stern merits of Westminster

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

Abbey, or the elegant cloisters and chapel of
St. Stephen’s (erected by Henry III. and Ed-
ward), can only be accounted for from the cir-
cumstance that the period which followed its
creation up to our own time, was one of per-
fect ignorance of the principles of Gothic ar-
chitecture. Even Sir Christopher Wren, by
much the most scientific of our architects of
those days, has, in his restorations of the Ab-
bey, especially in the towers added by him,
amply proved his total want of that knowledge.
During the whole of that period the French
court led the fashion and taste of Europe.—
Louis the Fourteenth was esteemed supreme in
art, and the gorgeous, heterogeneous style in-
troduced to please him, endured undisturbed,
until the genius of Wedgwood and Flaxman,
of Hamilton, Hope, and others of our country-
men, revived a purer taste for nature and the
antique.

The style of Louis the Fourteenth and Louis
the Fifteenth was, in reality, borrowed from
the Italian of the fifteenth century. It was
eminent for the quantity, size, and prominence
of its ornament, and the abundance of gilding
usually introduced into it; for the admixture
of birds, fishes, animals, or vegetables, with-
out order or propriety, often distorted in form,
and regardless of proportion, but with an effect
of bold relief, and therefore of light and shade,
adapted to make it appear solid and weighty;
and, therefore highly prized in works to be
executed in valuable metals, either gold or
silver, wherein the effect of money value so often
supersedes pure form. There are many excuses
for the adoption of this barbarous style in these
substances. The difficulty of finding a modeller
a caster, a silversmith, a chaser, and a burnisher
of adequate talent, and al) equally bent on the}}.
production of a specimen of combined taste, is
hopeless, in respect to elegant forms and simple
elegance; but in the incongruous display of he-
terogeneous splendour, the facility and economy
of the gaudy performance is a strong temptation
—besides, its coarser merits are conspicuous to
most persons ; the other can only be appreciated
by a few of refined taste. That period is most
to be envied, when good taste is most diffused ;
for it is secure of most happiness, most moral
worth, and most real wealth and comfort.

SS
Ne

_Mr. Barry, the architect to the new Houses
of Parliament, has applied to the Commissioners
for an increase of the stipulated remuneration.

Colours for Painting on Welbet.

— =

DissoLve three or four pieces of gum dragon
in a teapeupful of hot water; in two days it will
be fit for use. A little of this must be mixed with
the colours when you lighten them for a first coat
or ground work, otherwise the colours will run on
the velvet. Rose, carmine, and golden-yellow, are
excepted. Neither of these colours will mix
with water.

Orange.—Pour an ounce of white wine vinegar
ona little bay saffron—when the colour is extracted
pour it off clear, and add gum water when used.—
This colour does not keep brilliant more than ten
days in ifs liquid state, therefore make only a little
atatime.

Scarlet.—Pour a few drops of orange colour on
a pink saucer; stir up as much of the pink as may
be necessary to produce a rich scarlet.

Rose.—This may be made to any shade, by ad-
ding more or less of the lemon juice with the pink
|saucer.

Crimson.—Lay a coat of pink saucer very deep
on your intended crimson flowers, and afterwards
a coat of carmine.

Lilae.—Same as purple, but made much lighter
with gum water:

Green.—Vary the tints of green by adding dark
blue, or leaf-yellow, as required.

Leaf-yellow.—French berries three ounces, wa-
ter half a pint—to be boiled gently till reduced to
a quarter of a pint. A few moments before you

take it from the fire add a quarter of an ounce of
finely-powdered allum. When cold, strain and

bottle it for use.

Brown.—Vary the tints by adding black, car-
mine, orange, or leaf-yellow.

Black. India ink, with light gum water.

Stone..—Mix very little black, and very little
leaf yellow in a quantity of gum water.

Slate.—Mix very little black and dark blue in a
quantity of gum water. The two last colours are
for shading white roses and other white flowers.

Dark Purpie.—Liquid archill one ounce; a tea-
spoonful of strong solution of potash, and as much

fine powdered alum.as will covera sixpence.. Shake:|

it well in a bottle.

Golden-yellow.—Turmeric root, two ounces,—

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

fit for use.

123)
gambouge a quarter of an ounce, put into a bottle
with three ounces of the very best rectified spirit
of wine; in three days strain it off, and it will be

Carmine.—This colour must: be mixed ‘with
spirits of hartshorn.

it is necessary to have three brushes and a scrub
for each colour.

Gisetul Receipts.

——

To make Green Paint.—Add toa hot solution of
blue vitriol a little solution of carbonate of soda;
a beautiful powder, known by the name of French
green, will be precipitated. The powder is sub-
carbonate of copper.

70 make Green Ink.—Mix the solution of sul-
phate of indigo with a decoction of French berries
or fustic wood, and then dissolve gum arabic in
the mixture.

Zo make Pearl-powder.—Dissulve bismuth in
nitro-muriatic acid, and gradually add to the so-
lution cold distilled water, upon which a beautiful
white powder, which is an oxideof bismuth, will
be precipitated.

To make Balls to remove Spots from Linen,
Silk, or Weollen.-—Take one ounce of fuller’s earth
and break it in a stone mortar, adding twenty drops
of spirit of turpentine, and twenty drops of spirit
of wine among it. Rub them together, and make
a ball. Some use pipemakers’ clay instead of the
fullers’ earth.

To make Strops for Setting Razors.—Take a
long piece of leather, about two inches broad, and
smooth and clear at the flesh side. Glueit it toa
piece of thin board the same size, and when it is
dry smear it over with a tallow candle, and hold it
over the fire till the grease is soaked into the lea-
ther. Repeat this three times, and then strew on
some tripoli, clean washed, and work it into the
leather till the grease becomes warm, and repeat
the operation three or jour times, and then the lea-
ther will be fit for use. Likewise glue some leather
and tallow on the other side, and work in some
fine powdered emery with a bit of smooth ivory,
or a burnisher. This strop is extremely useful to
give a razora fine edge. Emery and tripolican be
bought at 1d. per ounce.

DRAWINGS of two ancient reredos, discovered
in the church of St. Cuthbert, Wells, were presen-
ted by Mr. Ferrey to the Archelogical Institute.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

125

THE DECORATGR’S ASSISTANT.

“SVKOHL

“L5

"SLOqWaINN 48 ‘pyeqag Yq Jo WMO, 24} MOY payoyass

opal Academy.

PROFESSOR LESLIE’S LECTURES
ON PAINTING.

LECTURE III.

(Concluded from page 113.)

It may seem presumptuous in one who has ne-
ver been in Italy to speak of the Sistine Chapel.—
But I have done so on former occasions, and with.
out as good an excuse as I can now offer, the op-
portunity of showing you some drawings from
Michel Angelo, and among them a very fine copy
of the full size of the head of his Delphic Sibyl,
made by the distinguished artist who preceded
Mr. Howard in this place. On comparing it with
the best existing engraving, you will see how im-
possible it is to form anything like an estimate of
the character and expression of the heads in the
heads in the Sistine Chapel by the transcripts we
possess, and how invaluable would bea series of
copies of the size and excellence of this. Of the
inventions and compositions only of Michael An-
gelo can we judge from the prints.

The Cartoon of Pisa is, as you know, a work of
entire invention ; and varied and admirable as are
its incidents, one of the finest consists in itself of
nothing more than the tearing of a stocking. Con-
nected, however, with the story, and expressive of
the eagerness of the veteran who forces his drip-
ping foot through it in his haste to obey the sum-
mons of the trumpet, it becomes heroic. Nicolo
Poussin has almost exactly copied this finely--eon-
ceived figure in his ‘ Sacrament of Baptism,’ but
there the action wants the motive that animates
the old soldier of Michel Angelo; the garment is
not torn, and the translation of the figure, bereft of
so much of its meaning, cannot well be justified.

Apart from Rembrandt’s want of choice in cha-
racter, his powers as a dramatic painter are of the
highest order. His etchings, I believe, are in no
instance’ from his pictures, but form a large and
distinct class of his works. Though it is not my
purpose, at present, to speak of chiar-oscuro, yet I
cannot but notice one instance among these of a
truly original conception resulting from light and
shade. You are all acquainted with his little pic-
ture, at Dulwich, of Jacob's Dream, so poetic, and
so entirely unlike the treatment of the same sub-
\ject by any other painter.

Among his etchings there is another version of
the Dream, equally original, and quite distinct
‘rom this. Jacob sleeps on a platform of ground,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

See Sa le er

midway in the composition, before which and him||
a ladder of light descends to the base of the pic-
ture, his figure being seen through the steps; a
single angel ascends above, and others hover over
him. We must call them angels, but they are the,
strange little animals that always appear as such in
the works of Rembrandt, and however unwillingly,
we must be content so to receive them. Still it is
impossible not to regret that this beautiful concep-
tion, so truly dream-like, had not occurred to a
painter whose notions of angelic beings accorded
better with the received ones,

Another of these etchings, the Reception of the
Prodigal Son by his Father, is a very fine and na-
tural conception of the story. The poor penitent
has sunk on his knees on the threshold of his early
home, and with his hands clasped, and not daring
to look up, seeks to hide himself in the arms and
aiaple robes that are extended in forgiveness over
him. The expression of the father is equally true
nor can the common objection to Rembrandt’s|
characters be made to the parent, though in the
prodigal, one of his ugliest figures, there is some
excuse for the emaciated limbs and shaggy head,

Las indicating the extreme wretchedness to which
his follies had reduced him.

But among the etchings of Rembrandt, from
which I prefer to take examples rather than from
his pictures, as they are more accessible, the most,
admirable conception is, perhaps, that from the
history of Abraham, in which the Patriarch and
his son are alone in the mountain.

The youth)
stands before his father, his hands resting on the

bundle of wood. Behind Abraham is a pan of
fire, and Isaac has just asked,—‘‘ Where is the
lamb for a burnt offering?” The unconscious
manner of the boy, who does not even look at his
father while asking a question that pierces through
his heart, is finely contrasted with that of Abra-
ham, who draws near his son, looks him steadily
in the face, and with one hand on his breast, as if
to keep down the pangs he feels, points to Heaven
with the other, while he yet avoids a direct reply.
We see in his expression all we may suppose him
to feel. It is supposed that but one feeling can
fill the breast at one moment; yet may we not
imagine that one feeling a bitter compound of
many thoughts? I believe so,—and though it is
very true that it is not in the power of Art, in
every case, to explain by itself the nature of a
strong emotion, yet it has to the utmost fulfilled
.its office when the expression, as in this instance,
entirely corresponds with, our previous knowledge
of the subject.

Pasa eee
i nS a aaa
THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

@n the Nature, @rigin, and Wro-=
gress of Mestqn.

'|From A PAPER READ AT THE GENERAL MeEET-
ING OF THE DECORATIVE ART SOCIETY,

Maron, 1844, By Mr. Crass.

(Continued from page 112.)

TuHErR silver and arms are skilfully worked,
and elaborately inlaid in intricate and often ex-
tremely elegant patterns. The existing architec-
tural edifices and interior decorations of India
‘are full of peculiar beauty, and deserve our at-
tentive consideration; the design is made to
produce effects not known elsewhere, and we
must regret the deficiency of popular acquaint-
ance with their detail and ornamental dispo-
‘sition.

With Egypt and Egyptian Art we are better
acquainted ; its prodigious edifices stand at this
day, attesting the truth of what might otherwise
ibe considered fabulous,—the pyramids, labyrinth
and mighty temples. Egypt was an extraordi-
nary country; two narrow strait lines of vivid
‘green bordered the river ; mountains on one side,
| desert on the other, with a cloudless canopy of
lof deep blue sky. The popular habits and archi-
‘tecture partook of the stern, unchangeable, co=
losgal character of the country. All art was im-
bued with the feeling; their statues received an
\ideal god-like expression ; every head alike and
the same in sentiment, whatever the action of
the body. This remarkable trait was adopted
and preserved by the Greeks. The trunk was
moulded perfect, yet but one unvarying expres-
‘Sion of feature marked the embodying of poeti-
cal symbols in stone. The head of the Memnon
in the British Museum is full of beauty, and is
one of the finest known. Their Temple of Kar-
jnac covered forty acres ; ten acres occupied with
buildings, and its approaching avenue of colos-
sal sphinxes one mile in length. It is considered
that these vast spaces were not solely devoted to
the priesthood; the Pharoah himself probably
residing there, upon the broad terraces which
such vast buildings afforded, raised in the air,
removed from vermin, inundations and annoy-
ances, to which the inhabitants were peculiarly
Subject; the Arab villages are built upon them
at the present day. This temple palace was ap-
proached by an avenue of sphinxes, and the

|and other great principles of sculpture truly sur-

127

Pylau were seen from afar raising a vast front of
uniform surface; upon one was engraved in
square sunk lines, the Pharoah’s warlike attri-
putes, battles and sieges; upon the other his
peaceful attributes and sacred duties. The first
court was of immense extent. There, undera
colonade, the king sat in judgment, the sculp-
ture and paintings of the ceiling being appro-
priately designed to symbolize the passage of the
soul through human vicissitudes to final judg-
ments. The columnar grove came next, 325 by
266 feet, being a luxurious cool waiting-hall for
the whole court. Above was a paved surface,
upon which buildings of wood were erected, and
concealed by the external face of the temple
walls. They were very extensive, and called the
ivory palaces, habitations of cedar and sandal
wood, where the Pharoah might be glad, and

exempt from inconveniences of the nether world.|.

Design must have entered largely into the con-
struction, embellishments and ordinary service of
the Egyptians. We know the son was bound to
follow the trade of his father—that manufac-
turing Arts were fostered, and the higher Arts
diligently though peculiarly cultivated. The de-
sign and execution of single colossal figures, also,
the Sphinxes, are full of fine artistic feeling ;—
usually, they emblematically represented kings.
The two lions in red granite, given by Lord
Prudhoe to our Museum, were sculptured 3,000
years ago, and are remarkable for their treat-
ment being fully equal to the best efforts of
Grecian art. The working of so hard and un-
kind a material displays a knowledge of anatomy

prising : they must also have required excellent
tools.

Basso relievos were frequent, and Art appears
to have been in its highest excellence about 800
B. C.; after which, the great principles of design
were lost amid exuberance of ornament, which,
as in Greece and Italy, at all subsequent times,
accompanied a decline of the Arts.

In the description of their festivals, with the
vessels and ornaments used, we arrive at some
little notion of the ordinary applications of Art
to manufacture. Take the inauguration of}
Ptolomy, 300, B.c., when Egypt was at an ex-
traordinary height of grandeur and power. It
is one of the most celebrated solemnities in an-
cient history, and is fully deseribed in Rollins’s
‘ Alexander’s Successors ;’ we find separate pro-
cessions and decorations, emblematical of each
god; priests, troops, and multitudes of persons
clothed in robes of purple, deep red, and'saffron,
brocaded habits and rich embroideries of gold

128

thread ; elaborately wrought and sculptured
plate, to an immense extent; cups set with
jewels, and profusion of rich manufactures. The
ambition of the king upon such occasions was to
display the greatest possible amount of treasure.
During the games which succeeded, forty-three
crowns of gold were given to the victors.

Just glancing at Tyre, the abode of those
haughty and voluptuous merchants, kings of the
sea, whose riches accumulated by dealing in all
the fabrics of the East, and whose bales would
discover the embroidered Tyrian wool, we pass
to the most celebrated and illustrious nation of
the world—Greece; the favoured of climate and
geographical position. Wars and admixture with

| the great contemporaneous nations, espécially the

Persians and Egyptians, may in a great measure
be considered to have introduced the Arts to her
‘in considerable advance. Her laws, institutions,
chariot races, games of gymnasium, and all others
of which they were passionately fond, were di-
rected to exalt the mind and refine the under-
Standing.—rendering it capable of appreciating,

| and desirous of obtaining the highest perfections
|in fine Art. Civilization had just arrived at that

state when the manners of men became polished,
without ceasing to be natural, and consequently
their attitudes and gestures expressive and em-

The Greeks were idolators, and their
dered, the greater chance of the artist receiving

the present blessing and immortal honours of the
gods. Beauty was so much prized among this

\lacute and highly gifted people, that all those

possessing it were ambitious of making it known
through great artists to the world; statues were

erected to the most beautiful children, and the

Lacedemonian women kept in their bed-rooms
models of the finest forms.

The philosophers recommended io all classes
the study of Art, and the government seconded
those recommendations. The priests found the
religious feeling rendered more acute by painting
and sculpture; and the authorities discovered
that, by commemorating great national events in
temples and public halls, they gave an additional
impulse to the ardent emotion of patriotism.—
Add to these, the natural inherent genius of the
people, and we find in resnlt those miracles of
perfection of Aré upon which the world conti-
nues to. gaze with almost incredulous wonder.

Carbonic acid was discovered by the late Dr.
Black, of Edinburgh, in 1757, under the name of
fixed air, which is still a familiar name.

phatical, without degenerating into coarseness or |
|| violence.

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

an Ellustvated Glossary of Cechnical
Terms used tn Architectural anv
Entertor Mecovation, se.

PRostyLe. Having pillars or columns in front
only : according to Vitruvius, the second order of
temples.

PROsTYRIDE. A name given by Vignola to the
key of an arcade, formed by a bunch of foliage be-

tween two listels and fillets, and crowned by a
Dorie cymatium.

PycnostyLe. The method of intercolumniation
which has but a diameter and a half between each
column. The pycnostyle intercolumniation occurs
in the ruins of Palmyra.

PURFLED. Ornamented with carving, resem-
bling embroidery, lace-work, fringes, or flowers. It
is also applied to the inlaid lines running round
the edges of the better class of violins, and other
stringed instruments.

Puttoes, or Putlocks. Pieces of timber about
seven feet long, used in building scaffolds.

Purry. A kind of paste, made of whiting, a

\love of beauty was a principle of their retigion. | little white lead, and linseed oil well beat to-
The more beautiful a face or form could be ren- | gether.

Propyiton. A vestibule,

Puaeine. A coarse kind of mértar laid on
the boarding between. joists.

Puac-pitine. See Pile.

Puncnion. A common name given to all the
iron tools used by stone-cutters, &c. for cutting
or chipping. Also, a piece of timber placed up-
right between two posts which have too much
bearing. A piece of timber which is raised up-
right under the ridge of a building, and in which
are jointed the small timbers, &c.

Quarry. Apaneof glass cut iu a diamond or
lozenge form.

QUARTER-ROUND. The same as the Ovolo. (See!

—-=

Moulding.

QuarTERS. Slender pieces of timber placed
between the puncheons and the posts to nail the

eee to,in partitions. They are four inches square,

‘inches broad ‘and two thick.
\

‘rule to place exactly fourteen inches of space
‘between them.

Quay. A bank of masonry on the side of a
sea or river, for the purpose of lading or unlading
goods coaveniently.

QurtrRK. Apiece taken out of any regular flat,
ground, or floor.

; Quirk Movuupines. The concave part of
Grecian mouldings, when they recede at the top,

ymarked A.in the encraving) forming a re-enticent
angle with the surface which covers the moulding.

Quorns. Stones, or other materials, put in the
corners of buildings to strengthen them.

Rapprines. An old term, applied to the
cooping or bowing-in of walls.

RADIAL Curves. In Geometry, curves of the
‘spiral kind, whose ordinates all terminate in the
‘centre of the including circle, and appear like so
‘many radi of that circle.

Rapius. The semi-diameter of a circle, or a
Tight line drawn from the centre to the circum-
ference. In mechanics, the spoke of a wheel.

RarFrers, The secondary timbers of a house,
which are let into the great beam.

Rats. In framing, the pieces that lie hori-
;zontal are called rails, and those that are perpen-
Bioular are termed stiles. Two rails and two stiles
enclose a panel. The upper and lower part of the
banister of a stair-case is called the hand-rail and
the foot-rail. Pieces of timber which lie horizon-
tally from post to post in fences are likewise called
rails.

Raitine. A fence entirely composed of posts
and rails.

RAILWAY, or Tram-road. A ‘track of iron,
stone, &c. intended by diminishing friction, to fa-
cilitate the conveyance of heavy goods. At first
they were made only of wood, and employed only
to carry coals from the pits to the warehouses, &c.,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

and called double quarters,—or single when four
Tt-is an established

‘the direct fire of the enemy.

129

but they have since been carried to a wonderful
degree of perfection, mononopolizing nearly three
fourths of the goods and passenger trafic of this
country.

RariserR. The upright board on the foreside of
the steps of a flight of stairs.

RatstIneé PrEcEs. Pieces which lie under the
beams, over the ports or puncheons, by the side of
the house.

Raking. A term applied to mouldings whose
arrises are inclined to the horizon.

RAKING TEMPLE. A member hollowed in the
square of a pedestal.

Ramp. A concavity on the upper side of hand-
railings, formed over risers, or over a half or

quarter space, made by a sudden rise of the steps
above.

Rampant. A term applied to an arch whose
abutments spring from an inclined plane.

RAMPART. A massy bank or elevation of earth,
&c. raised for the purpose of covering a place from
It is made of suf-
ficient thickness effectually to resist the impression
of the cannon balls, and is formed into bastions,
curtains, &c. The term, rampart, is also applied
to the space left void between the walls of a city
and the houses next to it.

Ramps. In fortification, gentle slopes made for
the cannon to be drawn up and down by, and to
facilitate communication, raised either on the side
of an elevated work, or against a salient angle on

each side of an entering angle.

Rance. A term applied to the edge of a num-
ber of bodies which run straight tn thesame sur-
face or line.

Rasant Line of Defence. That part of the
courtin or flank whence the shot exploded glances
or razes along the face of the opposite bastion.

Ravewin. A flat bastion, anciently placed in
the middle of a curtain. The term is now applied
to a detached work which is formed by two faces
making a salient angle, and raised before the cur-
tain of the counterscarp of a place, to cover it and
the adjoining flanks from the direct fire of the
euemy.

Ray. The perpendicular distance between the
edge and the vertical point of a table.

RapBer. (See Rebate.)

ee. ae

1130

The Chronotyptst.

Tue first stone of the new church at Birch was
laid on the 26th ult. It is to be in the Middle
‘Pointed style, and to consist of nave and aisles,
chancel, tower, and spire. Material—flint with
| Caen stone quoins—accommodation for 500; cost
'£3,000. Mr. S. Teulon is the architect, and the
‘Messrs. Baldiston and Son, of Ipswich, are the
‘builders. The rebuilding of Cranoe Church in
‘the Ealy Pointed style, with nave, chancel, and
‘porch has been completed, and the edifice opened
for service. It is roofed with red and black New-
‘castle tiles, with crested ridge. The old tower has

been retained. The chancel windows have been

filled with stained glass by Messrs. Powell & Co.
———The foundation stone of a new town hall and
market house was laid at Brentford, by Rord R.
Grosvenor, on Thursday the week before last.
The restoration of Salisbury cathedral spire is far
advanced towards completion. The vane has been
ireplacec. The General Hospital burial-ground
opposite the Commercial-rooms, Bath, has been co-
vered with concrete 5 inches thick. The Chester
Baths and Washhouses were opened on Monday
week before last, and during the first three days
2,406 persons availed themselves of the baths,
2,184 being admitted at the charge of one penny.
——The nave roof of Hatton Bonville Church, near
Northallerton, for some time in a precarious state,
fell, lately, and broke the pews and seats to pieces ;
a boy was much hurt, but the workmen employed
in making a new roof were fortunately absent.——
The foundation stone of a new congrevational
-||church was laid at Cockermouth on 27th ult. It is
to be of white stone iu the Pointed style, from a
design by Mr. Eaglesfield, of Maryport. Length
72 feet 6, breadth 45 feet 6, height 60 feet. There
will be seats for 550 adults and 200 children. Cost
1,700/., of which 7002. is yet to be subscribed.——
The foundation stone of a new parish church was
lain at Drigg, according to the ‘‘Carlisle Journal,”
on Friday week.——The Lord Provost and inagis-
trates of Edinburgh are determined to use every
exertion to have the Wellington monument, de-
signed by Mr. Steele, and destined for the front of
the Register House, placed in preference on the
grand terrace to be laid out with statues, &c., along
the Princes-street Gardens, at the Scott monument,
certainly a very eligible site for such a monument.
——Ata meeting of the Geographical Society, held

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

on the 20th ult., Capt. Smyth, R.N., in the chair,
a proposal for the construction of maps upon the
walls of the corridors and committee-rooms of the
new houses of Parliament, by Mr. Saxe Bannister.
was read, with remarks upon the subject by Mr.
G. B. Greenough. Mr. Bannister proposes the
construction of maps ona large scale as useful de-
corations to the new palace at Westminster; such
as that constructed by Sebastian Cabot, suspended
in the gallery at the palace of Whitehall, and as are
in the Gallery of Geography of the Vatican. - The;
idea is capable of very extensive amplification.

’ Birmingham Workhouse Compeiition.—Forty-

three sets of plans have been received in competi-
tion, and Mr. John Shaw, London, Mr. Edge, Bir-
mingham, and Mr. Stevens, Derby, have beenre
quested to act as selecting architects.

Cranite—A block of granite was lately blown)
out at the Dartmoor works, the length of which
was 30 feet, breadth 23 feet, height 24 feet; cubical
contents, 16,500 feet; it weighed no less thau 1,330)
tons. It is intended for the Government works at
Morice Town.

Go Torrespondents, Ke.

J. S. 8.—Too late.
W. W.— You can obtain them all at our office.

J. L.—Your request shall be complied with next
week.

Amateur.—ZJé shall be used.

—_—_——

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 3, of;
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale. The Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 6, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand.

* * Parts 1 and 2 are reprinted, and will in futare
be charged at 10d. each.

Part 27 is now ready, price 10d.

SS eS

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A DESIGN FOR A CENTRE-PIECE.—(GRECIAN.)

| Two-PENCR.

No. 116.—Vo.. V.!

aes, A, * ‘ it i
isinennboduneud ncchabbighe dance Detacu ea ee, Savanna

a -

SATURDAY, ]

SR!
THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[Jury 28, 1949, «|

@E the Warious Qualities of Caen
Stone.

N ALL well-regulated
concerns of an extensive kind, a judicious di-
vision of labour is indispensible: an architect
would require his life and faculties to be pro-
longed to the extent of the patriarchs of old
were he to attempt, by his own personal ob-
servations to gain a thorough knowledge of
the numerous materials employed in an exten-
sive edifice. It is a duty incumbent on every
member of society to use his best endeavours,
however insignificant, to facilitate the advance-
ment of knowledge, and to make his fellow-
creatures around him and as much wiser
and as much better informed as Jies in his
power.

The stone in most general use for ornamen-
tal architecture, in the south of England, is

of Dorsetshire. The same kind of stone again
appears in Normandy, and its characteristic
features prevail in the celebrated quarries near
the city of Caen. Diverging into several
branches or ranges of hills, it traverses France,
forms the great mass of the Jura mountains,
and constitutes part of the chain of the Alps.
The Oolitic rocks of Normandy present a
close analogy in their general, and even in
some of their minor divisions, to those of
southern England. Commencing in the vici-
nity of Havre de Grace, and extending our ob-
servations to the neighbourhood of Caen and
Falaise, we find a series of beds corresponding
with those of the Oolite in our own country.
It would thus appear that throughout a consi-
derable portion of France and England, the
causes which produced the Oolitic rocks did
not differ materially ; shewing that at the time
of their production, similar general causes were
in action over a particular portion of the two
countries, probably long before the sinking of
the land which produced the English Channel.

The entire country from the sea to some dis-
tance beyond Falaise, and from Bayeux toa
considerable distance east of Caen, is com-
posed of the same mineralogical description of
strata ; remarkably horizontal, and in all pro-
bability continuous, or without interruptions.
The comparative insignificance of elevations or
depressions, merely of a few yards, up or
down, is unimportant when considered on the
principle of a general level. It rarely hap-
pens that a district of 30 or 40 miles in area,
presents so tame and unpicturesque a scene, so
apparently undisturbed by any geological phe-
nomena, as is to be found in the neighbour-
hood of Caen.

All these various beds of Oolitic limestone
are of marine origin—consequently they must
have been deposited at the bottom of an an-
cient sea, and then upheaved to their present
position, where they appear to have remained
undisturbed since since the period of their
consolidation, affording a striking example of
long continued tranquility; and remarkably
contrasting with the violent distortions, de-
pressions, fractures, and denudations so con-

obtained chiefly from that extensive tract of|Spicuous on the opposite coast, from the Isle

country usually denominated the ‘‘ Oolitic dis-
trict,”’ which passes from Yorkshire through
the various counties until it reaches the coast

of Wight to the extremity of Dorsetshire.

On approaching the coast of Normandy.
from the English Channel, and for some dis

ee ee ee

tenes -up the river Orne, « on the eastern bank,
‘rocky masses of a hard calcareous nature are
ee sprinkled near the coast, and
|searcely to be seen above water, which renders
the navigation so far dangerous that all ves-
pe are compelled to take a pilot to enter the
Neease, This same stratum of limestone being
very nearly level, continues also inland to the
‘eastward, where there are quarries at Cagny
jand Bonneville; but the most extensive quar-
‘ries of this material are situated at Ranville,
‘close to the eastern bank of the Orne, about
‘half way between the sea and the city of Caen.

| slightly and irregularly laminated, is united in
-|la mass with a strong calcareous and highly
crystalline cement. In “geological position
this limestone rests upon the Caen freestone.—
\It resembles in general structure and compo-
‘sition several varieties of similar material to
‘be found in our own country, such as the
Hamhill stone, near Yeovil, the Taynton, near
‘Burford, that of Weldon-in-the-Wood, Noth-
amptonshire, and a few more, all of which
are well known to be eXtremely durable, altho’
they are usually rather too coarse grained to
be used for minute ornaments, but no doubt
,admirably adapted for bold architectural or en.
\gineering works.

Before particularising the stone of any pre-
cise spot, it may be as well to state that the
city of Caen, together with its entire environs,
rest immediately upon the rocks of freestone.
The bare strata may be observed on the sur-
face of the ground, all round the foundations
of some of the principal buildings of the city
and villages in the neighbourhood. Although
the beds in general appear to be perfectly level,
nevertheless, upon a more attentive examina-
tion, through a distance of ten or twelve miles,
an fevident depression may be observed from
inland towards the sea, of probably about 160
feet, or an angle of something like 1 in height
to 500 in length; for this reason the beds of
Caen freestone are not to be found on the
coast, where, if they are continuous, they are
buried beneath the Ranville rocks, and pro-
bably form the bed of the sea.

From. the general flatness of the country

This. stone is composed almost entirely of
broken shells, occasionally rather oolitic, and
‘occasionally otherwise, and containing frag-|-
‘ments of very small fossil corals; the whole

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

itis rather difficult to distinguish the precise
localities where older rocks have risen from
beneath to the surface through the freestone
beds ; ana in the immediate neighbourhood of
Caen such features appear to be of rare oc-
currence. It is pretty certain that the same
calcareous substance may be traced in conti-
nuity round the city as far as St. Croix and
Tourville on the west; and on the road from
Caen to Falaise, with one or two slight inter-
ruptions, similar stone may be fonnd through..

out nearly the whole distance of 20 miles, for
I am disposed to consider the quarries of St.

Pierre and Aubigny merely as modifications of
the same rock.

There are many places in the neighbourhood
from whence building stone is at this time pro-
cured; and there are others where the name
and een of surface would lead us to sup-
pose that, in by-gone times, quarrying ope-
rations had been practiced to a considerable
extent, although long since discontinued.—
Even close to the walls of the citadel, and mid-
way between two of the largest buildings in
the city, namely, the churches of St. Stephen
and the Holy Trinity, there are places still re-
taining the names of the “Old Quarries,’’ the
“« New Quarries,’’ and the “ Little Quarries.”
The principal quarries from whence Caen stone
is procured, which for their number and ex-||
tent, we may infer ‘have been in work during
several centuries, are situated from one and a
half to two miles distance, on the south-west
side of the city, near to the village of Haute
Allemagne. The surface of the country, espe-
cially that part over the quarries, is nearly|}
level, having a very slight inclination towards
the northeast so as to drain into the river which
divides the high from the low land. ‘The river|]
above the city is very narrow and shallow,—
little more than a brook, and has never been
used for the conveyance of stone, although it
runs close by the entrance of the principal
quarries. The quarries to the number of 30
or 40, are all subterranean, and are entered
from a road along the side of the hill, or es-
carpment. The shaft quarries are at a consi-
derable distance from those which are entered];
from the side of the hill, and have therefore no|}
connection from one to the other. In one or
two cases these have been deserted on account
of the water getting in from the surface.

Wistory of Sculpture,

(Continued from page 118.)

||of the name of Jauni, who executed several statues
||im wood, ina style of finishing equal to marble,
|jand particularly one of St. Roque, which Vasari
considered asa marvellous production.

The beauty of sculpture in wood consists in the
|\tender manner of cutting the wood, free from all
4| |appearance of hardness or dryness.

Of Sculpture in Stone and Marble. — For
: sculpture {in marble and other stone, the artist)
|\must make use of tools made of good steel, well

||hardness of the material.
|| The first thing to be done is, tosaw out from a
larger block of marble, a block propertioned to the
size of the work which ismndertaken, After ‘this,
||the sculptor shapes the gross masses of ‘tthe forms
he designs toirepresent, by knocking off the super- |
fluous parts of marble with a strong mallet or
.|beele, and a strons steel tool called apoint. When!
'|\the block is thus hewn out agreeably to the mea-
| |sures previously taken for the performance of the
|| work, the sculptor brings it nearer to the intended
||form by means of a finer point; and sometimes of a
4\tool called a dog’s tooth, having two points, but
| |Jess sharp than the single one. After this he uses
||the gradine, which is a flat cutting tool, with three
\\teeth, but is mot so strong as the point. Having
jiadvanced his work with the gradine, he uses the
chisel to take off the ridges left by the former
| tools; and by the dexterous and delicate use of this
||instrument, he gives softness and tenderness to the
||figure, till at length, by taking a rasp, which is a)
\isort of a file, ‘he brings his work imto a proper)
| |\state for being polished.

curved, and some harder or softer than the others.
|| When the sculptor ‘has thus far finished hhis |
||work with the best tools he can procure, wherever |
||certain parts or particular works require polishing, |
||he uses pumice-stone to make all the parts smooth
|jand even. He then goes over them with ‘tripoli,
and when he would give a still higher gloss, he’
\rubs them with leather and straw ashes.

|| Besides the tools already mentioned, sculptors
use also the pick, which isa small hammer pointed
jat one end, and’‘at the other formed with teeth
||made of good steel and squared, to render them
||the stronger. This serves to break the marble,
iand is used in all places where the two hands

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

FELIBIEN speaks of a French artist at Florence, |

||tempered, and of strength proportioned to the}

‘cannot be employed to manage the mallet anal
chisel.

The bouchard, which is a piece of iron, welll|,
steeled at the bottom, and formed into several
strong and short points like a diamond, is used for
making a hole of equal dimensions, whick cannot
be done with cutting tools. The bouchard is dri-
ven with the mallet or beetle, and its'points bruise
the marble and reduce it to powder. Water is
thrown into the hole from time totime, in propor-
tion to the depth that is made, to bring out the dust
of the marble, and to prevent'the tool from heating,
which would destroy its temper; for the freestone|| .
dust on which tools are edged is only moistened),
with water to prevent the iron. from heating and)
taking off the temper of the‘tool by being rubbed||
dry ; and the trepans are wetted for the same},
reason. |)

The sculptor uses the bouchard to bore or pierce),
such parts of his work as the chisel cannot reach|
without danger of spoiling or breaking them. In|)
using it he passes it through ia piece of leather,
which leather covers the hhole’made by the bou-||
chard, and prevents the water from spirting up in|,
his ‘face.

The tools necessary for sculpture:on marble or
stone are the roundel, which is a sort of rounded
chisel ; the houguet, which is a chisel squared and
pointed ; and various compasses to take the requi-
site measures.

The process of sculpture in stone is the same as
in marble, excepting that the material being less
hard than marble, the tools used are not so strong,
and some of them are of a different form, as the
rasp, the handsaw, the ripe, the straight chisel with
three teeth, the roundel, and the grater.

If the work is executed im freestone, tools are
employed which ‘are made on purpose, as the free-
stone is apt to-scale, and does not work like hard
stone or marble,

Sculptors in stone have commonly a bowl in

ee | which they keep a powder composed, of plaster of
Rasps are of several kinds, some straight, some | m S Pe ey teenie Tae Plaster 0

Paris, mixed with the same stone in which their
work is executed. ‘With this composition they fill
up the small holes, and repair thedefects which
they meet with in the stone itself.

To make Oongreve Matches—Take one part
phosphorus, one nitre, one chlorate of potash, one
sulphuret of antimony, three gum-water of the
consistency of cream. Place them in a cup, and
set the cup in hot water. As the phosphorus
melts, stir the ingredients together till thoroughly
evaporated. Dip sulphured matches into the|
mixture.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

vee
6 2S

see

THE DECORATOR’S | ASSISTANT. 135

Architecture.

IONIC CAPITAL.

THE Ionic, next to the Doric, was the oldest | is supported by the echinus moulding, sculptured
order amongst the Greeks. It originated among | with the egg-and tongue, and bordered above and
eae Ionic colonies of the Lesser Asia, and is more | below by a headed astragal. The base consists of
delicate and graceful than the Doric, and yet has| a torus and two scotize, separated by astragals, and
more majesty than the Corinthian. The column is] resting on a square plinth. But the most favorite
fluted with twenty-four channels. The abacus of | base used with this order, both by the ancients and
|\its capital is scooped on the side, and the chief or-| moderns, was the attic. The cornice is in general
nament of the capital is its two spiral volutes. It| much divided by moulding and dental bands. In

(nc TE ES eeeeeeeeerme eee ee ee
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136

most of the Asiatic remains the frieze is found to
be wanting. In the temple of Erechtheus, the
the column is terminated bya fillet and astrugal,
and in that of Minerva Polias by a single fillet, a
little below the lower edge of the volutes.
capitals of the Ionic buildings at Athens, and of
the temple of Minerva Polias at Priene, the lower
edge of the canal between the volutes is formed
into a graceful curve, bending downward in the
middle, and revolving round the spirals, In the
temple of Bacchus at Teos, in the great temple at
Laodicea, and in all the Roman examples of the
Ionic, the channel which connccts the two volutes
is not formed with the border on the lower edge,
but is terminated with a horizontal line, which falls
a tangent to the curve of the spiral at the com-
mencement of the second revolution of each vo-
lute. The proportions of this order are—the
whole column 8 modules, of which the base oc-
cupies 30 lines, and the capital 20 lines, the aba-
cus being six and a half, the echinus the same, the
intervening channel 7, the whole depth of the

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

In the}

® oe SS

INITIAL (C.) FROM A MS. IN THE RECORD OFFICE. —(120H CENTURY.)

volutes is 27 lines, depending considerably lower
than the echinus ; the shaft, seven and one sixth
modules, tapering 10 lines from the lower diameter
to the neck. The entablature 1 module 38 lines,
the architrave being 31 lines, the frieze 27, and the
cornice 34. The finest specimens we have of the
Ionic order, are the temples of Minerva Polias, at
Prtene, of Erechtheus, and Minerva Polias at
Athens.

~The Oriental Diamond.—We find by Ritter,
that it is found over a large extent of the borders
of the table land of the Deccan, from the four-
teenth to the twenty-fifth degree of latitude. It is
there seen in a loose, conglomerated sandstone, o¢
but a few feet, and more or less deep beneath the
surface, Gold is also found there occasionally
The conglommerate consists of quartz, iron-stone, |
jasper, chalcedony, cornelian, and also brown iron
ore.

dv,

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THE DECORATOR’s ASSISTANT.

On the Nature, Origin, and Broz
gress of Destan.

From A PAPER READ AT THE GENERAL MEET-
ING OF THE DecorATIVE ART SoctrEry,,
Marcu, 1844, By Mr. Crass.

(Continued from page 128.)

In Pericles, unbounded magnificence, and a
spirit of sublimity was united with equal taste and
judgment; he determined that a temple should be
erected to Minerva, excelling in every refinement,
beauty, and costliness, which the advanced state of
the Arts could supply. In this spirit the Parthe-
non was built, and enriched with the most perfect
specimens of sculpture that Art ever produced;
exhibiting a display of constructive knowledge of
the human figure, skill in execution, and effect of
design, unparalleled. (The drawings upon the
walls are after the equestrian frieze.) The Greeks
did not alone confine themselves to stone or bronze
for sculpture ; the Olympian Jupiter, at Elis, was
of gold and ivory, 60 feet high, the eyes of precious
stones ; and the Minerva of the Parthenon, 40 feet
high, made of ivory, and the ornaments of gold,
both of exquisite workmanship. When this tem-
ple was built, 500 B.c., Art was at its zenith, and
the most celebrated sculptors contended for the
honour of its embellishment. The Greeks were
consummate masters of effect, and by a wall, pre-
vented a clear view of their temples being obtained
until the spectator came within a certain range,
and then the temple was approached upon its
angle, displaying the architecture and embellish-
ments in the finest point of view.

The Greek mind became enlarged and enriched
by science and literature, and versed in all the arts
of civilised life and elegant accomplishments. The
greatest men of mighty nations listened to Athe-
nian philosophers, and long after her subjugation
to Rome did she support this superiority. Her
coins, intaglios, and medals, for ages, were remark-
able for their beanty and intelligence; and her
bronzes’ are the finest in existence. A constant
demand existed for sculptors, by cities and war-
riors desirous of propitiating their gods, by erect-
ing temples, or bestowing statues: this occasioned
Art to be equally profitable and ennobling.

This refined people paid great attention to orna-
‘| mental design for domestic use; the exquisite
variety and beauty of their drawing would appear

137

to be inimitable, for after all our attempts, we
return and acknowledge their supremacy. These
fine designs were used upon their architecture, |
their gold and silver vessels, and embroidered on|
their dresses, and gave form to the ordinary)
familiar household vessels. Grecian history shows
the greatest solicitude to have existed upon the}
important connexion between arts and manufac-)
tures: they had laws for protection, and for
restraining the emigration of artists. A stranger
exhibiting a new manufacture in Athens, obtained
the rights of a citizen, and some of the most illus-
trious men were sons of manufacturers. Athens
and Aigina were the great manufactories of Greece
in all works connected with the Fine Arts, and had
more commissions than any other nation; their
bronzes, vases, and candelabras being especially
celebrated. This progress to a perfect state of art
was gradual, but always well directed ; their admi-
rable works of a minute or minor kind upon
armour, vases, medals, and general bronzes, were
unquestionably executed by men of high talent,
who might have failed, or quitted the higher
branches of art, for the service of the manu-
facturer.

Rome acquired her art through conquest ; she
imitated the buildings of countries subjected by
her arms, and transported statues, pictures, and
works of gold and silver, to adorn her capital. The
produce of Athens, Delphi, and Elis filled Rome
with the rarest productions of the Fine Arts. The
increasing power, when Julius Czesar and Augustus
held supreme sway, was auspicious to the general
interests of Fine Art; the emperors made great
efforts to increase the splendour and magnificence
of Rome, and their policy extended a similar
course throughout the empire, considering that it
tended to fix authority, give general security, and
contribute to the happiness of the people. This
example was universally followed by their subjects,
who had spirit to conceive and wealth to accom-
plish the noblest undertakings. The opulent
senators of Rome and the provinces esteemed it an
honour, and almost an obligation, to adorn the
splendour of their age and country; the influence
of fashion very frequently supplying the want of,
taste or generosity. it was within a period of 300
years that the luxurious adornment of Rome took
place. The sculptors were universally Greeks, and
though wealth and honour drew men of talent to
Rome, and somewhat revived Grecian excellence,
the creative spirit, the spark of vitality, infusing
life and soul, originality and thought into their
productions, could not be recalled. In the best
age of Roman art the demand was chiefly for
statues of personal representation, in which a
vitiated taste often required the embellishment of

bronze.. The same departure from simplicity per-
vaded their architecture. The most extensive and
magnificent structures were erected, but in heavier
proportions than the elegant Greek. Every mem-
ber in the cornice of temple or public edifice be-
came encumbered with a profusion of ornament,
and an imposing heaviness of enrichment was the
result. The interior of their buildings was deco-
rated by sculpture and painting, and manu-
facturing design entered freely into their general
domestic service. You have Sir W. Gell’s fine
work on Pompeii, and Sir H. Englefield’s Etruscan
Vases ; several villa facades, the magnificent deco-
rations of Titus’ baths, and some fine specimens of
colouring and modern adaptation before you.

(To be continued.)

An Elustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used tn Architectural and
Entevior Decoration, Ke.

Resate. A hard free-stone, which is used in
constructing pavements. A piece of wood hafted
into the top of along stick, for the purpose of
beating out the mortar. An iron tool sharpened
something like a chisel, and employed in dressing
and polishing wood.

Repatine. Planing or cutting grooves, chan.
nels, &e.

Rewizyo; or relief, the projecture of an archi-

tectural ornament.

Recess. A depth of some inches in the thick-
ness of a wall, as a niche, &c.

Recraneie. A figure in geometry, whose
angles are all right angles.

Repans. Projections constructed at intervals,

colour, by the admixture of coloured marbles or|in a wall built on uneven ground, for the pur")

ST SES
THE DECORATOR,S ASSISTANT. |

pose of preserving the same height through its
whole length.

Repvucr. <A quirk, or little piece taken out of
a larger, to make it more uniform and regular.

Reeier. A flat narrow moulding, used to
separate from each other the parts or members)
of compartments and panels, and to form knots,
frets, &c.

Return. The continuation of a moulding,
projection, &c. in an opposite direction ; a side

or part which falls away from the front of a
straight work. (Marked a in the engraving.) .

Reerating. A term given by masons to the
process of taking off the outer surtace of an old
hewn stone, for the purpose of whitening it, and
making it look fresh again.

Rosz, or Hosette, an ornament sculptured in)

the centre of each face of the abacus of the Co-
rinthian capital.

Ros& Mountpine. Used in Saxon archi-

tecture.

ReGuLA. A band below the teenia of the
Doric epistylium.

Resorntine. The filling up the joints of

stones in old buildings, when the mortar has

——eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEeeeeeeeeeeeeEeeEeeeeeee—eEeeeeeeeeeeee

THE DECORATOR’S,

ASSISTANT. 139

been crumbled. out Py the effect. of time and | the a of the stones being smoothed, and made

weather.

REPLUM.
framed door:

The panel of the impages of a

REREDOS, or Reredosse. A screen or division

churches.

RETURN BEAD. One that appears both on
the face and edge of a work.

Revets. The two vertical sides of an aper-
ture between the front of the wall and the win-
dow or door frame.

Ruompor. A quadrilateral figure, of which
the opposite sides and opposite angles are respec-
tively equal.

Ruomsus. A quadrilateral figure whose sides
are all equal, and whose opposite angles are
respectively equal, two being obtuse and two
acute.

Ripse. The top of the roof, which rises to
‘an acute angle.

Rigur Ancim., An angle of ninety degrees. |

Rigut Linz. A line perfectly straight.

Rorts. In Gothie architecture, mouldings
representing bent cylinders.

Roop-Lorr. A gallery between the nave and
choir in churches, in front of which, towards the
mave, stood the rood or cross, and images of
saints. The rood-lofts of English cathedrals
haye often been occupied in later times by
organs.

RosE Winpow. A circular window, with
compartments of mullions or tracery, branching
from a centre; if is sometimes also called a
catherine-wheel, or marigold window.

Rue. An instrument for measuring, &c., of
which there are several kinds; stone-cutter’s
rules, mason’s rules, carpenter’s rules, sliding
rules, parallel rules, &c.

Rustic. A mode of building in imitation of
nature.

Rustic Worx. Frosted Rustic Work has the
margins of the stones reduced to a plane parallel
to the plane of the wall, the intermediate parts
having an irregular surface. — Vermiculated
Rustic Work hag these intermediate party so
|worked as tohaye the appearance of being eaten
by worms.—Rustic Chamfered Work, in, which

| wall, placed behind an altar, rood-loft, &c. in old |

| par allel to the surface of the wall, and the angles

| bevelled to an angle of 135 degrees with the face
| of the stone, when they come together on the
| wall; the bevelling will form an internal right
angle.

Rustic Coins. Stones at the interior angles of
buildings, which project from the surface of the
wall, the edges being bevelled, or recesses left at
the joints. At present they are not much used.

Rustic OrpDER. That kind of building
where the face of the stones are hatched or picked
with the point of a hammer.

SABLIERE. A piece of timber as long as a
beam, but not so thick. An old term.

Sacristy. A strong room attached to a church,
in which sacred vestments and utensils are depo-
sited.

Saccinc. The bending of a body in the mid-
dle by its own weight, when suspended horizon-
tally by each end.

Sacirta. This term is sometimes applied to
the key-piece of an arch. Some geometers uge it
to signify the abscissa of a curve. In trigono-||
metry it is the versed sine of an are, which
stands on the chord like a dart.

Satty. A projecture; tke end of a pieco of
timber, when cut across the fibres with an inte-
rior angle, formed by two flanes.

S sH. The wooden frame which holds the!
glass In windows.

ScaBELLUM. A kind of pedestal, anciently
used to support bustos or relievos, very high and|
slender, generally ending in a kind of sheath, or
in the way of a baluster.

ScaFrroup. A frame of wood fixed to wally,
for masons, plasterers, &c. to stand on while
working the parts of a building which they
could not otherwise reach,

Scacuiora. The name of a species of plaster
or stucco, invented in the town of Carpi, in
Modena, in 1584, by Guido del Conte, composed)
of selenites calcined to a fine powder, and mixed
with a sufficient quantity of water to make a
paste, which must be well kneaded. It is used
in the formation of columns and ornamental
works in imitation of marble; which is per-
formed with astonishing effect.

SCALENE.
unequal

A triangle whose sides are all

140

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

Useful Receipts.

Tomakea Stone thaé will produce Fire when
wetted.—Take quicklime, saltpetre, Alexandrian
putty, and the herb called catamint, of each equal
quantities; sulphur vivum and camphor, of each
twice as much as one of the rest; powder them,
and pass them through a fine sieve; put them into
a bit of fine new linen, and tie them close up; put
them into a crucible, and place another thereon
mouth to mouth ; lute them well together, and set
them in the sun to dry, and when the powder is
dry enough it will look yellow; then put the cru-
cible into a potter’s furnace, and it will turn into a
kind of brick ; when you are desirous of lighting a
candle with it, wet it with your spittle, and it will
instantly fame. When you have used it, blow it
out again.

To make Shining Ink.—Take of gum Arabic
and Roman vitriol, of cach an ounce, of galls,
well bruised. one pound; put them into six quarts
of sour small beer ; set them in a warm place, and
shake them often ; pour off the clear, then add half
an ounce of ivory btack in fine powder, and a
fourth of a pint of fine stale beer.

Permanent Ink for Marking Linen.—Dis-
solve a drachm of lunar caustic (fused nitrate of
silver) in thrice its weight of distilled or rain water,
and add about half adrachm of gum Arabic. This
forms the ink, with which you must write or rather
paint, with a clean pen upon the linen prepared as
follows :—dissolve half an ounce of subcarbonate of
sodia in an ounce of distilled water, and add
twenty grains of gum Arabic, this forms the mor-
dant. Well moisten with the mordant the part of
the linen that is to be written on; dry it by a gentle
heat, and then apply the ink in the manner above
directed to the place that has been moistened.
The writing when exposed to the sun becomes
black.

To Pulvevise Glass.—Lay a piece of glass
between two metallic points, so that these two
points touch the sides. not the flat surface of the
glass directly opposite to each other, so that, in
fact, the glass may form part of the electric
circuit. Under these ‘circumstances, if a strong
electrical shock is transmitted through the
metals, the glass will be shattered into pow-

der.
a

To make Fulminating Powder.—Three parts
of saltpetre, two of salt of tartar, and one of brim-
stone mix them together, and reduce them to a
fine powder. Take two drachms of this mixture, ||
and put it in an iron spoon, and hold it over the|}
candle, and it will explode with a report like a
cannon.

To Corresponvents, &e.

G. R—We will engrave the design for a Tazza
sent. Accept our thanks.

F. H.—For a bright scarlet for painting on vel-
vet, see No. 115.

G. F. (Hull.)—Change your Bookseller.

C. C.—Ié is a dangerous error to suppose that
carbonic gas will not remain suspended in the
atmosphere. It is found on the highest moun-
tains, and death is frequently occasioned by the
air being overcharged with it in close rooms.

An American.—We contend that it was our goun-
tryman, Lymington, and not Fulton the Ameri-
can, who invented the Steam-boat. Mr. Ly-
mington’s son is now living in London, we be-
lieve, and has documents to prove it.

B. B.—The museum of the late Mr. Soane ts left
to the country.

G. 8S.—Try again.

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 3, of
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale. The Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to6, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand.

—ee

*,* Parts 1 and 2 are reprinted, and will in fatare
be chrged at 10d. each.

Part 27 is now ready, price 10d.

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No. 117,—Vou. V.]

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DESIGNS FOR CHANDELIERS.—(GOiHIC.)

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SATURDAY, ]

HActhod of Preparing Mardley
Wayper.

OM£# of our Readers
|\being desirous of obtaining information with
‘regard to the method of preparing marbled
paper, we have collected the following facts,
which we think can be relied on. The princi-
{|pal difference in the various kinds of marbled
paper, consists in the forms in which the co-
lours are laid on the ground, some being dis-
posed in circumvolutions, and some in jagged
lengths, and others in spots of an oval or
roundish figure.

‘The general manner of managing each kind
is, however, the same—being the dipping of
the paper in a solution of gum-dragon, over
which the colours previously prepared with
ox-gall and spirits of wine, are first spread.
The solution of gum-dragon must be made by
putting a sufficient portion of the gum, which
should be quite white and clear, into clean
water, and letting it remain there a day or
two—frequently breaking the lumps, and stir-
ring it till the whole appear dissolved and
equally mixed with the water. The consis-
tence of the solution should be nearly that of
strong gum-water. It must be passed through
a linen cloth, and being put into the trough,
will be ready to receive the colours.

The colours employed for red, are—carmine,
rose pink, lake, and vermillion. For yellow
Dutch pink and yellow ochre. For Prussian
blue—verditter. For green, verdigris’ and a

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[Avausr 4, 1849.

mixture of Dutch pink with Prussian blue in

various proportions. For orange, orange lake.
For purple, rose pink mixed with Prussian blue.
These several colours should be ground with
spirits of wine till they are of sufficient thick-
ness, and then at the time of using, a little
fish-gall should be added by grinding them
over again with it. ‘The proportion of gall
must be just as much as will suffer the spots
of colour when sprinkled on the solution to
form together without intermixing, or running
into each other. When everything is thus
prepared, the solution of gum-dragon must be
poured into a trough, and the colours being in
separate pots, with a pencil appropriated to
each, must be sprinkled on the surface of the
solution, by shaking the pencil, charged with
its proper colour, over it; and this must be
done with the several kinds of colour desired,
till the surface be wholly covered. When the
marbling is proposed to be in spots of a simple
form, nothing more is necessary; but where
the whirls or snail-shell figures are wanted,
they must be made by means of a quill, which||-
must be put among the spots to turn them
about till the effect is produced. The jagged
lengths must be made by means of a comb five
inches in length, made of wood, with brass
teeth two inches long, placed about a quarter
of an inch from each other. But if they are
desired to be pointed both ways, the comb
must be again passed through the trough in a
contrary direction.

The paper should be previously prepared for
receiving the colours by dipping it overnight in
water, and laying the sheets on each other
with a weight over them. The whole being
then ready, the paper must be held by two
corners, and laid in the most gentle and even
manner on the solution covered with the co-
lours, and softly pressed with the hand that it
may bear everywhere on the solution.

After this it must be raised and taken oft
with the same care, and then hung to dry
across a proper cord suspended near at hand
for that purpose, and in that state it must con-
tinue till perfectly dry. The paper must then
be polished, for which it is first rubbed with a
little soap, and then thoroughly smoothed by
glass polishers, called calendar glasses. After
this it must be again rubbed by a burnisher or
glass ground to the highest pitch, for on the

149

perfect polish of the paper depend its beauty
and value.

Gold or silver powders may be used if de-
sired, along with the colours, and require only
the same treatment, except that they must be
first tempered with gum water.

Gises of Cast Zire tw MBeco=
ration.

M. Gerss, of Berlin, has been exhibiting
‘specimens of zinc used for architectural and
decorative purposes in a mode not hitherto em-
ployed amongst us, namely—cast. It appears
that for'seventeen' years zinc has thus been
used in Berlin for architectural purposes, viz.,
for all exterior as well as interior ornamental
parts of buildings, which, by casting, can be
‘produced in the sharpest forms, and are said
to be at the same time capable of resisting all
influence of the weather. Columns, capitals,
consoles, acroteria, cornices, dressings for doors
and windows, balconies, vases, statues, &c.
can be formed of it.

The late distinguished architect, Schinkel,
thus writes on the subject :—

$e eee EEE EE EE EEE EE

‘* The cast metal offers particular advantages
from its greater strength in comparison with
rolled zinc, from its being less subject to the in-
fluence of temperature, and from its capability
of receiving the finest impressions by casting,
for which reasons it seems most adapted for
all plastic works of art.

“We see, therefore, already, large statues,
copies of antiques, in the atelier of M. Geiss,
at Berlin, executed in the most elaborate style,
to which statues, by a precipitate of copper,
an excellent imitation of copper can be given.
All ornaments of carved work and projecting
jmembers forming perforations, and crowning
members, are capable of being executed of
this metal in the easiest way. At the same
time the more important parts of buildings can
be made very cheap and durable. We have
recently finished a large restoration of our
university, in’ which about 1,600 feet of cor-
nice, with modillions, have been cast in zinc,
which was fastened to an iron framework, and
which instead of sixteen dollars per foot if in

THE ‘DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

stone, cost in zinc only nine dollars, including
the iron fraraework,

“The many advantages which zine ‘offers for
the construction of furniture, as vases, cande-
labra, basins, &c. &c., which in the open air
are less exposed to damage than stone, and for
the clothing of rough iron supports, with the
elegant forms of columns and consoles, dres-
sings for doors, and richly ornamented archi-
tectural members, show clearly the extent of
its extreme usefulness, and will render it in
future indispensable for: architecture, contri-
buting at the same time more and more to the
extension of architecture itself.”

With reference to a remark recently made in|
our pages as to the effect of sea air and coal
smoke on the ordinary rolled zinc, the agent of
the Vieille Montague Zinc Company has ad-|
dressed a communication to us, wherein he
says:—“1 would refute the erroneous and
generally received idea in this country, thatzinc
(pure zinc at least), corrodes when exposed to
the sea air or spray on coasts, or in countries
where coal is the predominant fuel. Wood
yields such gases no less abundantly than coal,
and yet zinc is admitted to stand well in the
inland districts of France, where wood is used
as fuel.

«« As regards the borders of the sea, if it does
not stand equally well there, how does it hap-
pen that the zinc roofs of the large sheds at
Amsterdam and Rotterdam, for building men
of war, have stood the test of such exposure
for at least twenty years °

“Witness, too, the large shed of the great ar-
senal at Flushing, thelarge prison at Cherbourg,
the barracks and railway stations at Boulogne
sur-Mer and at Havre, and other buildings: in
various other sea ports,’’

It is asserted, and our manufacturers should
look to this, that British zinc is less pure than
that used abroad.— Builder.

The Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction
Railway was opened on Tuesday week’ from
Sheffield to Gainsborough, completing the
communication between Liverpool on the
west and Grimsby and Hull on the east.
Captain Winn has inspected the whole of the
operations.

a Lai BT ES 2 Nd ST ee ce a a Qa
TSP RES GS |

On the Nature, Origin, anv Wro-
gress of Desian.

ING OF THE DeEcoRATIVE ART Soctery,

Marcu, 1844, spy Mr. Craps.

(Continued from page 138.)

THE splendid and colossal edifices which adorn-
ed their cities—temples, palaces, and baths—were
jcrowded with works of art. Trajan’s Basilica was
‘most magnificent. Its forum, temple, and ap-
proaches crowded twelve acres—the hall, 540 by
168 feet, would have contained our, St. Pauls, and
its column was enriched by sculpture descriptive
of the Roman victories over the Dacians. The
‘Theatre of Marcellus was arranged in three tiers of
‘columns, the lower of marble, the next of vitrified
iglass, anc the upper of gilded wood. It contained
three thousand statues in bronze. The palace of
Diocletian at Spatro was very celebrated. His
baths accommodated 18,000 persons at one time.
Those of Caracalla covered thirteen acres. These
baths were a kind of vast club, in which every ex-
ercise of body or mind might be taken—every de-
light of the senses indulged, and the whole people
metthere. Gardens were raised about thirty feet
above the general level, adorned with pavilions, and
\a great central building having an immense hall,
obelisks and fountains, fragrant shrubs, flowers,
jand.the finest statues. During the first 300 years
of the Christian era seven of these baths were
erected, well calculated to indulge that love of
luxury which rapidly corrupted the Roman man-
ners under the emperors, gratifying the constant
love of excitement in novelty and splendour, which
then gave popularity to the government. The
number and beauty of their villas were amazing;
built on the model of the Persian palaces, their
interior decorations were full of choice design,
chiefly executed in fresco, and by artists of emi-
nence. The luxurious description given of the
furnishing of these villas, their richly wrought
plate, &c. convey certain intimation of the encou-
ragement given to manufacturing design. Hadri-
'an’s villa, at Tivoli, enclosed by a wall ten miles in
circuit, contained the most magnificent embellish-
ments. Pliny’s villa, and that of Lucullus were
very celebrated; each had gardens of very great
splendour. :
| We must not overlook Palmyra, built by Dio-
nysius, whose magnificent ruins, replete with ele-

THE) DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

From A PAPER’ READ AT THE GENDRAL MEeET-

143.

gant design, attract the traveller’s attention. Bal-
bec, not less celebrated, boasts of the well-known
Temple of the Sun—

‘¢ Whose lonely columns stand sublime,
Flinging their shadows from on high—

Like dials which the wizard Time

Had raised to count his ages by.”

Byzantine art arose through the impatience of
Constantine, and the inefficiency of his architects
employed to erect the first Christian city. It pre-
sents a rich admixture of the plunder fromthe
other styles—several parts of Europe adopted it—
Moscow, and the south of Russia, and also along
the Mediterranean coast.

The Arabian, or Moresque, took its rise among
a people whose extraordinary conquests and quick
perception of the beautiful enabled them to graft
new combinations upon ancient Eastern architec-
ture. At the time when other nations were again
sinking into barbarism, they became a medium for
preserving that:knowledge which has descended to
us. Their ornament was elaborate and geometrical
and distinguished by delicacy of execution; and
the principle of their colouring gorgeous as that of
the eastern nations. I need only mention Mr.'O.
Jones’s magnificent publication upon the Alhambra
Palace, in illustration.

Early in the fifteenth century, immense efforts
were made to restore classical architecture and or--
namental embellishments, and consequently all
the extensive ramifications of manufacturing de-
sign. Art quickly became the idol of the people,
and there appeared some of the greatest names
that ever graced the annals of art; powerful
princes were patrons, and the utmost encourage-
ment was afforded by the illustrious merchant fa-
mily of Medici, the Popes Leo X., Julius II., and
Clement VII. Architecture, painting, and gene-
ral decorative art, pressed forward with amazing
success. All the minor discoveries had been gra-
dually developed, and art reached its most distin-
guished. eminence before the close of the fifteenth
century. The splendid talents of Leonardo da
Vinci distanced all former excellence. Naturally
possessing the very highest attributes of genius,
and favoured by education and circumstances, he
became as greatin sculpture as in painting, The
musician, poet, and man of science, his genius
kept unceasingly creating, but his perseverance
failed before completion. ‘The Battle of the Stan-
dard, a cartoon for decorating the great council
chamber at Florence, is one of the noblest inven-
tions in art, full of felicity and picturesque energy,
it displays each attitude of body, and active pas-
sion of mind, with profound skill.

——————

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

144

SKETCHES FROM ,NATURE,—No, VI.

TWO WILD PLANTS.—=Seep. 147.

Fig. 2,

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 145] |.

Seurcneon. A shield for armorial bearings.

An Elustrated Glossary of € echhical In a contiact for building Fotheringhay church,
Terms used tn Architectural anv |
interior Mecoration, Ke.

SPANDREL BrAckEetine. Brackets which are
placed between curves, each of which are in a

the term appears to be applied to signify a com-

i vertical i i
| ical plane, and in the circumference of a Porentianive eutosioe tomer

circle, which is in a horizontal plane.

M STrarting Pornt.—A cup or stalk use in or-!
SHIELD. An ancient weapon of defence, borne ; :

on the arm, to send off lances, darts, &c., often
used in architecture as a part of ornamental de-
corations. The shield was the most ornamental

a :
a

part of the ancient armour, being adorned with
figures, and in theages of chivalry bearing-always
painted on it the arms of its possessor. The ac-
companying engraving represents a Norman
shield from the Bayeux tapestry. Sreps. The degrees in ascending a staircase,

SpiraL. A curve line of a circular kind, which punicls (ame) composed (OF uwo parts, tie\tead ar

namental drawing to commence a running scro!l.

a EE

in its progress recedes from its centre. ; i bi
horizontal part, and the riser or vertical part—aA

Scarring. The jointing and bolting of two] the riser; B the tread.
pieces of timber together transversely, so that

the two appear but one. SHAKE. The fissure occasioned in timber by its

being dried too suddenly, or exposed to too great
ScenoGRaPny. The representation of solids| heat. Any timber when naturally full of slits or
in perspective. clefts, is said to be shaky.

—————— esr EE

146

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Swatow-rain, (In fortification.) A single! Swarr. (In a chimney.) -The stone or brick
tenaille, narrower towards the fortified place | turref above the roof. The shaft of a king-post is

than towards the country.

Scorra. The hollow moulding in the bases of
Tonic columns ; algo the groove or channel cut in

the projecting angle of the Doric corona.

Scare. A term sometimes given to the shaft
of a column, more commonly to the place where
it rises from the base.

SCIAGRAPHY. Another name for the section of

a building.

The horizontal course of

SPRINGING Coursn.

stones whence an arch rises.

Suinenes. Small oaken boards, used like
slates to cover a building, from eight to twelve
inches long, and about four broad, thicker at one
side than the other. This kind of roof ig not
frequently used.

Suank. The space between the channels of the
Doric triglyph, which is sometimes the leg of the

tryglyph.

SHAFT. (See Architecture.)

the part between the joggles.

SerTrne-our Rop. A rod in use among joiner
for setting-out frames, as of windows, doors,
&e.

Sorrit. The under part or ceiling of a-cor-
nice ; any timber ceiling formed of cross beams
of flying cornices, the square compartments or

panels of which are enriched with sculpture or
painting, as in the Italian palaces.

Semi. A Latin word which is used in com-
position with other words to signify half, as semi-

circle, half a circle, semi-ellipse,—a half oval.

Scazze. A line divided into a certain number
of equal parts, an instrument for measuring or
plotting by.

ScamItuus. A small plinth below the bases of
the Ionie and Corinthian columns.

Scamozzr’s Rute. A two foot joint rule for
the use of builders, so called from its inventor,
the architect Scamozzi.

Scanrningc. The dimensions of a piece of
timber both in breadth and thickness.—
Also the name of a piece of timber, as quartering
for a partition when under five inches square, or
the rafter, purlin, or pole plate of a roof. In
masonry, scantling is the dimensions of stone in
length, breadth, and thickness. :

Section. In architectural drawings, a view
of an edifice, as cut down the middle, showing
the disposition of the interior. It is also called
sciagraphy.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

ScanpuLs. Flat pieces of wood used by the
ancient Romans in the place of tiles to cover
their houses. The people who made them were
named scandularii, and were exempt from all
public services.

ScratcH-worx. A kind of fresco with a black
‘ground, covered with a coat of white, which is
afterwards scratched with a bodkin, or some
pointed instrument, so that the ea pea
through the scratches.

Scrern. Partitions, generally wrought ‘with
rich tracery, placed before small chapels and
tombs, or behind the high altar. In’ old parish
churches, oaken screens, rickly carved, often
divide the nave from the chancel. We 'some-
times, as at Exeter, find them at the’ side of
choirs. A screen is algo an instrument, consist-
ing also of three wooden ledges, joined in a rect-
angular frame at the bottom, the upper part ot
which is filled with wire work ; its use is to sift
sand or lime in making mortar.

Scriping. Fitting the edge of a board to any
surface, as of the skirting of a room to the floor.
In joinery, it is the fitting one piece of wood to
another, so that their fibres may be perpendicular
\to each. other, the two edges being cut to an angle
to join.

Srarine. Fixing apiece of wood or iron (for
hinges toa wall, with cement, lead, &c.

SERAGLIO. The palace of an eastern prince,
||more particularly that which contains ong apart-
ments of the females. :

SEsspooL, or cesspool. A well sunk under the
mouth of a drain, to receive the sediments which
might choke its passage.

Setorr. A sloping face of masonry, marking
the divisions of a buttress.

SETTING, in masonry, fixing stones in walls or
vaults.

Sineie Frame anp Nakep. A term which is
applied to a floor with only one tier of joists. A
single joist flooris one that has no binding joists.

Sincie Hune. When only one sash of a win-
dow is moveable in the same vertical plane, the
sashes are said to be single hung.

' §rpe-posts. A kind of truss posts placed in
pairs, each disposed at the same distance from the
mdidle of the truss, for the purpose of supporting
the principal rafters, braces, crown or camber
beams, a8 well as for hanging the tiebeam below.

147

Suoz. The partat the bottom of a leaden pipe,
or water trunk, waich -is intended to turn the)
course of the water.

SHoarine. Planing the edge ofa, board straight,
and ont of winding,

SHouLpsER. The plane transverse to the length
of a piece of timber from which a tenon projects.

Galceolaria.

For Illustration, see page 144.

Many species of the Calceolaria are now in
bloom, two of which we have engraved. Fig. Ty
The Cypripedium calceolus grows wild in the
mountain woods of eee and Switzerland,
where It bears the {name of ‘‘Sabot des Alpes”
and “Sabot de Venus,” from the resemblance of
the blossom tothe wooden shoe worn by el
peasantry. Tig. 2. The Cypripedium eo
is a native of North America, and was brought to
Europe by the indefatigable traveller André
Michaux. Redonté gives it the name of ‘‘ Sabot)
a fleur jaune.”

Moving Panorama of the Nile-—The moving
panoramic picture of the Nile, the preparation of
which was lately announced, was exhibited to
friends on Saturday week, and was opened to the
public on Monday. Messrs. Warren, Bonomi, and
Fahey, assisted by Messrs. Martin, Corbould.
Weigall, and Howse, have conspired to produce an
exceedingly intere sting and very beautiful work of
art. The spectator, starting from Cairo, is made
to see first one bank of the Nile, as far as the se-
cond cataract, in Nubia, and then returning, the
other side is brought before him.

Pin Merge pin-making machine has been
set up at Stroud, which makes pins with solid
heads, from the wire to the polishing, without
the interference of the hand. .A water wheel of
forty horse power works one hundred several
machines, which produce four thousand five hun-
dred pounds of ping per week, ox nineteen
millions of pins.

Absorption of Metals by Plants.—Metals are
absorbed or secreted by plants. Quinine and
coffee contain copper; oak, iron; and vines,
pines, and figs, manganese.

A dredging machine raises in its buckets, in
four hours of each tide, 960 tons of gravel per
day; or, on a clay bottom, about “half that
astonishing quantity.

148

@n the Metals,

The Cheaper Metals that have important uses in
the Arts.

MANGANESE.

Manganese is a hard, brittle, greyish-white
metal, resembling cast-iron, is soon tarnished when
exposed to the air, and is not found in an uncom-
bined state. The compounds which contain it are
chiefly the native or black oxide, which is a pe-

oxide.

Peroxide of manganese is a black, hard, and
somewhat brittle compound, containing one atom
of the metal 28., and two of oxygen 16, making its
equivalent 44.

By heat it gives up part of its oxygen, hence it
is used for procuring this gas. When muriatic acid
is poured upon this oxide, chlorine is evolved from
the decomposition of the acid ; hence large quanti-
ties of this oxid are used in the preparation of chlo-
rine, for the purposes of bleaching and preparing
the chloride of lime. It is used in small quanti-
ties in glass-making, to remove the green or yel-.
lowish colour; but in larger proportions it com-
jjmunicates a purple colour. The specimens of
||purple glass, such as the hyacinth glasses, are co-
loured by this oxide. The black glazing on earth-
enware, sometimes called black earthenware, is
coloured by the same material.

IRON.

Tron is the most useful and most abundant of all
the metals ; indeed there are few minerals in which
its presence cannot be detected. It is the hardest
and toughest of all the useful metals; hence its in-
dispensable use in making agricultural and cutting
instruments. Should the art of working iron be
lost, there is no metal that could supply its place,
especially for implements of cutlery. Its hardness
may be very ranch increased by being heated and
suddenly cooled: By heating it to redness, it is re-
markably soft and pliable, and may be intimately
incorporated or welded with another picce of red-
hot iron by hammering, a property possessed by no
other metals, except sodium and platinum. Iron
has the specific gravity of 7.7, and when pure it is
nearly infusible ; but, when combined with carbon,
it melts at a bright red heat. It is attracted by the
magnet, and may be rendered permanently mag-
netic; a property of the highest importance to

sense eee
FT AT RTE a nee ee eee eee eee eee eee eee eeeee eee ee ee eee

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

man, which is possessed by no other metals except
cobalt and nickel.

The ores of iron that are wrought for obtaining
the metal, are the oxides, which are exposed to a)
high heat in a furnace, mixed with charcoal and
lime. The charcoal takes away the oxygen, and a)
small portion of it unites with the metals rendering
it fusible. The lime at the same time uniting with;
the impurities of the ore, forming a fusible com-)
pound called slag, which floats on the surface of
the melted metal, and prevents it from being oxi-
dised by exposure to the atmosphere, The par-
ticles of metal at the same time, as fast as reduced,

run down into the lower part of the furnace, where).

it is drawn off through a smell aperture previously
closed with a plug of clay.

The iron thus obtained, is the common cast-iron, |
of which iron pots, kettles, stoves, &c., are made.
It consists of about five per cent. of carbon, and
contains many impurities, such as earthy sub-
stances; by heating repeatedly and hammering it,
the carbon and impurities are separated, the metal
is drawn out into bars, and is called wrought iron.

Steel is formed by placing in a kind of oven,
alternate layers of bars of iron and charcoal in fine
powder, and keeping the whole at a red heat for
about a fortnight; the charcoal unites directly with
the iron, of which it forms about one and a half
At a bright red heat it melts, is poured
It is

per cent.
into moulds, and is then called cast-steel.
used for the finest instruments.

Iron has a strong affinity for oxygen. In dry
air it suffers no change, but when moisture is pre-
sent, it is rapidly oxidized or rusted; but when
heated to redness in the open air, it is converted
into black seales, called the black oxide of iron:
and in pure oxygen it burns with vivid scintilla-
tions.

OXIDES OF IRON.

Iron combines with oxygen in two proportions,
forming the protoxide, which is dark, or nearly
black ; and the peroxide, which is red, and more
commonly called iron rust. The latter is con-
siderably used in the arts. It is used by the sil-'
versmiths for polishing their metals, under the
name of rouge.

There is a golden yellow mineral that is taken
by the uninformed for gold; it is a sulphuret of
iron, often called pyrites ; it is very hard, and may
be made to strike fire with steel. This mineral is
used in preparing copperas, which is the sulphate
of iron.

a a ne

ea ee

: THE DECORATGR’S ASSISTANT.
i a -
|tin ware. Copper tea-kettles, and other vessels of

ZINC.

workmen, is obtained from an ore called calamine.
which is.a native carbonate, or from the nativesul-~
phuret called zine’ blonde. The metal is procured
by heating the ores with charcoal.

Zine is a blueish-white metal, of a strong metal-
lic lustre. It is-a hard and brittle metal, and has
the specific gravity of about 7. Though at com-
mon, and at high temperatures, it is brittle, be~
tween 212 and 300 degs., it is both malleable and
ductile, and is rolled out into thin sheets, which
‘are considerably used for, covering the roofs an
floors of buildings.

Zine is used formakinge the zine plates of gal
vanic batteries. But by tar the largest quantities
are used for melting with copper to form brass.

Zine undergoes.little change by exposure to the
airand moisture; but when heated to redness in
the open air, it takes fire and burns with a bright
white flame, forming an exceedingly light oxide
which readily floats about in the atmosphere. This
oxide was formerly called, from its lightness, white
hothing, philosopher’s wool, &c. It is now called
oxide, or Howers of zinc.

TIN.

Tin is avery ancient metal; it was known to
Moses, and mentioned in the Book of Numbers. It
was used by the Pheenicians, who obtained their
ores from the mines of Spain and Britain. It was
also known'to the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.
It isa very'white and brilliant’metal; hence it~was
called Jupiter by the ancients, tromizits brilliancy,
being supposed to resemble that of the planet.

It is not oxidized by exposure to air. It is quite
malleable, and is rolled out into thin leaves, called

|tin-foil, which is extensively nsed in the arts. It
‘is used by dentists in plugging decayed teeth.

Tin may be distinguished from other metals, by |

giving a peculiar crackling sound when bent. It
melts at'the temperature of 442 degs., and, when

{heated to.whiteness in the open air, takes fire and
barns with a) splendid white flame, producing an
oxide of this metal.

Tin is most extensively used in the arts, in com-
bination with other metals. United with lead, it
|forms’solder, used by the tin-plate workers in sol-
|dering their vessels.
plates of sheet-iron covered witha thin coating of
Jmetallic tin, jprepared by dipping the sheets of
jiron, previously cleansed, into melted tin. Vessels

made of this material, are:sometimes called block-

Zine, or spelter, as it issometimes called by the:

&¢., are tin, containing about ‘five or six’per cent.

lished.

Common tin ware is made of

the same metal used for domestic purposes, are
covered on the inner surface with a coating of tin,
prepared by first cleansing the surface of the cop.
per, and then melting the tin in the vessel, a thin
coating of which will adhere to the copper, and the
rest, ina melted state, is poured off.

Exp.—Take a piece of sheet copper, and place
on it a small bit of tin and a little powdered rosin,
and hold it over a spirit lamp, the fame of which
melts the tin, and causes it to unite with the cop-
per, and-its surface becomes ‘covered with metallic
tin.

Block-tin' vessels, ‘such as tea+pots, coffee-urns,
of brass, and a'small quantity of metallic antimony’

The:articles are cast in copper:moulds, generally in
‘pieces, and afterwards soldered together and po:

Britannia ware is‘made of the same’ materials’ as
the block tiu ware, except that, for the brass used
in the block-tin, copper is ‘here substituted. ‘The
articles are formed by first casting the metals into

thin sheets, and then beating them up intothe)

desired forms by hammers and other instruments.

There are two oxides of tin, the protoxide, and
‘the peroxide. The latter is a pale yellowish
‘powder, and is used in the arts, under the name of
putty of tin, for polishing metals, and, when melted
with red lead, it forms white enamel, of which
‘watch and clock dials are made.

‘There are two combinations of tin and sulphur,
called protosulphuret and bisulphuret; the latter
has been known from the earliest ages, and has been
used.in the arts, under the name of Mosaic gold, to
give a golden colour to bronzed and japanned
work. The bronzed iron railings’ are frequently
prepared by mixing this/article with the paint
when it is laid on. Sometimes they are painted,
and then various bronzesare laid/on afterwards,

College of Givil Engineers, Putney.—At the
annual meeting of this establishment, held on the
20th instant, the Duke of Cambridge presided.
It appeared from the! report read by the princi-
pal, the Rev. Morgan Cowie, that the council

——————$— Sse ees

have founded three exhibitions of 307. per annum
each

All Saints Church, Knightsbridge, was conse-
crated on Saturday{morning week. It is situated
in the new estate known as Ennismore gardens,
and was built from thejdesigns’of Mr. Lewis Vul-
liamy, in the Italian style.

”

a eS a

150

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

a ————————————oaoaooooooeoams—]

The Cbhronotypist.

A great many men are at work on the large

‘/tunnel between Aberdare and Merthyr—Messrs.
Hunt and Edwards, contractors. Messrs. Ritson
and Co., are also actively engaged on the same line
‘between Hirwain and Pontwalby.——Some alleged
improvements on Messrs. Clarke and Varley’s re-
silient atmospheric tube are being patented by Mr.
C. H.Greenhow, patentee of the geometrical rail-
way. The piston is to be guided internally by
wheels and a rod, and a vacuum is to be obtaine
on the barometrical system, by causing water to
fall to its barometrical level from an air-tight vessel
lconnected with the atmospheric tubes.——Active
measures are in progress for the collection of a
sufficient sum, by subscription, for the proposed
‘monument to Cromwell at St. Ives—-—-The British
Archeological Association will open their congress
at Chester on Monday. ——The famous ‘‘ Aurora ”
fresco of Guido, at Rome, has been battered to
pieces by the missiles of the enlightened aud art-
loving French.——The rector of Moulton, Suffolk,
has commenced, at his own cost, aschool for one
hundred children, with master’s house attached.
It is in the Tudor style, with three light transomed
gable windows and side lights, roof open, coping
gablets, and finials of stone, ridging trefoliated
crest tiles. Mr. J. F. Clark is the arechitect.——
The foundation stone of Portland Breakwater was
to be laid on the 25th inst., by Prince Albert.——
On Monday week the chief stone of the church of
St. John, at Gailey, Wolverhampton, was laid by
the Countess of Cavan. The edifice is to be built
in the early English style, and of stone from the
Penkridge quarries. The site and a donation
were presented by Lord Hatherton. The architect
is Mr. Robinson, jun.— —The southern portion of
the Great Northern Railway is progressing ra-
pidly—the several tunnels at Tottenham, Whet-
stone, Enfield, and South Mims, are in active pre:
paration. he whole of the brickwork is being
laid in mortar made of Lias lime.—-—The crescent
was the symbol of the city of Byzantium, and was
adopted by the Turks. This device is of very an-
cient order, as appears from several medals, and is
||said to have taken its rise from an event thus re-
lated bya native of Byzantium :—“ Vhilip, father
of Alexander the Great, meeting with great diffi-
culties in carrying on the siege of this city, set the
workmen one night to undermine the walls.
Luekily for the besieged, a young man suddenly
appeariug, discovered the design, which accord

ingly miscarried ; in acknowledgment whereof the
Byzantines erected a statue to Diana, and the
rescent became the symbol of their state.”——
A special court was held on Monday last, for the
purpose of taking into consideration the plan of;
Mr. Phillips, the surveyor, for the drainage of the
whole metropolitan district, by means of a tunnel
sewer, extending from Twickenham to Plumstead
marshes, a distance of nineteen miles and a half.

oor,

Go Correspondents, Ke.

d, G. G.—To fix Photogenic Drawings, wash them

with a very weak solution of iodine of potas-
sium,

L. M. (Derby).—The simplest method of magne-
tizing a bar of steel, is by placing it on a table

as nearly as possible in the magnetic meridian,
that is, nearly north and south—and holding
over it, perpendicularly, a strong bar magnet,
rubbing it throughout its whole length, beginning
at one end and passing it along to the other,
After
reaching the end of the steel bar, the magnet
must be lifted up, and applied again to the other
end, and so on for several times, the friction:
being always made in the same direction.

pressing it somewhat during its passage.

Roots Query.— Your letter bears all the marks of
having been written after dinner, and is in some
respects quite incomprehensible.‘ In vino veri-
tas,” saith the proverb, ‘but there is no proof of,
it in this instance

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 3, of
the Self Instructing Drawing B. ok, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale. The Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 6, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand.

* # Parts 1 and 2 are reprinted, and will in future}
be chrged at 10d. each.

Part 27 is now ready, price 10d.

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SATURDAY, ]

HFilower-pattern Paper-hangings.

E QUOTE the following
remarks from a work on Botany considered in
Reference to the Arts of Design, from the pen
of Dr. Harvey.

“T would speak of the importance of a
knowledge of botany to the inventors of
flower patterns, whether for muslin, for da-
mask, or for wall papers. It is most certain
that true taste will prefer the pattern which
most nearly represents the natural flowers,
with all their peculiarities of forza, and in
their true colours. The stems in nature may
be stiff and angular. If they be so, it is vain
to attempt in the pattern to give them graceful
bends, and to hope by so doing to please the
eye. ‘To represent branches of hawthorn
flowers on the twining stems of a convolvulus
would be monstrously absurd. And yet faults
as glaring are frequently committed by igno-
rant draughtsmen when they attempt the com-
position of floral patterns. Of course, I am
not now speaking of the combinations of
fancy flowers—blossoms that exist only in the
brain of the calico-printer or the paper-stainer
—these may be as fantastical as you please.—
But I speak of the unnatural distortion of real

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

ee
[Aveusr 11, 1849, |

flowers, resulting from ignorance of the pro
per proportion and number of their parts
Why is it that floral patterns on wall-papers
are out of fashion ?—or are driven up to the
bed-rooms on the third landing, or to the back
parlour of the country inn? It is not, surely,
that flowers are out of fashion; or that the
taste for them is less general than it was for-
merly. But it is that the taste of the public is} |
not properly ministered to—it has outrun that! |
of the manufacturer. In a rude state of edu-
cation, bright colours and gracefully bended
branches on the walls will please the eye that
does not stop to question their propriety. But
as refinement increases, truth in form will be
preferred to brilliancy in c.lour, and the
twining of branches that is not natural will be
no longer thought graceful.

It will be no longer regarded as a twining,
but a twisting—perverting nature for a false
effect. This is the true reason why floral pat-
terns in wall papers are now so much out of
favour, and why, when selecting the paper for
a room, one is forced (I speak from experi-
ence), after turning over books of patterns till
you are weary, to take refuge in some ara-|
besque design—some combination of graceful
curves of no meaning, as an escape from the
frightful compositions that are called flower |
patterns. It is surely high time that our ma-
nufacturers should seek to correct this evil.—
These are not days in which any one can af-
ford to ,be left a step behind the rest of the
world. He that once loses his place in the
foremost rank, is pushed aside and lost: in the’
crowd that is eagerly pressing forward, and
almost treading on his heels. Already French
wall-papers are rapidly coming into use.—
They have brought down the prices of the
home- manufacture considerably, and they will
undoubtedly drive home-made papers out or
the market altogether if the manufacturers do
not exert themselves to produce more artistic
patterns than they commonly originate at
present,

STREET OrpeRLies.—The united parishes
of Saint Giles-in-the Fields and St. George,
Bloomsbury, have come to the resolution of
employing street orderlies for the purpose of
cleansing the public streets. We commend them
for this, and hope to see the example followed.

| 152

Hall, BPiccadilly.

| We advise all those who seek for instruc-

|tion combined with amusement, to visit this
interesting exhibition, to which we briefly re-
ferred in our last number. A valuable lesson
of an hour and a half is obtained at small
cost in History, Theology, Geography, and se-
veral other branches of useful knowledge.—
‘That ancient river, the Nile, is pourtrayed
with no less fidelity than true pictorial effect.
Egypt, ancient and modern, is made to pass
before us—its people, its towns, its temples, its
‘pyramids—and so truly are the antiquities of
this land of wonders pictured, that the arche-
ologist may actually read the hieroglyphic in-
scriptions on their walls.

| We start from Cairo, the capital of Egypt,—
bristling with minarets, and see the far pyra-
mids ‘across the Nile, in the Lybian desert.
We see the cangia of the Pasha, and hear the
song of the boatmen, the peculiar melody
‘being played by: an instrument unseen, as also
‘is the Muezzin’s cry to prayer. We are per-
mitted a peep into a Kiosk, where is a Turkish
lady unveiled. We pass many a town and
many a temple—sand banks with their croco-
diles, the date tree and the doum tree, and ap-
proach Thebes with all its wonders—its tem-
ples, its statues, and its grottoes of the dead.
We see the sun set over the Birket Haboo, the

Stygian lake of the ancients,—and morning

Panorama of the NWile.—Cavntian

break upon Esné, with her dancing girls» The
great temple of Edfou next faces us, and the
Nile narrows whe.e the ornamented quarries
{jof Silsilck tell of the ancient chisel. The
Tabred Islands of Elephantura and Philce suc-
ceed; and having passed the first cataract, we
find ourselves in a new land. The antiquities
of Nubia now crowd thick upon us, and we
pause at the rock-hewn wonders of Abos Sim-
bel, where we may hear the roar of water at
the second cataract. Here ends our upward
course,—-and facing about, we commence our
return with the eastern bank in view at the
capital, Deir. Then we are introduced to the
Abaddi and other Arabs, and are shown the
houses and villages of the Nubians, their man-

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

ners and customs, The dog-star rises—har-
binger of plenty in the Nile’s overflow! We
see Luxor and Karnac, and cross the Desert
among the Bedouins, in sunlight and sand-|
storm, to where the great Pyramids. and the
Sphinx terminate our journey. The whole,|
as a work of art, is deserving of the highest
praise, and the minutest details are admirably
carried out.

Che Fine Arts.

——

In a collection of pictures, the property of|
a Spanish gentleman, now on view in John-|
street, Portland-road, there are three or four of |
very great merit. The ‘Baptism of Christ’ is|
undoubtedly from the hands of Spagnoletto,
and is one of the few resembling in certain}
points the ‘ Pieta’ in the Certosa at Naples, or||
cne of the stories from the life of St. Bruno,
which the Trustees of our National Gallery
allowed Mr, Farrer to part with to the King of
Holland. A curious legend attaches to the
picture. It is said tha: the painter, having a
daughter who was in love with a person to
whom her father showed no favour—desiring
to marry her to the son of the then Viceroy of
Naples, Don Fernando, the Duke of Ossuna,
—introduced the portrait of the latter in the
head of the Christ. The picture was formerly
well known as an ornament in the church of
St. Pasqual, at the Promenade of Recoletos ;
and is, we believe, the subject of a notice by
Palomino. It is marked by the character of
the painter and his school. There are also an
excellent sketch of the ‘ Shepherds worship.
ping the Infant Jesus,’ by £1 Greco (Dominic
Theotocopuly’), with certain parts of it re.
sembling Paola Veronese,—an interesting view
of St. Peter’s and the Vatican seen from the
avenue of trees at the foot of the Monte Mario,
ascribed to Canaletto,—a good bold gallery)
picture, by Caravaggio, of ‘St. Peter’s Denial
of Christ,’-—an admirable study of a Magda-|}
lene, by Andrew Vaccaro, finely coloured, wit.
excellent execution, and much resembling Cor-|}
reggio—two landscapes attributed to Salvator,|
Rosa,—and several others of minor import and,
less certain authorship. The Spagnoletto is,|
however, the chief picture.—although it has)
been too much cleaned for our taste.

@n the Metals,

|| The Cheaper Metals that have important uses in
the Arts.

(Continued from page 149.)

LEAD.
LEAD is rarely, if ever, met with in the native
|istate ; but in combination, and especially with
sulphur, is an abundant natural product, called by
mineralogists, galena; but mostly lead ore,
as it is the only ore from which the metal ig ob-
tained.

The process for reducing the ore is exceedingly
simple. The ore and common wood fuel are
packed in alternate layers, in a furnace, and the
wood set on fire, and. by the combustion of it the
sulphur is expelled, and the lead, ina melted
state, runs into the bottom of the furnace, whence
it is drawn off into moulds, where it cools, form-
ing bars, which are called pigs of lead.

Lead hag a bluish colour, and strong metallic
lustre ; but soon tarnishes by exposure to the air.
Its specific gravity is 11.38. It is malleable and
ductile, and is so soft, that it may be scratched
with a finger nail. Its malleability fits it for
many purposes in the arts, in the form of sheet-
lead. It melts at 6 12 dg. and boils at a red
heat. © ,

Lead is extensively used in the arts; with an-
timony, it forms the alloy of which types are
made; with tin it forms.pewter; with a small
quantity of metallic arsenic, it is used to make
shot. Thesheet-lead that lines the tea-chests is
made by pouring the melted metal on cold plates
of iron or stone, in an inclined position, by which
process a thin coating of metal is formed on the
flat surface, and the remainder runs off, and is
collected for another operation.

Lead is rapidly oxidized by exposure to heat
and air: a yellow crust first {appears on its sur-
face, which, in common language, is called dross,
but by the workmen and in commerce, massicot ;
it is the protoxide of lead, and, when pure, is of
a lemon yellow colour—it combines with acids,
forming salts. The sugar of lead consists of this
oxide, combined with acetic acid.

Litharge is also an oxide of lead, prepared by
heating massicot exposed to the air, from which
it takes up an additional yortion of oxygen. It
|consists of a mixture of the protoxide and deu-
'toxide.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

153

Common red lead is the deutoxide of lead, and
and is sometimes calledminium. This compound,
like the preceding ones, is prepared by heating
the metal, or litharge, in contact with air—but
requires a longer time for its formation. It con-
sists of one atom of lead and one-and-a-half of
oxygen, or it may be considered as composed of
two atoms of lead and three of oxygen.

COPPER.

Copper has been known from the earliest ages.
An alloy of this metal with tin, formed the cut-
ting instruments of the ancients. Their arms,
and many of their domestic utensils, were made
of this alloy. Copper, it is supposed, was dis-
covered in the island of Cyprus, hence the word
cuprum, which is the Latin name for copper.
This metal is frequently found native, and it is,
doubtless, owing to this circumstance, that it was
so early known and employed in the arts,

Obs. A mass of native copper was found in
the vicinity of Lake Superior, weighing 2,200
pounds. It is frequently found in masses of
several pounds’ weight.

Copper is readily distinguished from all other
metals, except titanium, by its red colour. It
receives a high metallic lustre by polishing. Its
specific gravity, when fused, is 8.66, and may be
increased by hammering. It is both malleable
and ductile. It melts at a white heat, and, if
freely exposed to air or oxygen, it burns with a
brilliant green flame. In dry air, copper under-
goes little change, but moist air soon oxides it,
forming a green crust upon its surface.

Copper is extensively used in the arts, both in
a state of purity and in combination with other!
metals.

Obs. 1.—Pure copper is extended between iron
rollers into thin sheets, which are used for cover~
ing the bottoms of vessels, and for making uten-
sils of almost every description.

2. From its ductility it is drawn into wire,
which is considerably used in the arts, and the
strength of which is only inferior to that of
iron.

3. Brass is an alloy composed of about three

parts of copper and one of zinc, and is formed by
melting the two metals together in a crucible.

4, Beil-metal, of which church bells are made,
consists of an alloy composed of about four parts
of copper and one of tin.

5. Common pins are made of brass wire,
covered with a thin coating of metallic tin.

(To be continued.)

soem

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

Architecture.

(Continued from page 136.—For description, see page 157.)

CoRINTHIAN ORDER, ComPosiItE ORDER.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 155

SxytieHt. Frames with one or two inclined
planes of glass, placed in a roof to give light to

An Elustrated Glossary of Technical the rooms or passages below, and looking to the
sky.
Terms used mm Architectural anv
Entevior Mecoration, Ke.

Spire. Among the ancients, this was the base
of a column, and sometimes the astragal or torus,

| lett

Span Roor. A name sometimes given to the

most common species of roofing, which is formed
by two inclined planes.

Srarz-casE, An ascent of stairs, enclosed be-

il but among the moderns it designates a steeple
ith | | | which diminishes as it ascends either pyramidally
ll | or conically.

~ Spuinx. A figure of a monster with the head
ct and breasts of a woman, the wings of a bird, the
— claws of a lion, and the rest of the body like a dog:

a we find it most frequently occurring amongst the

tween walls or balustrades, with landing-place,
&e.

STEEPLE, (steopel, stypel, Sax.) An appendage
generally erected at the west end of churches, to
contain the bells, and rising either in form of a
tower or of a spire.

SKIRTING. The narrow boards which form a
plinth round the margin of a floor.

a ornaments of the Egyptian temples, fyom whom it
Suir Deat. Inch-and-quarter deal cut into | was borrowed by the Romans, who placed it also

two boards, very often in the porehes of their temples.

156

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Stating: Covering roofs with slates. The slates
used in London ar2 brought chiefly from Bangor,
in Caernarvonshire: But the most esteemed is a
pale blue-green slate, brought from Kendal, in
Westmoreland, and called Westmoreland slates.

SuerrPers. Timbers laid upon dwarf walls, for
supporting the ground joists of floors; cross tim-
bers for fixing the planking, where it is necessary
to pile under, in order to make a secure foun-
dation. _

SLYPH.
two walls.

In old architecture, a passage between

SoFrits oR CanoprrEs. The inner part, some-
times with groined tracery, forming a vaulted arch
with a pendant.

Spars. The common rafters of a roof for sup-
porting the tilting or slating.

SpurricaL Bracketing. Brackets of such a
form, that the surface of the lath-and-plaster work
which they support, will form a spherical surface.

Srarrs. Steps to ascend from the lower part of
the building to the upper-

Spanx. A kind of ornament in the Corinthian
capital, which is sometimes fluted, and resembles
a stalk, and from which spring the volates and
helixes.

SrancHEoN. A prop, or support, the perpen-
dicular mullions or upright bars of a window or
open screan. Also, a puncheon.

Sranparps. The upright pieces of plate rack,
used above a dresser; the upright poles in scaf-
folding.

Srocx. A tool for boring wood, with a crank,
so contrived as to rest with one end against the
breast of the workman, while with one hand he
holds the boring end steady, and with the other
turns the crank. The steel borers are called bits,
and the whole instrament is commonly called a
stock and bit.

Stone. The substance which is employed in
the erection of all magnificent edifices, which are
intended at the same time to possess durability.
Various kinds are employed, which receive their

different names either from the sub-application of

this principle may be seen in all cases where
brackets and trussed beams are employed, though
it has been seldom, perhaps, carried to the extent
which it obviously admits of.

Systyne. That kind of intercolumniation which
had two diameters between the columns.

table which projects from the naked face of the
it is not perpendicular to the horizon, it is called a

raking table; and when the surface is rough, or
frosted, or vermiculated, it is named a rustic table.

mouldings or strings, among which is included the
cornice and drip-stone. The shelves in libraries on

Romans pegmata.

designate the coping of the walls of very common
houses.

the Romans which was situated in the narrow
part of the atrium, fronting the entrance.

not only to the floors, wainscotting, ceiling,, &c.

but also to the balconies, and {other projecting

eae a NEON

A mortar composed of lime and earth,|
which forms the substance of the walls of most of|
the houses of Morocco, and many other Arabian
cities. We learn from Livy, that the walls of Sa-
guntum were constructed of earth.

TaBBl,

TABERNACLE. The temporary edifice used by
the Israelites for the performance of public wor-
ship until the erection of the temple at Jerusalem.|

Taste, or Tablet. A flat surface, generally rect-
angular, charged with an ornamental figure. A

wall is termed a raised or projecting table. When

TaBLET. A term used to denote projecting

which the books are ranged, were called by the

Taprine. A term used by Scotch builders to

TABLINUM. An apartment in the houses of

TanuLatum. A term applied by the Romans
of theirjhouses, which were constructed of wood,

parts.

Tania. The fillet’ separating the?Doric frieze
from the architrave.

TAIL-IN.
into a wall.

To fasten anything by one of its} ends

Tarn TRimmEeR. <A trimmer next to the wall,
into which the ends of joists are fastened to avoid
flues.

TAILING. The part of a projecting brick, stone,
&c., which is inserted in the wall.

TamBounr. The naked of a Corinthian or Com-
posite capital ; the wall of a circular temple which
is surrouded with columns ; a place enclosed with
folding doors, at the entrance of churches, &ez,
for the purpose of breaking the current of air
from without.

Taxus. A term chiefly restricted to fortification, |
signifying the slope of a wall which is thicker at
bottom than at top.

i i gg cnn

)

(ition of Vitruvius is the cornice of the portico at

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT. 157
this order are so: the acanthus is more peculiarly
employed in the Composite order. The entabla-
ture to the Corinthian may be reduced to two-
ninths, or one-fifth of the height of the column,
in which ease it may be best to use the Ionic en-
tablature, or reduce the denteles of the cornice.

Architecture.

—>

(Concluded from page 136.)

Tur Corinthian possesses more delicacy and or-
nament than any other order. The beauty and
richness of the capital, with the slenderness of the
pillar, render it very properly adapted where mag-
nificent elegance is required. It is frequently used
for internal decoration to entrance halls, and to
spacious or state rooms: the appearance is that of
virginal delicacy and gay attire. This order, in the}
opinion of Vitruvius, ‘‘ differs from the Tonic only
in its capital; the Ionic capital having no more}
than one-third ‘of the diameter of the column for
its height; but the Corinthian capital is allowed
one entire diameter, which gives to the column a
noble but delicate grandeur. The other members
placed on the Corinthian pillar are common to the
Doric and Jonie orders, for it has no particular
species of ornament peculiar to its cornice: some-
times it has the Dorie mutules and tryglyphs in the
architrave; sometimes an Ionic frieze, with denteles
in the cornice: in a manner, it isno more than a
third order, sprung out of the former two, which
has nothing peculiar to itself except the capital.”
Vitruvius, however, in the foregoing account, for-
gets the peculiarities of the Corinthian cornice, or:
the entablature to this order was not in his day
practised we find remaining among ancient build-
ings; for to this cornice the modillion is ever an
attendant. But exactly according to this descrip-

to that constant solicitude after novelty which ever
renders the mind of man restless in enlightened
and highly cultivated ages. The desire of variety

stimulated the Roman architects to unite with the
proportions and enrichments of the Corinthian
order the angular volute of the Tonic, and by this
union to compose a new order.

Its proportions are as follows:—The height of
the column is twenty modules, and that of the
entablature five modules. The capital has seventy
|minutes in height; the base measures the same as
in the Dorie and Ionic orders; and as the module

|The shaft may be enriched with flutings to the
|number of twenty or.twenty-four, as in the Ionic
order; there is no reason why they should be aug
mented. The principal members of the entabla-
ture may have the same proportions as the two
former orders, viz. being divided into ten equal
parts, three are for the height of the architrave,
three for the frieze, and four for the cornice.

There have been various speculations and eorts
made, at different periods, in order to construct a
new order of architecture: but in the first place,
this appears to be hopeless—in the second need-
less. An attempt of this kind was made in France

Athens, as represented by Stuart. The splendour
by Philibert De Lorme, who proposed to make his

and elegance of this order have rendered it very
famous, and the numerous examples existing among
the fragments of antiquity sufficiently evince the
great esteem with which it was regarded.

be twisted underneath in order to form the enta-
blature. Louis XVI. offered a prize to the archi-

The Corinthian column, as executed by the
moderns, is, according to Chambers, twenty mo-
dules in height ; the entablature five modules; the
base one module, and which may be either Attic or| and De La Roche, each designed a new order,
Corinthian; the capital has seventy minutes in| In Germany, L. Sturm pretended to have founded
height ; the proportion of the members of the en-| one, which he styled the German Order, and the
tablature is the same as in the Tuscan and Ionic] chief variety of which consisted in the capital of
orders. If the entablature is enriched, the shaft | the eolumn having only a single range of leaves,
of the column may be fluted, and the-flutings may] with sixteen volutes. Perhaps it was with great
be filled to one-third part of their height with| reason and good judgment that a certain Italian
eabling, which will strengthen the lower part of| architect declared he never would even zead any
the column, aod make it less liable to injury. In| work which contained one of these propositions.
very rich interior decorations, the cabling may be
eomposed of reeds, ribands, husks, flowers, &c. (For TIilustrations see page 154.) |
The capital is enriched with olive leaves, at least
almost all the Roman antique specimens of this

order. In Italy, Piranese built a church at Rome
after a ney order, the capital of which is sym-
bolical. In our own country two artists, Evelyn

The Composite or Roman order owes its origin| |

and novelty, either of invention or combination,||

is Jess, all its parts will of course be more delicate, |

column represent a tree, whose branches should};

tect who could succeed in the invention of a sixth|)|

[158

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

@n the Wature, Origin, and Yro=
gress of Design.

From A PAPER READ AT THE GENERAL MEgEr-
ING OF THE DECORATIVE ART Soctery,
Marcu, 1844, py Mr. Crass.

(Continued from page 138.)

THE horses are treated with surpassing vigour ;
and it stood alone in art, until Rubens imagined
from this text his magnificent equestrian groups of
the Battles of the Amazons. Contempvuraneous
was Michel Angelo, the Prince of Art,—one of
those mighty geniuses who but at distant intervals
are found on earth. He sublimely conceived, at-
tempted and succeeded in uniting magnificence of
plan with wonderful execution and endless variety.
His style was broad—his line uniformly grand ;—
whatever he touched received the impress of his
genius, and he rendered character and beauty sub-
servient to the highest attributes of design. His
sculpture appears to have a vitality about it, and
his powers as an architect were exhibited in the
skilful adjustment of the vast number of jarring
parts in St. Peter’s, and combining them in one
magnificent whole.

Raffaelle was the mild and delightful painter of
nature. His works in the Vatican, &c., prove him
to have entertained the same thoughts as M. An-
gelo, upon applying the highest quality of art to
decorative purposes. Their ornamental portions,
arabesques, borders, and numerous addenda, will
be found, however beautiful in themselves, to’ be
subservient to the great principles of design—har-
mony and repose being essential to the ultimate
effect of the whole work.

In the magnificent folio work, published by Mr.
Gruner, upon the Fresco Arabesques and Painted
Decorations of the Churches and Palaces of Italy,
we shall have opportunities of enjoying and study-
ing the brightest gems of decorative art. The ex-
amples of this extraordinary work of labour, 46 in
number, are coloured by hand, with a value and
effect unprecedented. It expresses the mode of
using the enrichments of painting and gilding, in
unity with the architecture and with the sculpture,
causing the entire to be viewed as one, neither
perfect without the other. This work is exactly
what we most required, reflecting the highest ho-
nour upon Mr, Gruner, and is likely to createa
complete revolution in British decorative design.—

Design resulting from the full appreciation of fine
art, was lavishly used during the fifteenth and six-
teenth centuries upon every kind of manufacture.
The terra cotta of Faenza, of exquisite design and
great variety. The Limoges enamels upon copper,
forming cups, plates, tazzas, and various ornaments,
were often painted by artists like Parmegiano.—
Richly coloured marbles were freely used in unity
with beautiful mosaics, for interior embellishment.
The dress of the period was rich in the extreme,
in fashion, colours and material.

The missals and psalters of the church were il-
luminated ;—medalling carefully practised; en-
graving on steel, chrystal, and precious stone, in
intaglio and relievo, jand inlaying with gold and
silver, upon the sumptuous designs for armour and
offensive weapons, cups, vases, chalices, and sculp-
tured plate, were eagerly sought. The superb set-
ting of jewels, intermixed with enamelling, became] |
a passion, and the liberality and demand for large
and small goldsmith’s works, produced a great
body of the finest manufacturing artists, medallers, |
and engravers, celebrated in an age rich in every
species of excellence depending on the arts. Ben-
venuto Cellini was of most distinguished emi-
nence, of elegant person, great vivacity—bold and
full of intelligence, he lived amongst the most
noble princcs and dignitaries of that turbulent
age; sometimes soldier, musician, engraver, sculp-
tor, or medallist. He produced coins tor the mint,
both at Rome and Florence, so fine as-to be pre-
served as medals,

Louis the XIV."was a magnificent patron of the
arts, and also first instituted an academy in France
for the purpose of teaching art upon systematic
principles, subdividing the finstruction under the
heads of drawing after ‘the ‘antique and after the
living model, anatomy, painting, perspective, the
laws of taste, coloring, and composition. The
plan of education previously pursued was that of
apprenticeship, where the youth gradually learned
the craft, assisted his master, and set up for him-
self; and in this manner the noblest artists had
been produced. Notwithstanding the advantages
which an academy presents in providing able
teachers, and collecting the great examples of art,
without the study of which the strongest intel-
lect may be deviously employed. Academies
have never gucceeded in sustaining a period of
declining art: few are taught to much purbose,
unless in a great measure their own teachers, and
we find that art sunk rapidly after the time of
Francis I,

It continued thus depreciated for nearly two
centuries; and although many of the castle
palaces of Germany were erected during that

time, and command attention from their massive
and often impressive grandeur, there is not that
||purity of style which will stand the test of time.
||Contemporaneous in England, the Elizabethan
‘was paramount, and in the next age,a debased
use of the style of Louis XIV. was the favorite.
Beauties may be found in both ; each is extremely
picturesque, and when chosen with due regard to
|fitness of purpose, may be tolerated by the lover
of fine art, and most assuredly will please~the
painter. The Italians, naturally arefined people.
and accustomed to fine sculpture and painting in
their churches, first returned to the right path ;
France and Germany have followed, and England
has now the opportunity.

Throughout these remarks, as previously ob-
served, I have purposely avoided noticing any
definite characteristics of particular styles of
embellishment: each requires to be considered
separately, with its applicable value, leading
features, and distinct principles of design.

I will now take a brief view of the means by
which foreigners have rendered science and fine
art so popular among their own people as to
cause a constantly increasing demand for the
application of beautiful form and rich embellish-
ment to their manufactures, giving them the most
decided superiority over the English in taste.

the last century, universal attention has been
paid to the subject, and in some kingdoms, as
France, Prussia, and Bavaria, most extraordinary
care has been taken to teach the true principles
of design.

In each town of any importance, a hall, with
a collection of casts from the antique and most
beautiful specimens of modern sculpture, was
opened,—a museum of general and natural his-
tory,—and, wherever it was possibie, a small col-
lection of paintings, This plan was found to
have the happiest effect upon the people—they
came in from the market place, or their ordinary
occupations, saw the most beautiful or instructive
objects of art and nature, and irsensibly formed
to themselves a taste for fine art.

Drawing was taught as a part of the national

education, and botanical information commu- |’

nicated sometimes through the means of grouping
and common flowers: Dr. Ure mentions this to
be a usual practice among the children of the
silk weavers in the South of France. With so
intimate an acquaintance with nature, can we be
||surprised at the excellence of their after-works ?
Does it not present an extraordinary contrast to
our own silk-weaving families ?

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

'| in France, is passed in the palaces and gardens of,

/narch, 300 years since, provided these elegant

Speaking of the continent generally, during}

159

In chief towns or cities, principal or central in-
stitutions, upon a larger and more comprehensive
scale, were opened ; instruction being there given
upon the application of fine art to every descrip-
tion of manufacture, and by practical men. The
leading feature was varied according to the chief
production of the neighbourhood. Thus, ina min-
ing district the museum would be rich in geological
specimens, and the scholars or workmen received
special instruction upon science and art, connected
with the metals. Calico printing, weaving, lace
work, and others, received similar attention.
Libraries upon art were opened to the scholars,
and often also to the public. Works, containing
the finest examples of outline, form, and beautiful
ornament, have been published for the use of these
institutions. The people, generally, enjoy immense |
advantages over us by the free and constant exhi-
bition of the finest efforts of Design, of painting,
and sculpture in their public places, churches, &e.
The leisure of the artizan, in most cities, especially

the king, where they have before their eyes beautiful |
applications of design in architecture, painting, |
sculpture, and the general interior and exterior
arrangements of a refined taste. Paternal and
enlightened governments, and a magnificent mo-

recreations, in which the people should pass their
holidays ; in England the artizan was left to seek
the pothouse. Louis XIV. after erecting the sump-~
tuous palace of Versailles, directed his minister to
burn the accounts, observing, that the enormous
outlay was an investment for the refinement of his
people. The truth and nobleness of that senti-
ment we now perceive expressed in a universal
admission of the superior appreciation in Franc
of Hine art—the taste and politeness of the nation,|

The wealthy man can indulge the elegancies of
his taste by rendering his mansion the abode of
art,—but the school for the people must be the
streets and squares of their cities; adorn these with
statutes, fountains, and opportunities for elegant
recreation of mind, and the result with us will be
an equal love of art with the great cities of Rome,|
Naples, Venice, Florence, Milan, Munich and Paris,
which are thus adorned, and thus foster art.

St. Mary's, West Brompton.—The first. stone of
this church was laid on the 2nd inst., by Arch-
deacon Sinclair, assisted by a large body of the
local clergy and the inhabitants of the neighbour-
hood. Robert Gunter, Esq., the donor of the
land, afterwards entertained a number of the prin-
| cipal visitors at his residence.

160

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The @hronotppist.

Two stained glass windows have lately been
placed in Hove Church, near Brighton. One in
the north and the other in the southend. They
are placed there by N. Basevi, Esq., as memorials
of two deceased members of his family, one of
whom was the architect of the church. One of the
windows contains a representation of the “ Raising
of Lazarus,’ the other, “The Raising of Jairus’s
Daughter.” The first stone of anew church, in
ithe perpendicular style, has just been laid at Wick-
ham Bishops, Essex. A new font, the gift of
Mr. Thomas Combe, of Oxford, but formerly of
Leicester, has just been placed in St. Martin’s
Church, Leicester. The style is that of the four-
teenth century. The eastern window in the
chancel of St. Paul’s church, Brighton, has just
been filled with painted glass. The window con-
sists of seven lights, surmounted by a circle, filled
with triangular devices of great beauty. The
first section of the Cork and Bandon railway, from
Bandon to Ballinhassig, a distance of nine miles
and three quarters, was opened for traflic on
the Ist inst. From returns just made by the
Commissioners of Inland Revenue, it appears that
the total number of Omnibuses now plying for hire
in the metropolis is 3,000, paying duty, including
mileage, averaging 97. permonth each, or 324,000/.
per annnm. Thenumber of conductors and drivers
is about 7,000, who pay annually 1,750/. for their
licences The fresco pictures in progress in the
House of Lords are, we understand, to be resumed
now that the business of the session is closed.
|Report speaks highly of the design which Mr.
Maclise has just finished for a fresco in one of the
vacant spaces. The subject, ‘‘ The Spirit of Jus-
tice,”—a pendant to “‘ The Spirit of Chivalry’”’ by
the same artist—is said to be as well in its general
design asin its particular details a great advance
on all his previous efforts. Enlargement of style
‘and simplification of parts are among the leading
improvements in this example of the painter’s
practice. We areglad tolearn that Mr. William
Sturgeon, so well known for his eminent scientific
| |researches, especially in electricity and magnetism,
has been placed on the Civil List by Lord John
Russell, for the pension or 50/. perannum. To
Mr. Sturgeon belongs the undoubted merit of dis-
covering the soft iron magnet, so essential to the
working of the electric telegraph, as well as many
other valuable discoveries. The inhabitants of
Brighton have determined on purchasing the Pa-

vilionat the price named by the Woods and Forests,
53,000/.——Recent advices from Singapore an-
nounce that the supply of gutta perchais on the
increase. Some imports of it had been latterly
received from a new source, at a place called
Coti.m—We are glad to find that the arrangements
for the reception of the Association for the Advance-
meat of Science are nearly completed, and that
they are worthy of the distinguished body for}
whose accommodation they are intended.

Co Correspondents, &e. «|

G. A. 8.—TZhey are all procurable at the pub-|
lishing office.

F. C.—I¢ shall be illustrated and used at an
early opportunity.

A Bat.—Your queries should be submitied to a
sporting journal. ‘‘ Burden’s Illustrated Laws
of Cricket’ will afford you the information you
require.

Q. Q.—Lake and indigo will produce the purple
you mention.

A. B. C.—You will be communicated with in a
few days.

J. F. A.—ZJ¢é is an oxide.

G. G.—Some of Pugin’s are of questionable au-
thenticity. They are, nevertheless, ingenious,
and very useful to ornamental writers.

Now Publishing, Price One Shilling, Part 5, of
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 is still
on sale. The Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 7, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand.

*.* Parts 1 and 2 are reprinted, and will in future
be chrged at 10d. each.

Part 27 is now ready, price 10d.

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SATURDAY, |

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

[AvcusT 18, 1849.

Che Enluence of Molours on
@yours.

HE attention of Dr. Stark
was first directed to the subject of odours, as
connected with colour, during his attendance
at the anatomical rooms, in the winter session,
from the following circumstance :—

Happening one day to attend the rooms in
black clothes, he was not a little struck by the
almost intolerable smell they had acquired—it
was so strong as to be remarked by the family,
and was Iecognised on the same dress for seve-
ral days; but no odour to the same extent had
been remarked in the lighter-coloured clothes.
Slight exposure to the air alone was nesessary
to deprive them of the odour which they had
thus contracted. This circumstance induced
him to begin a series of experiments, to ascer-
tain, if possible, why different clothes of near
the same texture, but not of the same colour,
should attract. odours in proportions so diffe-
rent. The result was, as he conjectured, that
the colour of bodies, independent of the na-
ture of the substances, modifies in a striking
manner the capability of surfaces for imbibing
and giving out odours. He then enclosed six
different coloured wools, an equal weight of

each, viz., black, blue, green, red yellow, and
white, -with assafoetida. They were ranged cir-
cularly round the odorous body, without
touching it or one another, and were then
covered over and excluded from the light. At
the end of twenty-four hours they were ex-
amined. The black was found to have much
the strongest smell of assafcetida; the blue
the next, after that the red, and then the green,
the yellow had but little smell, and the white
scarcely any.

A similar experiment, using camphor instead
of assafcetida, afforded precisely the same re-
sults. Various coloured cottons were treated
in the same manner. In all these the smell
was invariably found to be of corresponding
intensity, according to the colour, as in the
Silks of different colours gave the
same results.

wools.

‘It is proper to mention,” says Dr. Stark,

“that in most of these experiments I did not
trust to my own olfactory organs alone. All
the members of the family, and several of my
friends, have Jent their aid to distinguish be-
tween the different intensities of the odour
which each substance had attracted; and al-
though only a few experiments are here de-
tailed, similar ones have been many times per-
formed with various other odorous substances.
The whole cf these in their geneal results seem
to establish the fact, that the colour of sub-
stances exerted a peculiar influence over the
absorption of colours.x—[Query.—May not the
sickly disagreeable effluvium which is known
‘to proceed from the skins of the negroes, be in
some way connected with this theory ?]

*‘In all these experiments, however, reliance
had to be placed upon one sense alone, viz.,
that of smell, as none of the substances em-
ployed had gained any appreciable weight. I
was therefore desirous that, if possible, at least
one experiment should be devised which would
show, by the evidence of actual increase of
weight, that one colour invariably attracted
more of an odorous substance than another;
and upon considering the various odorous sub-
stances which could be easily volatilized with-
out change, and whose odour was inseparable
from the substance, I fixed upon camphor as
the one best suited to my purpose. In an ex-
periment of this nature it was necessary that

162

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

the camphor should be volatilized, or converted
into vapour, and that the coloured substances
should be so placed as to come into contact
with the camphor while in that state. It was
therefore of the first importance to prevent
currents: of air within the vessel in which the
experiment was conducted; and with this
view I used a funnel-shaped vessel of tin plate
open at the top and bottom. This rested on a
plate of sheet iron, in the centre of which the
camphor to be volatilized was placed. The
coloured substances, after being accurately
weighed, were supported on a bent wire, and
introduced through the upper aperture. This
was then covered over with a plate of glass.—
Heat was now applied gently to volatilize the
camphor; and when the heat was withdrawn
and the apparatus cool, the coloured substances
were again accurately weighed, and the diffe-
||rence in weight noted down,

| “Proceeding on this plan, I arrived at the
most satisfactory and conclusive results. The
deposition of the camphor in various propor-
tions on the coloured substances submitted to
experiment, offered evidence of the particular
attraction of colours for odours, resting on
ocular demonstration; and when to this is ad-
ded the evidence arising from a positive increase
of weight, as ascertained by the balance, the
conclusion previously drawn from the sense of
smell are confirmed in a singular and very sa-
tisfactory manner.”’

Dr. Stark proceeds to show, as the result of
successive experiments, that ‘animal sub-
stances have a greater attraction for odours
than vegetable matters, and that all these have
their power much increased by their greater
darkness or intensity of colour.”—Also ‘‘ that
the whole of the substances lose their sensible
odour in nearly the same time, though the
oderous particles given out by the black, were
of course much greater in quantity than the
others.”

ew,
—

Last week, the Nineveh Gallery of Sculp-
ture Antiquities in the new building at the
British Museum was opened to the public. The
last portion of the building remaining unfi-
nished, the Townley Gallery, is rapidly ap-
proaching to completion, and will soon be
thrown open.

Architectural Assoctation.

COLOUR IN ARCHITECTURE.

ArT a meeting of the above Association, in :
Lyon’s Inn Hall, last May twelvemonth, aj}
paper was read by Mr. W. Wood Deane, on)}

the ‘‘ Application of Colour to Architecture.”
The author commenced by pointing out the
universal presence of colour in the works of

nature, and its great effect in the production of||
their beauty, observing that as all man’s ideas||

of beauty are derived from nature’s works, to

delight man the artist must endeavour to work/|
like nature, and avail himself of the means} |
which she employs to produce pleasurable sen-||

sations.

The first essential of beauty in architecture||
is form, but nature is not content with form|)|
alone, and indicates colour also as a legitimate||
means of producing additional beauty. .The}|
application of Polychromatic painting to ex-||
ternal architecture has received much attention
abroad, and led to several bold attempts in |
| Germany and France.

In a country like ours,
where surface decoration appears in continual
danger of destruction by the weather, external

painted decoration was thought to be inadmis-|
But our various building materials]

sible.
afford opportunities of producing much agree-
able variety of colour.

hands of the architects of England, but it is a

subject which has happily begun to engage the)
Poly-}|

attention of the artist and connoisseur.
chromatic painting affords a means of display-

ing the liveliest fancy and most elegant design, |

and even in essentially cheap architecture, a

few well-disposed lines of harmonious colour]

may give a pleasing character to an apartment

ata very small outlay, but not without the||

exercise of considerable judgment. Paint-

ed glass may be used with propriety in classic}|
although the| |
practice of imitating oil paintings in this ma-|
terial, in vogue during the last century, is, un-||
doubtedly, a misapplication. It was contended] |
that this application of colour was in aceord-||
ance with the practice of the ancients, and to} /
/be a mode of obtaining eae taught and

| practised. by nature.

as well as pointed architecture;

Interior decoration has!
for years received undeserved neglect at the}

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

Worfratture.

(Concluded from page 92.)

Tue residence of the painter at the court of
the unfortunate Charles enriched the collection of
our nobility with many a costly example; but the
style of Vandyke—already broken loose from the
safer moorings—was, after him, deteriorated in the
hands of the Dobsons and Rileys and Jamesons.
They mistook the letter of his practice for its es-
||sence. The sense of the picturesque and the variety
which Vandyke possessed they exchanged into
mere attitudinizing. The picture-making mania
which descended to, and was managed with a cer-
tain skill and taste by, Lely, gradually degenerated
into the worst species of affectation. The inor-
dinate conceit of Kneller passed into the imbecility
of Richardson ; and the art was only rescued by
Sir Joshua Reynolds from the utter extinction
into which it threatened to subside with Master
Hudson.

To Reynolds, then, is due the resuscitation of
this branch of art; but while he has the credit of
|\having founded a school, the peculiar nature of his
practice has been mistaken. His pictures have
been erroneously read; and his brilliant example,
instead of a beacon, has proved an ignis fatuus.
We cannot here go into a minute investigation of
his merits and defects. His expansive and liberal
mind entertained no prejudice. He sought good
|from every source ; and the philosophic spirit which
his writings display directed the means that he had
amassed into a channel of developement which
was a compromise with himself. The disadvan-
tages of a defective education under which he
laboured he had thenoble honesty toavow. Noble
and just, we say, the avowal was—for it pointed
out to the student his apprehensions lest his errors
might be mistaken for merits. With an originality
of genius that sought peculiarity, and boldness of
style where he had not the power to be correct, he
made a combination of the colour of Titian, the
grace of Corregio, the concentrated effects of Rem-
brandt, and the moral dignity of Titian, Raffaelle,
and Holbein—while he lost none of the picturesque-
ness derived from the study of Vandyke. Two of
the highest examples of portraiture in the world
are his “‘ Mrs. Siddons as the Tragic Muse,” and
“Lord Heathfield as the Governor of Gibraltar.”
His women and children are for grace, purity, and
simplicity, unsurpassed by Correggio. His figure
of “‘ The Infant Hercules” is a convincing proof

163

that he felt like Buonarotti. His colour is often as
Titian’s,—and his effects as Rembrandt’s. The
wide range which he thus took justly placed his
reputation as a portrait-painter on the firmest basis,
and imitators thinking themselves rivals sprang
up every season. The school of which he was the
founder—that of the Romnevs, the Hoppners, &c.
—was extensive, and included much of excellence.
Of those who had the stamina to resist contagion,

the worthiest was Opie, who suffered not his Rem-|

brandt-like disposition and Carravagiesque treat-
ment to be interfered with by the example of the
Master. Gainsborough by an elegant and graceful
style preserved the like independence. At no one
time could any country have shown so great a mass
of excellence in this peculiar branch of Art as at

this period of the school in question. That, how-

ever, which began in originality was gradually)

lowered by plagiarism. Mere facility of handicraft
betrayed into mannerism those who mistook it for
the ready expression of genius. Lawrence sought
to redeem it from the conventions into which it
was falling by introducing more care into the draw-
ing of his forms and into the local truth of his
colour :—but his taste was not of high caste. His
portraits are considered, in some respects, next in
merit to Reynolds. Of the present school it is
almost needless to occupy space and time in making
remarks, as the vast opportunities afforded will
enable our readers to judge and compare the
various styles of portraiture for themselves:

Portland Breakwater.—The foundation stone
of this national work was laid by Prince Albert
on Wednesday week. The stone was a block
weighing fourteen tons; it was suspended by an
iron chain, and being let slip after a bottle contain-
ing a plan of the breakwater, specimens of the
coinage, &c., had been deposited, fell to the bottom
of the sea, in the midst of a drenching shower of
spray and a noise like thunder.

Door-knob Composition.—Mr. John Harrison?
Stilwater, Saratoga county, New York, has patented
an improvemeut consisting in the compounding of
the following materials, calcined, pulverized, and
ground, viz.:—bone 10 parts, black flints, 4 parts,
erystal felspar, 10 parts, granite, 10 parts, Vermont
white sand, 10 parts, China clay, 15 parts, chro-
mate of potash, 1 part, litharge, 1 part, antimony,
1 part, chrome green, 1 part, oxide of iron, 3 parts,
oxide of tin, 1 part, oxide of zinc, 1 part, oxide of
manganese, 4 parts. The articles are ground in
water, and constitute the body and everything ne-
cessary for the manufacture.

164

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT.

ST. SIMON.

ST, BARTHOLOMEW.

Sketched from the Tomb of St. Sebald, at Nuremberg.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT 165

TRIGLYPH. An ornament of the Doric frieze,

An Ellustrateo Glossary of Technical consisting of three parallel nicks, and supposed to

represent the ends of beams. Spaces between the

Terms used tn Architectural and triglyphs on the frieze are called metopes, and, in
Fntevior Weeoration, &e modern examples, are made perfectly square, and
9 °

Tarztorr. A French name for the Abacus.

Taton. A French term for the same moulding
{\which we call the ogee.

Tazza. A cup or vase, used principally in

He
|

ANAWIVAMEWE

generally enriched with sculptures. These sculp-
tures are in modern works generally a bull’s scull
and a patera alternately. In ancient works they
were either generally historical or mythological
designs.

{

TREFOIL. In Gothic architecture, an ornament

garden decorations.

TESSELATED PAVEMENT. A pavement of mo-

isaic work used by the ancients, made of square \
pieces of stone, &c., called tesere. The Romans NN
delighted in this kind of ornamental floor, which (

succeeded, as Pliny tells us, to the old painted

|
Reg eae

consisting of three cusps in a circle.

a ag a aa ean ene

TassEL. An ornamental bunch of worsted, silk,
metallic or other substance, appended to robes,

England, as well as in every part of the continent
which was under the Roman dominion.

THEOoDoLITE. An instrument used in survey-
ing, for taking angles in vertical or horizontal
planes.

curtains, bell-ropes, &c.

pavements which originated in Greece. Many
specimens have been found in various parts of

(cipal manufactory of it at Artois.
: |cil-house at Coventry exhibited, till 1802, a very

166

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

eS se NR UO EU SDA 0 URMA

Tapestry. A kind of woven hangings, of
wool or silk, ornamented with figures, and used
formerly to cover and adorn the walls of rooms.
This species of work is said to have been first
invented by the Pergamenians. From the earliest
period of antiquity, tapestry, more or Jess rich,

jhas been fabricated in different parts of the east.

The most grotesque compositions of men, planets,
aud animals, were painted or embroidered on
these Oriental tapestries, and were carried into
Greece at an early period. In modern times this
kind of embroidery has been executed with ereat

‘Success, and though the works of Europeans,

must be confessed to he inferior to the tapestries
of the East in brilliancy of colouring, they far
exceed them in design and composition. The
Anglo-Saxon wall-hangings were generally silken,

and many had figures of golden birds in needle-

work, others woven, and some plain. Anderson

lasserts, that what we generally understand by

the term tapestry, was invented in Flanders about
1410. In the reign of Elizabeth, men in fantas-
tical postures, like morris-dancers, were common
patterns. Arras received its name from the prin-
The old coun

perfect specimen of the old painted cloth hang-
ings. The roof was of oak, ornamented with
carved figures of no mean workmanship, benches

\|with wainscoting surrounded the room to a con-

venient height, and the space between the wain-
scoting and a vich cornice of gilt vine-leaves, was

||covered with painted cloth.

Trcrorium Opus. A name given by the Romans
to a kind of plaster with which they covered the
ceilings and walls in the interior of their apart-
ments.

TeLAMoNES, The name given to the figures of
men which are used as supporters, in the same

‘| |Manner as the caryatides or figures of women.

Trempernp: This term is applied to bricks
which may be cut with ease, and reduced to any
required shape.

TrmpLtaA., Timbers in the roofs of Roman tem-
ples, which were placed upon the canterii, or
principal rafters, and correspond in situation and
use with our purlins. ;

TrempLtet. A mould used by bricklayers and
masons for cutting or setting the work; a short
piece of timber sometimes laid under a girder.

TENsIon. The degree in which a piece of
timber is strained by drawing it in the direction
of its length.

TuRM, or Terminus, a sort of pillar in form of
a reversed pyramid, crowned with the bust of a
man or Woman as a Capital.

TerRA-corra. Baked earth. Earth or clay
was the first material used by artists, both in
building and modelling. In the time of Pau-
Sanias, there were in many temples statues of
the deities made of this substance, as at Tritsa,
in Achaia. Bas-reliefs of terra-cotta were fre-
quently employed to adorn the friezes of tem-
ples. They served also for models to the artists,
Many tombs found in the Via Appia, and in
Campagna of Rome, as well as the small temple
of Honour and Virtue, have ornaments of this
Substance. The ruins of Herculaneum and Pom-
peli are full of bass-reliefs and other terra-cotta
ornaments, and they are to be seen in the cabinet
of almost every antiquary.

TEsTuDo. A name given among the ancients
to a kind of light surbased vault, with which
they covered the grand halls in the baths and
mansions. They were often formed of iron, or
of wood, and covered with moriar or stucco.
These kinds of vaults have been discovered at
Herculaneum and Pompeii, but from their
want of solidity, they have not been able to
resist the catastrophe which overthrew these two
cities.

TsTRADOoRON. A kind of bricks, four palms in
length, which were commonly used by the Greeks
in building their private dwelling houses.

Tetrerastus. A machine with four pulleys.
TETRASTYLE. A portico consisting of four
columns.

TuatcH. <A roof of straw or reeds, used in
cottages, barns, and such like buildings. The
antiquity of thatching is mentioned by Servius,
and Herodotus describes the houses of Sardis as
thatched with reeds.

THzaTRE. A place appropriated for the repre-
sentation of dramatic spectacles.
temples, among the Greeks and Romans, the
theatres were the most important public edifices.
The Greeks attributed their invention to Bacchus,
and generally consecrated them to that god. In
the earliest times, the theatre was often raised
within the enclosures of his temples.

Tuyroma. The doors of a temple or house.

TiERcE Pont.

The vertex of an equilateral
triangle.

Next to the||

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

167

Qhinese methoy of Colouring
Green Tea.

| WE quote the following remarks from the foreign
|;correspondent of the Athenwum:—The superin-
|tendent of the tea makers managed the colouring
part of the business himself. In the first place, he
||procured a portion of indigo which he threw into
a porcelain bowl, not unlike a ehemist’s mortar,
and crushed it into a fine powder. He then burned
a quantity of gypsumin the charcoal fires which
were roasting the tea. The object of this was to
soften the gypsum in order that it might easily be
pounded into a fine powder in the same manner as
the indigo had been. When taken from the fire it
readily crumbled down and was reduced to powder
in the mortar. These two substances having been
thus prepared were then mixed up in the proportion
of four parts gypsum to three of indigo, and to-
gether formed a light blue powder which in this
state was ready foruse. This colouring matter was
applied to the tea during the last process of roast-
ing. The Chinese manufacturer having no watch
to guide him, uses a joss stick to regulate his
movements with regard to time. He knows exactly
how long the joss stick burns, and it of course
answers the purpose of a watch. About five
minutes before the tea was taken out of the pans,
the superintendent took a small porcelain spoon
and lifted out a portion of the colouring matter
from the bason and scattered it over the tea in the
first pan; he did the same to the whole, and the
workmen turned the leaves rapidly round with
their hands in order that the colour might be well
diffused.

During this part of the operation the hands of
the men at the pans were quite blue. I could not
help thinking that if any drinker of green tea had
been present during this part of the process his
taste would haye been corrected—and, I hope I
may be allowed to add, improved. it seemed per-
fectly ridiculous that a civilized people should
prefer these dyed teas to those of a natural green.
No wonder that the Chinese consider the nations
of the West as “ barbarians.”” One day, Mr.
Shaw, a merchant in Shanghae, asked the Whey-
chou Chinamen their reason for dyeing their teas:
they quietly replied that as foreigners always paid
a higher price for such teas they of course preferred
them,—and that such being the ease the Chinese
manufacturer could have no objection to supply
|them !

Christ Church, Battersea.—This new church )
was consecrated, on the 27th ult., by the Bishop of
Winchester, attended by a large number of the
clergy of the surrounding parishes. The church is
of the Decorated or Middle Pointed style, with a
tower and spire; the plan is cruciform, with nave
aisles, and chancel, also a children’s chapel on the
north side of the chancel, opening thereto and to
the north transept by pointed archways, which are
to be filled with oak open carved screens. The
principal entrance is by a doorway, surmounted by
a crocketed gablet, in the tower, which is attached
to the west end of the nave on the north side.
The organ-loft is in the tower. At the east and
west euds are large five light windows with tra-
ceried heads. The east window is filled with
painted glass, by Mr. Ballantine, of Edinburgh,
who has introduced prisms of coloured glass (an
invention of his own) at the intersctions of the
pattern, to throw the prismatic rays. In the chil-
dren’s chapel there is a painted glass window, pre-
sented, by the architect, Mr. Charles Lee. The
reading-desk, pulpit, seats in the chancel, and com-
munion railing, are of oak, enriched with carving,
by Mr. Ollett, of Norwich. The centre of the
pavement of the chancel, as also the risers of the
steps, are inlaid with Minton’s encaustic tiles.
The church will accommodate 950 persons, half
being in free seats, and the entire cost is stated to
be a little more than 6,0007. We have not yet
seen the building.

Importation of Foreign Glass.—Areturn, moved,
for by Mr. Richard Spooner, M.P., shows that
the total imports of foreign class i, the year
1848 were as follow, viz.:—31,037 ewt. of white
or stoned window glass, of one colour only;)
60,442 square feet of silver and polished glass ;
1,95 feet of painted or otherwise ornamented)
glass ; 38,086 1b. of white flint glass bottles, not
cut or engraved; 154,343 Ib. of wine glasses,
tumblers, and all other white flint glass goods,
not cut or otherwise ornamented ; 639,967Ib . of
all flint cut glass, flint coloured glass, and fancy
ornamental glass; and 370 cwt. of glass manu-)
factures not otherwise deseribed. ‘hs quantities |
of British glass exported from this country in
the year 1848 were as follows, viz. :—15,296 cwt.
of flint glass, 19,708 cwt. of window glass,
49,227 feet of plate glass, 194,755 ewt. of com-
mon glass bottles, and 6,965/. worth of looking-|
glasses and mirrors.

The Select Committee appointed to inquire
into the constitution and management of the
Government School of Design have at length
made their Report.

|168

Or the Waturve, Brigin, and Wro=
gress of MBestgn.

From A PAPER READ AT THE GENERAL MExgT-
ING OF THE Decorative Arr Society,

Marcu, 1844, sy Mr. Craps.

(Continued from page 159.)

Wuen I am called upon to decorate and furnish
i—~say an entrance vestibule, dining room, and
drawing room, observe the information upon de-
sign requisite:—The general plan has first to be
determined ; it may be a modern built London
house, capable of receiving the Greek, Roman,
‘Italian, French, or even Elizabethan styles-—an in-
| timate knowledge of each style, its leading charac-
teristics and treatment, the ornaments and furniture
of the respective period is perfectly essential, other-
wise I cannot successfully direct my customer’s
choice; and when determined, there remains the
‘practical acquaintance with home and foreign ma~
nufactures, my immediate province being to point
out superior products of either. The floor of the
shall may be laid in plain or patterned marbles,
with tiles or tesserze, plain oak or inlaid woods.
| Che walls and ceiling are to receive due and respec~
tive embellishment, and though little furniture is
required, it varies from the Roman eagle and slab
to the bracket. The dining room, even if plain,
can have a distinctive character marked in its
frieze, cornice and ceiling, its chimney grate, and
‘leading pieces of furniture, the carpet, and the
mode of fitting up the windows, in which the wide
diversity of materials for curtains, resulting from
the efforts of many manufacturers, present me with
levery quality of design. The drawing room usually
demands the chief attention, its decorations admit-
ting of greater variety ; walls, ceilings, and chim-
ney pieces being determined, there remains the
form, and ornaments of furniture: consoles, cabi-
nets, and glasses, carpets and curtains, all may be
British or Foreign, and all come under my direc-
tion and notice ; but now observe, if skill and edu-
cation in the application of colour is not matured,
there is certain failure in producing ultimate unity
and harmony of effect; the key note, as my friend
Mr. D. R. Hay would express it, will be wanting.

Thus, the designer in a large establishment is a
person of importance, in connection with this sub-
ject, he submits, recommends, or influences a vast
amount of money to be expended upon English or

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

results of experience in applied design, so much re-|
| quired by manufacturers.

Foreign manufactured design: he passes all his
time in connection with it, and in the mansions of
the nobility he has opportunities to observe the
finest works of great masters in design. I have

often had occasion to thank the liberality of gen-|

tlemen in displaying to me choice specimens or
books, and to regret that circumstances and oppor.
tunities did not permit my giving to the public the

I have referred to my
own particular business, because from that source,
aided by observation and peculiar facilities, is de-
rived whatever information I possess, and because
I consider the School of Design may there find the
most valuable practical intelligence, not to be ob-
tained elsewhere, and with which, to judge by their
practice, they appear wholly unacquainted.

Design is perfectly simple; and its principles
easy of communication by proper persons ; let it;
be divested of the mystery at present allowed to
surround it, and teaching the great principles of
design will be found more than sufficient to occupy
the attention of our school; those are what the!
manufacturers require to be cultivated, not fresco
painting or wood engraving, which may be safely
left to their own circle of clever artists. In conse-
quence of an absence of practical information,
copying is made the fundamental practice, as also
drawing from the human figure; this instruction
chiefly tends to prepare pupils for the Royal Aca-
demy, and not to produce manufacturing designers.
Copies after Raffaelle’s works make the school look
pretty, and assist the decorative painter; but they
may mislead the uninformed and confuse the ma-
nufacturer.

I should prefer their place being occupied by
geometrieal priaciples of design, examples of form
and the theory of colouring, executed by the mas-
ters themselves; by them frequently explained as
the source of Raffaelle’s excellencies, and with de-
tailed principles of application to manufacturing
design. Teaching drawing forms but one link in
the chain of teaching for manufacturing design,
and itis difficult to make the uninitiated compre-
hend the full extent of the mischief, in rendering|
fine art the principal aim of the school, when it
ought to be industrial art. I admire fine art, and |
advocate its indissoluble connexion with manufac-
turing design; but let us have practical utility
first,—the necessities of the manufacturer require
it. Fine art will assuredly follow, and with in-
creased success; but it is practical men can alone
achieve this successful issue, and the school does
not possess them.

a eee

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The Archeologteal Enstitute at
Saltsburp.

THE members of the Archzeological Institute
have gathered together in good array around the
cathedral of Salisbury, and are proceeding with
the business of the congress. On the 24th, the
introductory meeting was held, and various objects
in or near the town were visited, of which we hope
to say something in our next number. At the
the dinner meeting, on Tuesday, in the council-
room, at least 300 ladies and gentlemen sat down
to aplenteous display of the good things of life,
which the mayor and corporation had liberally pro-
vided. On the following morning several hundreds
of the poorer inhabitants of the city were presented
with the remaims of the feast in food and liquors,
and thus were comforted and made happy.

At the morning meeting, the Marquis of Nor-
thampton, on taking the chair, had addressed an
assembly of at least two hundred, in his accus-
tomed kind and affable manner, by saying how
much he rejoiced in seeing so many congregated
from various parts of the country to compliment
archeology and the singular locality in which they
met His lordship introduced the Right Honour-
able Sidney Herbert as the president for the ensu-
jing year. This accomplished and learned gentle-
man manifested much taste and tact in addressing
the company, by pointing out and characterizing
the prominent objects of archzeological and his-
toric interest which belong to Old and New Sarum,
to the castramentations and barrows of the plains,
Stonehenge, Wilton House, &c., and dwelt par-
ticularly on the merits of some of the Wiltshire
worthies, who had been born or dwelt at Salisbury
or in the county. The bishops of Salisbury and
Oxford followed in the same strain, in proposing
certain resolutions. Two papers were next read
by Mr. Matcham and the Rev. Joseph Hunter,
the latter on the topographical gatherings at
Stourhead, and the archeological lore and re-
searches of the late Sir Richard Colt Hoare. The
President announced that Sir Hugh Hoare would
be happy to show the antiquities of Stourhead to
a select party of the institute, on Monday next.
The meeting then broke up, and proceeded in par-
ties to visit the museum opened at the King’s
House, in the Close, the cathedral, and other ob-
jects of archzeological interest in the city.

In the evening, Professor Willis in the chair,
a paper was read by Mr. Tucker, written by the

169

Rev. E. Duke, on Stonehenge, endeavouring to
show that it indicated a part or member of a
vast planetary orrery of the universe.

The Dean of Hereford gave some explanations
and details of the operations now going on at
Silbury-hill, and, the contents of certain of the
barrows near Amesbury. The dean found the
cutting at Silbury-hill advanced about thirty-two)
yards on Wednesday week. He advised the
workmen to stop at about two yards from the
centre of the hill, in order that the members
might be present atits exploration. The speaker
next alluded to the contents of some barrows he,
had opened while in the neighbourhood. An
animated conversation followed, in which Mr.
Britton, Mr. Bates, and other gentlemen, took,
part.

On Wednesday morning, large parties visited
Amesbury, Old Sarum, Stonehenge, &c. : and in
the evening Mr. Markland and Mr. Britton read
two papers to a large assembly at the council-,
house. Of these and future proceedings we shall
notice hereafter.

Stained Window St. Peter’s Church, Derby.—,
The east window of St. Peter’s Church, Derby,
was completed on Thursday last. Five lights
compose the lower part, and eighteen (in the
tracery) the upper; the former has been des-|
cribed. The subjects of the latter are the Resur-
rection, the Ascension, the Annunciation, the
Four Evangelists, with their respective emblems, |
and the apostles St. Paul, St. Mathias, St. Thomas,
St. James, St. Barnabas, and St. Philip ; the re-
Maining four contain the figures of St. George,
St. Patrick, St. David, and St. Andrew, the
patron saints of the United Kingdom. Besides
these are four small squares which are filled with
the arms of the donor, Mr, Simpson, and with,
angels bearing scrolls. Each of the five large
figures in the lower compartment is surrounded
with a gorgeous canopy, exact copies from those
in the window of the choir of York Minster.
Messrs. Barker.and Son, of York, are the artists.
The execution of the window is good.

The Huddersfield and Manchester tunnel is
said to be more than three miles in length, and
to pass at a depth of 652 feet below the ridge of
the hill, which it pierces go straight that on a
clear day one can see through from either end.

West-bridge station, on the North Midland,
has been burnt to the ground by. spontaneous
combustion of “ waste’’—grease, oil, Nc.

170

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

The PCbhronotyptst.

‘Tue bust of Waller—a composition bust by Rys-
brach from the known portraits of the poet—was
sold about a fortnight ago at a sale at Hall Burns,
near Beaconsfield, to Sir Robert Peel, for fifty
‘guineas. Hall Barns was the family seat of the
poet of the Panegyric upon Cromwell; but few or
no traces remain there coeval with the poets’s time:
The house, of dull red brick, pleasantly seated in a
park full of the charaeteristics of Buckingham-
shire scenery,—was built, we believe, by the poet’s
son. The library, rich in books of Waller’s period,
was sold about fifteen years ago by a country auc-
tioneer, at country prices. Burke’s fine house in
the same neighbourhood has long been levelled
with the ground. The expense of the “ increased
supply of water” to the castle is estimated at
10,0007., which the Lord Chamberlain considers to
be “ urgently required” for the frequent cleansing
of the drains, and more especially for the safety of
the castle in case of fire, the present supply being
very uncertain and deficient in quantity. This
“ special service” will require the superintendance
of an engineer, and Mr. James Simpson has been
selected forthe purpose. Mr. Simpson will eharge
a commission of 5 per cent. on the outlay, not ex-
ceeding the amount of his estimate—10,000/.
The professorship of.Modern History at Cambridge,
‘vacated by the death of Professor Smyth, has been
filled up by the appointment of Sir James Stephen.
The Professorships in the three new Irish
colleges are in progress of being filled up. We
ean report two appointments to the literary chairs
‘of those institutions—the Rev. Charles F. Darley
is to fill that. of Cork, and Mr. Craik has been
selected for that of Belfast. We may add the
name of Mrs. Austen, so well known as a trans-
lator from the German, to the list of those whom
the Queen has recently placed on the Pension List.
Mrs. Austen has a grant of 1001. The beautiful
design for a clock-case made by Holbein for Sir
Anthony Denny has just been added to the valuable
collection of drawings by old masters placed under
Mr. Carpenter’s care at the British Museum. The
drawing was one of the treasures of the Strawberry
Hall sale,—and is a fine and undoubted specimen
of the master.———-We have just seen an able paper
from the hands of Mr. Linton, the well-known
landseape-painter, giving a comprehensive state-
ment of the origin, bases, and combinations in a
chemical sense of the various colours which form
the constituents of the painter’s art.
the student may here obtain such general infor-

At a glance |~

mation as may tend to impress on him the neces-
sity of further investigation. On no subject con-
nected with his art perhaps is he so little informed
as on this. Ignorant of affinities or antipathics,
he is apt to make combinations which the action
of light or the absence of it and other circum-
stances soon render abortive :—and his time and |
talents are thus thrown away. It is not desirable
to see the artist weaken his pictorial power by dif!
fuse and superficial dabbling as a chemist ; but it
is a common-sense proceeding to make himself ac- |
quainted with the nature of the substances with
which he has to deal. |

MINING IN Scormanp.—We understand that
the Marquis of Bredalbane is about to commence
working the deposits of lead and copper on his
estates in Pertshire. A German gentleman of,
scientific attainments has been engaged to report
on their capabilities, and make assays, with a view

to their ulterior development.
%

Go Correspondents, Ke.

Satya, (Stockport.)—The process is dangerous.
You had better obtain the small quantity you
are likely to want at the manufacturers.

S. B.— Not in time for the present number.
Alfred.—Sulphate of zine will answer the purpose,

J. S.S.—Enquire at a music publishers.

——

*.* Parts 1 and 2 are reprinted, and will in future
be chrged at 10d. each.

—=—=

Part 27 is now ready, price 10d.

No. 120,—Vou. V.]

cP Os

ALPHABET OF THE NINTH CENTURY.—(ANGLO- -SAXON.)

[Two-PENCB:
MUL N Meo lswisl coe eae Eee

SATURDAY, ]

Early Christian Art.

AVING completed his review
of ancient art, Mr. Wornum proceeded, on
Friday week, at the School of Design, Somer-
set-house, to lecture on art in the middle ages
—the ‘‘dark ages”—so called, said the lec-
turer, because we are well in the dark con-
cerning them. ‘This period he comprised in
the interval between the establishment of Chris-
tianity ana the renaissance or revival of art,—
a period of about 900 years, from the fourth
to the thirteenth century. He proposed, there-
fore, to devote to this period three lectures, in-

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT. [Aveusr 25, 1849

Europe and Asia were despoiled to enrich the
new city of Constantine: its great thorough-
fares were adorned with colossal figures in
bronze: and before the church of St. Sophia
alone were disposed many hundred statues, the
masterpieces of ancient art.

But nearly all these works, and many more
in the various capitals of Europe, Asia, and
Africa, became a prey to religious fanaticism,
or were carried away for the value of the metal
by the many hordes of Huns, Goths, and Van-
dals, by whom nearly every trace of ancient
grandeur was swept from the earth. The vol-
cano, even, was a protection compared with
the destructive fury ,of those middle-age fana-
tics, the iconoclasts, whether Christian or Ma-
hommedan. So effective was their system of
destruction, that but for the fortunate preser-
vation of Pompeii, by Vesuvius, we should
have had to glean our knowledge of ancient
manners and customs almost entirely from
books. In the third century, however, as the||
church became more general, and accordingly
more firmly established, the antipathy and
dread of images proportionately declined.

During the first and second centuries, Chris-
tian works of art were limited to symbols, and
were then never applied as decorations, but as
exhortation to faith and piety; such, we find,
for instance, on their tombstones. The first of
all symbols was the monogram of Christ. It
was sometimes combined with the figure of
the cross, with the letters alpha and omega on
the sides. Ano.her very common symbol was
the fish; it is what is called an acrostic sym-
bol. Other symbols employed in early deco-
ration were then adverted to by the lecturer,
together with the pictorial and plastic repre-

cluding the consideration of the various styles of | sentations mixed up with them in and after the

Gothic ornament, comprising, of course, archi-
tecture. Ancient art, he proceeded, might be
said to have ceased when Rome ceased to be
the capital of the world. The establishment
of Christianity, the division of the empire, and
the incursions of barbarians, were the chiet
causes of the important revolution experienced
by the imitative arts, and the serious check
they received; and the foundation of Constan-
tinople, and the Exarchate, were equally fatal
to the magnificence of Rome.

Byzantium, the Rome of the East, became
more rich in works of art than Rome herself:

third century. The most ancient figure of the
Saviour depicted in the catacombs at Rome and
copied by Raffaelle, and others of a subsequent
date, with the nimbus, or glory, introduced in
the fourth century were then described; and
the mosaics of the old Christian churches or
basilicas in Rome, Ravenna, and other parts of
Italy, pointed out as our principal monuments
of early Christian painting. As works of art,
he remarked, these latter were of but little
value, but their interest is great as historical
and ecclesiastical monuments.

The basilicas, which mean literally, houses

172

THE DECORATO . ASR’SSISTANT.

of the king, spiritual or temporal, were origi-
nally used as halls of justice; and the upper
end is ealled the tribune or tribunal, from the
seats of the judges and magistrates, the tri-
bunes, who hald their official sittings in that
part. The tribune is frequently built in the
form of a large semicircular recess, surmounted
by asemi-dome, The altar was somtimes in
the recess, and sometimes before it. ‘The whole
upper concave surface, called the apsis, was
gilded and adorned with figures of Christ and
the apostles, variously arranged, though gene-
rally similar in the essentials, and very nearly
always executed in Mosaic work.

In the large basilicas in which a transept is
introduced, before the tribune, the ground plan
thus forming a Latin cross, the transept was
divided from the nave by a large arch, called
the arch of triumph; and in this case subjects
from the Apocalypse are frequently represented
on the arch. Other subjects from the various

\{religious cycles were introduced in other parts
of the church. These mosaics, mostly executed
from the fifth to the ninth centuries, are simi-
lar in character to the illuminations of the MSS.
especially those of the Byzantine school.

As regards pavements, less change, perhaps,
took place than in any other class of ornamen-
tal designs; that is, the purely geometrical
patterns, which, even though heathen works,
could present nothing offensive to the most
scrupulous Christian. We accordingly find, in
many churches of the middle ages, mosaic
pavements nearly identical in pattern with
those lately discovered in Pompeii.

Some interesting remarks on embroideries,
representations of the Divine Trinity, &c., then
followed, and reference made to the ‘‘ Guide to
Painting,” by the monk, Dionysius, recently
translated and published at Paris as a manual
Christian iconography. In the extraordinary
peninsula of Mount Athos—the ‘holy moun-
tain,’ as it is called, there are no less than 935
churches or chapels, every one of which is
either covered on the interior with frescoes,
or ornamented with pictures on panel, and
occasionally with mosaic, and many of these
works date from the early period of which we
are speaking. The monasteries of Mount
Athos also possesses many ancient relics of the
jeweller’s art, as the magnificent triptic of St.

Laura, presented to that monastery by Nice-
phorus Phocas, in the tenth century. It is set
externally with emeralds, pearls, and rubies, as
large as sixpences, and a double row of dia-
monds. The most singular peculiarity of this
remarkable peninsular is, that no woman is
allowed to enter it—no female has ever trod in
one of its 935 chapels, and ‘yet these chapels
are decorated with the figures of female saints,
by painters who, perhaps, never saw a woman
from the time of their infancy. This is, how-
ever, of little consequence, as the images of the
saints are strictly traditional. Such, continued
the lecturer, is the nursery of the Byzantine
school, until lately without a rival where the
Greek Church prevails, and formerly of almost
equal influence in the west.

The memorable image controversy between

the emperors in the east and the popes in the}
west, which ultimately separated the eastern||

and western churches, and indeed “convulsed

the whole of Christendom for a century and a)

half, commenced shortly after the Council of,
Constantinople, in the eighth century, depre-
cating symbols~-as the Council of Illiberio,
nearly four centuries earlier, had prohibited
the decoration of churches with ixiages. Into
the particulars of this controversy the lecturer
entered pretty fully, and afterwards proceeded,
with the help of illustrations, to examine more

in detail the character of the ornaments, or)

symbols, rather, of the whole of this period of
art, apart altogether from its architectural ar-
rangements. The forms of the cross and dome
or circle, pervade almost every ornamental de-
sign of the middle ages, especially the earlier
periods; and they are still further developed
by a host of secondary symbols, some of them
already explained.

The symbolism of middle-age art gives its
ornaments no beauty; their effect in most
cases is to be attributed to the richness of their
colouring and materials. But we shall find as
we proceed, that in one subject at least—in
geometrical design—the artists of the middle
age are yet unapproached; and it is not to be

overlooked that the whole range of medieval

monuments offer a vast source of suggestions) |

to the decorator and designer, which he ean

not too frequently consult, not for imitation,}|

but for hints.

On the Nature, @rigin, and I ro=
» gress of sMBesign.

From A PAPER READ AT THE GENERAL MEET-
ING OF THE DeEcoRATIVE ART Soctery,
Marcu, 1844, sy Mr. Crass.

(Concluded from page 168.)

Ir a physician were appointed operating Surgeon
to an hospital, his failure would excite no surprise,
j\though both are doctors; so between the artist,
painter, sculptor, and designer, there is even a
wider difference of acquirement and purpose. Five
years since, I recommended to the Council, that
j/existing designers should be induced to attend the
|\school for a more complete instruction, by which,
important benefits would be exchanged; but a
theoretical course of their own was preferred—let
us judge of its success by their recent appointment
of masters to schools at Birmingham, Neweastle,
and other places. The one sent to Birmingham,
described as an intelligent pupil of the school—a'
||leading manufacturer tells me they are exceedingly |
\ |\dissatisfied, and very likely, for I have long known |
him to be a person without pretension, and he
jjacknowledges himself to be unacquainted with
manufacturing design. A worthy man, a wood
engraver, has been sent to Newcastle, he neither
pretends to, nor possesses the slightest manufac- |
turing knowledge. ‘There must be some serious
misapprehension among the council to suppose that |
||men of such acquirements can teach what they
|\know not—manufacturing design. I do assure
||them, they are extending an evil that will provoke
\the contempt of the manufacturers ; if men of abi-
\\lity were sent, manufacturers would soon see their
||interests in subscribing handsomely for their sup-
|\port, and incalculable benefits must arise, in three
||years, or less, they might have designers and model-
j\lers trained to their own peculiar requirements on
|the spot.

Freely admitting the foreign designers’ supe-
riority, I insist upon the Englishman’s capability.
of equalling him, (with similar advantages) and
thus hold it to be a matter of high moment, that
||the gentlemen of the Council be made sensible of
the insufficiency of their present arrangements;
certainly, the school in London should not be suf-
\ fered to remain a perversion of its title, a mere
||cheap drawing school, made to look inviting by

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

173)

some extra attention paid to a few scholars, in-||
tended as decorative painters ; there is every oppor-|
tunity for rendering the most important service to
the arts of design by educating those who can)
already draw well, and who would eagerly attend
the scliool, and pay a portion of its expenses also*
provided practical men were there to direct the
studies and communicate that information which
no other artist, painter, sculptor, or architect can
possess. Let the subject be treated with energy

and liberality, and there is no difficulty in doing

this, nor iu widely diffusing a popular knowledge
of the nature and purposes of design to the public
at large. I do not speak theoretically, but with
ample knowledge of the difficulties, and with my
opinions sanctioned by gentlemen, whose names
are an honor to our country.

The manufacturers have the matter in their own
hands ; let them visit the schools as men of business,
and, as such, judge of the arrangements, of the
instruction given, and should it- continue unsatis-||
factory, let them, in any one district open a se-
parate school, subscribe sufficient to remunerate a
man of talent, and select him themselves, as they
would one for their private business; no doubt the
object could be best attained through the govern-
ment school, but.it can also be done by a few
spirited manufacturers.

I should be proud if our efforts aroused the at-
tention of a few gentlemen of the Council, Mr}
Cockerell for instance, whose valuable and instruc
tive lectures at the Royal Academy, conducted
with the greatest liberality and listened to in ad-
miration by a crowded auditory, form a fitting pro-
totype for lectures that should originate with Pro-
fessor Dyce. The subject cannot rest where it is ;
let us widely circulate what might be quickly done
under proper management, and depend upon it the
manufacturers who are feeling the inconveniencies
of a dearth of designers will come forward. Those
who love the results of elegant art, will avoid all
excess, for the beautiful must be cultivated in their
own minds ere it can be either enjoyed orimparted.
This consideration will be found to greatly extend
a péople’s happiness; it was the principle pre-
eminently valued ia the best period of art, courted
at the revival, and now again fostered in Germany ;
there, in the real and true spirit, we find the
monarch diffusing the rich treasures of knowledge
to his people without distinction, creating a genuine
love of art, and an eager desire to apply elegant
desion throughout their manufactures.

If we Englishmen desire similar results, we
must cultivate the same spirit and adopt similar
means,

174

An Elustrated Glossary o€ Technical
Terms used tn Architectural any
_ Entertor Pecoration, Ke.

Toms. A funeral monument raised over the
remains of the dead. The earliest kind of tombs
appear to have been grottos and caverns. In the
plains of Etruria, many sepulcharal grottos have
been found, hollowed in a rock, which is not dif-
ficult to work, They are sometimes disposed in

form of across, or with three wings, almost like
our churches ; others are squared in different pro-
portions. Doors have been formed, to lead from
one grotto to another; sometimes they are above
each other. These grottos are not very deep. The
interior is often adorned with paintings. The ac-
companying is a design for a Gothic tombstone,

TIMBER. The species of timber chiefly used in
carpentry and joinery, are oak, the different species
of pine, mahogany, lime, poplar, ash, elm, beech,
&e.

ToRtumatTa. That description of work, par-

ticularly vases, which was ornamented in bold re-
lief.

TRIGONOMETRY. Thescience which teaches the
mensuration of triangles.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

TURKISH ARCHITECTURE. ‘The architecture of
the Turkish empire in general bears a great assimi-
lation to that of the Arabs or Saracens.

Torus. A large semicircular moulding used in

the bases of columns. Marked a. A. in the en-

gTaving.
Torso. A name given by artists to all mutilated
statues, of which nothing remains but the trunk.

TRABEATION. Another term for an entabla-

ture.
TRABS. The Roman name for a wall-plate.

TRANSEPT, An open passage or way across the
body of the church in the direction of north and
south, either on the eastern or western side of the
nave; in some churches, on both.

TrACERY. In Gothic architecture, the inter-

section in various forms of the mullions in the
head of a window or screen.

TRANSEPT ToweR. That over the transept, to
distinguish it from others,

THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT

175

TraNsom. A beam across adouble-lighted win-
dow: if the window have no transom, it is named
a clear-story window.

TRANsTRA. The horizontal timbers in the roof
of Roman buildings.

TRAVERSE. A gallery or loft of communication,
in a church or other large building.

TREAD.
stair..

The horizontal part of the step of a

Treasury: A building for the reception of
money or other precious things.

TRELLICE. Lattice work of metal or wood in
screens or doors.

TRIANGLE. A plane rectilinear figure of three
sides, and consequently three angles.

TricHoron. A building with three longings or
stories.

TRIFORIUM. The space between the aisles of a
church and the clerestory, after containing a stair-
case.

TRYGLYPH. An ornament of the Dorie frieze,
consisting of three parallel nicks, and supposed by
some to represent the ends of beams. There is
observed in the large hollow crown moulding of
the temple of Dendera, a decoration very similar
to the Doric triglyph, the extreme parts of which
are placed at the angle as in Grecian Doric.

Tricon. Another name for a triangle,

TRINGLE. A small member fixed exactly upon
every triglyph, under the plat-band of the archi-
trave, from whence hangs the guttz in the Doric
order, called also a riglet or listel.

TrocHoip. A figure which is described by a
circle that rolls ina straight line, with a pointer
pin in the circumference, on a fixed plane, parallel
to or in the plane of the moving circle.

Tur. A kind of sandy calcarious stone, porous,
light, soft, without being fragile, ductile, and well
calculated for the construction of vaults. Its
colour and consistence varies according to the
predominance of its several component parts.

Tumutus. Asmall conical hiil of earth, raised
asa memorial over the remains of the dead, by
the early uations of antiquity. Inthe Troad, and
along the shores of the Hellespont, many of these
tumuli are found for a description of which, among
among other works, the reader may consult that of
M. Lechevalier, sur la Troade.

Vane, Fane, or Phane, a plate of metal, shaped

like a banner, fixed on the summit of a tower or
steeple, to show the direction of the wind.

Vasr. A name given to the bell, or naked form,
of the Corinthian capital, on which the leaves are
disposed.

Vase. The Grecian vases, which have been
from time to time dug up in various parts of Italy
and Greece, have long attracted attention, by the

elegance of their form and decorations. Large
collections have at various periods been made, and
several collections of drawings from them have
been published.

Window. An opening in the wall of a build-
ing, for the admission of light into the interior.

Saree

Products of the American Sea.—The products
of the whale, cod, mackerel, and herring fisheries,
exported mostly from the northern coast, amount
to 1,693,980 dollars.

176 THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

overpower those who may inhale its odour, andj}
the upas tree possesses an uncommonly deleterious
quality of vapour. Some flowers emit their odours)
only at certain periods. Those having an am- |
brosial smell exhale only after sunset, and the||
appearance of some plants correspond with the}|
nature of their scent. Musk-scented flowers are||
always of a yellowish and purple colour, and a dull||
appearance is indi¢ative of the deleterious nature|
| of their perfame. The odour of plants and flowers,
which seems thus to inherit the property of creat-
ing such a diversity of feelings in the human frame,
is considered by naturalists to be an excretory
secretion, forming a gas or vapour, which in some
is supposed to proceed from the petals transmitted
from the plant by the claws at its base, and escap-
ing through orifices on their surface, at others from

the nectaries, or various parts which compose their
blossoms.

~ The Campanile of Giotto at
SH lorence.

———es

I REMEMBER well how, when a boy, I used to
||despise that Campanile, and think it meanly smooth
and finished. But I have since lived beside it
many a day, and looked out upon it from my win-
||dows_by sunlight and moonlight, and I shall not
||soon forget how profouud and gloomy appeared to

me the savageness of the Northern Gothic, when I
{Jafterwards stood, for the first time, beneath the
front of Salisbury. The contrast is indeed strange,
{if it could be quickly felt, between the rising of
those grey walls out of their quiet swarded space,
|\like dark and barren rocks out of a green lake,
||with their rude, monddering, rough-grained shafts,
jand triple lights, without tracery or other, orna-
||ment than the martin’s nest in the height of them,
jand that bright, smooth, sunny surface of glowing
||jaspar, those spiral shafts and fairy traceries, so
white, so faint, so crystalline, that their slight shapes
are hardly traced in darkness on the pallor of the
eastern sky, that serene height of mountain ala-
baster, coloured like a morning cloud and chased
like asea-shell. And if this be, as I believe it, the
model and mirror of perfect architecture, is there’
not something to be learned by looking back to
the early life of him who raised if? I said that
||the power of human mind had its growth in the
||wilderness; much more must the love and the
j\conception of that beauty, whose every line and
||hue we have seen to be, at the best, a faded image
{of God’s daily work, and an arrested ray of some
\\great star of creation, be given chiefly in the
||places which He has gladdened by planting there
| |the fir-tree and the pine.—Ruskin.

Corrugated Tron Houses.—A house constructed
of corrugated iron, by Mr. John Walker, of Old-
street-road, has been sent to San Francisco. The
structure measures 75 feet lone, 40 feet wide, and
20 feet high, and is composed of pjates of iron,
each 8 feet long: its cost was 6007. Mr. Walker
has likewise in course of construction eight other
corrugated iron houses for California, each having
three dwelling-rooms and one store-room. Corru
gated iron has considereble strength, with little
weight, and seems to have advantages for portable
dwellings and store-houses.

Corrosion of fron Railings.—Where they are
united to their sockets by lead, it may be lessened
in the following manner:—The cause of the cor-
rosion, as is well known, is the galvanic action||
which goes on between the two metals, through the
medium of the water collected at the angle of
juncture by capillary attraction. If, then, the lead
instead of being flush with the stone into which
the iron is fixed, were to be levelled from the iron
to the stone at an angle of about 60 degrees, all
the water would drain off, and, consequently, the
galvanic action would be stopped.

Scent of Plants.—The scent of some plants is
||not perceptible until after they are cut down and
jexposed to the influence of either the sun or arti-
\|ficial heat. Grass, while growing, possesses no
\particular smell, but when made into hay, it
\\scents the country around. The wood ef the asb
j\tree, when burned in a green state, will emita

fragrance like that which proceeds from the violet
\land mezerion, and’ this it will diffuse to a very
jjconsiderable distance. The glands of the fraxi-
j|nella, from which it exhales its scent, are large
jjenough to be seen by the naked eye, and the va~
{j/pour is so combustible, that it will burn whena
\|light is placed within its influence. The garden
j|nightshade has the property of causing sleep to

New York as it is to be.—We know nothing
more frightful (says the Daily News) than to look
at a plan of New York, and fancy what it will be
when the whole island is built upon. Let the
reader imagine a dozen of Harley--streets, Baker-
streets, and Edgeware-roads, all parallel to each
other, and extending in a straight line from six to
ten miles in length, without a Hyde-park,a Re-
gent’s-park, or a Hampstead intervening, and in-
tersected rectangularly at unvarying intervals by a
couple of hundred eross-streets, all alike, and he
will have some notion of what New York is to be.

THE

Rebteln.

| The Philosophy of Painting. By Henry Twining,
| Esq. Longman & Co.

The practical portion of Mr. Twining’s work
| ontains many useful passages :—but we think in

-|objects demand it.

yarts it is unuecessarily prolix. The notices on
) ight and shade are very good :—the chapter on
/zontrast is one of the best in the book. The
) xreat charm of all Mr. Twining’s remarks is the
jevident delight in Nature, and in the study of
| Art as her handmaid, which enters into all his
idescriptions. Thus gracefully does he recognize
' the delicacy of her arrangement :—

“ Harmony and softness'are secured by nature,
}and contrast itself diminished, where, if too
| powerful, harshness wonld result. Thus, the cir-
|) cumstance that the eye loses the exact delineation
| of slender objects hich are surrounded by a

| luminous atmosphere, becomes a means by which
} lightness and delicacy are infused into those parts
||of a landseape where they are required, whilst,
_jat the same time, the whole effect of contrast is

maintained, where the bulk and opacity of the
But, in cases of contrast, it
is difficult to say when the effectTrequires to be
Superadded in the imitation, and when the simi-
larity of the conditions of the drawing with
those of nature is of itself sufficient. It may be
easy, when the local colour of an object is known
to be decidedly lighter or darker than one behind
it, or when the exposure to the light is unques-
tionably greater or less, to determine whether it
shall be made to come out in light, or in dark ;
but when the tint of an object”appears modified
by the unequal influence of neighbouring con-
trasts, it cannot easily be determined what allow-
ances are to be made, with regard to positive
colour, for those apparent changes which depend
jon relative effect. For instance, a slender pillar
in the aisle of a church, although its tone be
uniform throughout, or nearly so, becomes dark
where it crosses a window, and light again where
it traverses the dark recesses of the vaults or
groining. In nature; these transitions in the
appearance of the column, are owing entirely to
effects neighbouring or co-relative. The colour
and lightning of the column itself, may be per-
fectly uniform. But in the painting, will these
accompanying circumstances, if correctly intro-
duced, with mere pigment for light, and without
any contrivance or artifice, produce a correspond-
ing result? Or will it be necessary to modify the

tone of the column itself, in its different parts,

DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

177

in order to give the character of truth to appear-
ances which, in nature, are superinduced, and
not real?”

The chapter on Chromatics is somewhat de-
ficient : the Goethe theory is apparently not at,
all apprehended,—and the statements of the
results of M. Chevreuil’s speculations, and of
Mr. Field’s noble discoveries are by no means
clear. The chapters on perspective, reflection,
&e., consist of a multitude of minute rules and
records of observation, which should be matters
of A BC to professional artists, but which may
prove a valuable assistance to amateurs.

Remarkable Miscobery of Mousses
Ginder Ground.

Tue following narrative is taken from a paper
printed for Williany Budden, 1685, and preserved
in the Bodleian library.

“In a piece of ground within two miles of;
Cirencester, in the county of Gloucester, com-
monly known by the name of Colton’s field, as
two labourers were digging, a gravel field at the
foot of a hill, which they had sunk four yards
deep, they observed the ground on that side next
the hill to be loose, and presently discovered an
entrance into the belly of the hill, which appear-
ing very strange to them, and rather the work
of art than nature, one of them ventured a little
way in, and by the light of the kole discovered
a large cavity. Whereupon they got a lantern
and candle to make a further search into it, and
by the advantage of this feeble light the first
place they entered appeared to have been a hall,
which was large, and in it two long tables with
benches on each side, which they no sooner
touched to feel their substance, but they crumbled
into dust.

“ From thence they saw a passage into another
room, which by the furnitnre had been a kitchen,
several utensils proper to it, as pots, kettles, &c.
being of brass or iron, continued somewhat firm,
but eaten through with rust and canker, Beyond
the hall they went into a parlour furnished ac-
cording to the fashion of those times, with car-
pets richly wrought, and other furniture agree-
able ; these also fell to pieces on touchivg them.
At one corner of the room there appeared to have
been a pair of stairs, but the earth had fallen in
and stopped the ascent. Going back into the hall
they observed another opening which led them
into a square room ornamented with carvetl
work in several parts, supposed to have been a |

178

place of worship and devotion, by images in the
wall, and at the upper end of it they found seve-
ral urns, some of which had only ashes in them,
others were filled with coins and medals of gold,
silver, and brass, with latin inscriptions and
heads of several Roman emperors. ;

As they went searching about this room, they
spied a door which had been strongly patched
with iron, but the wood being rotton, with a
little foree fell to pieces, and looking in, to their
great astonishment they saw the image of a man
in full proportion, with a truncheon in his hand,
and a light in a glass, like a lamp, burning before
him. This very much affrighted them at first,
imagining it to be the devil in that shape, or a
guardian spirit set there to defend some hidden
treasure, the hopes whereof so encouraged them
at last, that one of them ventured to step in, but
upon his first descent the image seemed to strike
at him, upon which they were both so terrified
that they durst not proceed further, but went
back, taking many of the medals and coins with
them out of the urns, at night acquainted a gen-
tleman who is a famous antiquary, with the dis-
covery they had made, what they had seen, and
the money they had found, showing him several
pieces, upon which he ordered them to keep the
matter private, promising to go with them the
next morning, which he accordingly did.

After he had viewed the other rooms with
wonder and delight, they conducted him to the
place where the image was, which he supposed
might by some great artist be made to strike at
certain times; therefore, without any appre-
hension of danger, went in; and, as before, upon

so at the second, but with greater force ; at the
third step it struck a violent blow on the glass
where the light was, which broke it to pieces,
and quite extinguished it (the light), that had
they not been furnished with a lantern and can-
dle, their condition would have been desperate.
The image appeared to have been the effigy of
some Roman general, by those ensigns of martial
honour which lay at his feet, On the left hand
lay two heads embalmed,—the flesh was shrivel-
led up, and looked like parchment scorched, of a
dark complexion. ‘They had long hair on the
chin ; one seemed to bered, the other black.

Upon further search they found several other
passages leading to other houses, or different
rooms in the same house; but a hollow voice,
like a deep [sigh or groan, prevented any other
discovery. Our adventurers hastily quitted those
dark apartments, which they had no sooner done
than the hill sunk down, and buried all the

——

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THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

his first step tho image made an offer to strike;

rarities, except those medals and coins taken out
the night before, which are now shown for the sa-
tisfaction of the curious and ingenious, who in
great numbers flocked to see them ; and purchased
them at great prices, as most valuable relics of an-
tiquity.

THE Goodwood racing cups for this year have

been manufactured by Messrs. Hunt and Roskell|
of Bond-street, and the Messrs. Garrard of the)

Haymarket. The two which are productions of

Messrs. Hunt and Roskell, are after the models of}

Mr. A. Brown, made under the superintendence),
One is a tazza of}

of Mr. Baily, the Acadamician.
the Elizabethan period, enriched with figures and
devices representative of the ancient sports of
England, and leading the imagination back from
the hunting-ground to the merry greenwood. The
other is more directly representative of the time
and oceasion in which it originates. On its base
are the figures of a stallion, a mare, and a foal,—
and a group of fighting horses make its crown.
The handles of the cup are formed by Victories,—
and medallions descriptive of horse-racing are
among its ornaments. The cup of Messrs. Gar-
rard’s manufacture is from/the design and model
of Mr. Cotterill. On its base a group of Indians
are hunting the bison. All these subjects are suf-
ficently appropriate to the spirit of the theme
which they are intended to illustrate.

A Word in Season.—Never be cast down by
trifles. If a spider break his thread twenty times,
twenty times will he mend it again. Make up
your hands to do a thing in compass, and you will
do it.
up your spirits, though the day be a dark one.

Fight hard against a hasty temper. If anger come,
resist, it stoutly. A spark may set a house on
fire. A fit of passion may give you cause to mourn
all the days of your life. Whatever you do, do it
willingly. A boy that is whipped to school never
learns his lesson well. A man that is compelled to
work, cares not how badly it is performed. He
that pulls off his coat cheerfully, strips up his
sleeves in earnest, and sings while he works, is the
man for us.

A cheerful spirit gets on quick ;
A grumbler in the’mud willjstick.

Salisbury Cathedral.—It is reported in the
neighbourhood, that the dean and chapter have
it in contemplation to throw this Cathedral open
to the public. We sincerely hope that the {report
in question is founded in truth.

Fear not if troubles come upon you; keep|'

pp ee cena nS RNS oS rea

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT,

Gishopp’s Misc Engine.

Payne a visit the other morning to the Times
Printing-office, we saw the new Disc Engine that
has been put up there to drive Applegarth’s two
rotary printing machines, by which the 36,000
copies, or thereabouts, matutinally required, are
whiffled of at the rate of about 5,000 complete
-|!eopies per hour. In this engine, the advantages
‘of which have been long known, the objections
alone kept it out of general use, appear to have
beeu successfully overcome. It is a 16-horse power
engine, on the high-pressure and condensing prin-
‘ciple: it is, however, equally suitable to be worked
as a simple low-pressure condensing engine.

Tt stands in the machine-room close to a wall,
and occupies a singularly smallspace. The shaft-
‘ing for driving the printing machines is carried by
‘brackets ; fixed to the wall over the engine, and is
driven by two bands: the drum on the engine-
‘shaft is 30 inches diameter; and the two pulleys
‘overhead 4 feet diameter.

| Ourimpressions in favour of the engine were
confirmed by inquiry. Itseems that, before being
erected at the 7’imes office, it was tested, during a
month, by Mr. Penn, of Greenwich, and Mr.
Farey (both good authorites), in a corn-mill be-
longing to the former. The comparison was made
with a beam-engine of the best construction ; and,
under similar circumstances, there was an impor-
tant difference in favour of the disc engine, the
engines driving alternately the same machinery, at
an equal speed, from the same boiler.

Several dise engines have been fixedin various
\\parts of the kingdom during the last eight years,
but the arrangements lately patented by Mr.
G. D. Bishopp have so much improved it, as to
open to it a much larger sphere of action. This at
the Times office was manufactured by Messrs.
Joseph Whitworth and Co., of Manchester.

The peculiarity of the disc engine is, that it gives
motion to acrank on the engine-shaft, and exerts
a perfectly uniform force on it thronghout the re-
volution. There are, therefore, no ‘‘ dead points;”
and when driving by gearing, without a fly-wheel,

there is no back-lash in the wheels. Moreover,
||the steam can be cut off at a very early part of
the stroke, without materially affecting the recu-
larity of the driving force.

The wood pavement is fast disappearing from
many of our thoroughfares.

179

Gseful Weectpts.

————

To Remove Ink Stains from Books, Linen, §c.
—Apply to the spot, muriatic acid diluted with five
or six times its weight of water, and after a miuute
or two, wash it off: repeating the application as
often as may be found necessary. Strong solutions
of oxalic, citric, and tartric acids, also effect the
purpose, and being less likely than the muriatic
acid to injure the fabric they are applied to, are
preferable.

Lo Form Carmine,—Take three pints of water
that has been boiled in a pewter vessel, into this
put one ounce of finely-powdered cochineal, and
keep the water boiling for about ten minutes ; add
then half a dram each of alum and supertartrate
of potass (cream of tartar) and keep the mixture
on the fire for a minute or two longer, When the
gross powder has subsided the decoction is to be
removed to a tall cylindrical vessel, which must be
covered over, and left free from disturbance. The
carmine will then settle at the bottom of the vessel.
The liquor must then be gently poured off and the
powder gradually dried. An inferior carmine may
tben be obtained from the coloured liquor poured
off from the first carmine, by the addition of a so-
lution of muriate of tin.

To Form Lake.—Boil chips of fine Brazil wood
in water aud strain the decoction, and then add to
ita solution of tin in muriatic acid (muriate of tin)
which may be purchased of the drysalters. The
mixture affords a fine red precipitate, which is the
article required. —

By precipitating by alum instead of muriate of
tin, another kind of lake is obtained.
Various coloured lakes may be obtained by
digesting fine Brazil wood in acids, filtering the
solution, and precipitating with alum and Ammo-

nia, or alum and potass. Ammonia, however, gives
the finest lakes.

Cement for the Joints of Cast Iron.—Take
20 lbs. cast-iron borings; 2 oz fluur of sulphur ;
1 oz. muriate ot aiamonia. The materials must
be ultimately mixed in tbe dry state, when a suf-
ficient quantity of warm water mnst be added to
render the whole quite wet; the mass is then
pressed together in a lump, aud allowed to remain
till such time, when the combined action of the
materials renders it quite hot, in which state it
must be hammered with proper tools into the
joints.

ene
_——————————————— A ES aL SSES

180 THE DECORATORS ASSISTANT,

DESIGNS FOR GLAZIERS,

The Hindoostan Lapidaries Wheel.—This wheel
is extremely useful for cutting patterns on glass,
engraving on crystal, filing metals, sharpening in-
struments, and many other purposes besides the
work of alapidary. Itis composed of two parts
of fine emery powder, and one part of gum-lac.
The emery is put into a crucible, and when hot

|/enough to melt the lac, throw in some pieces one

by one, stir the whole well, and make the mixture
as complete as possible, and then ponr it on a
smooth marble slab ; and after beatiug it well with
a pestle, roll it on a stick and beat it again, &c.
When the mixture is perfect, you pour it on the
marble slab, (pounced with emery) in a hoop of
iron or wood forming a mould, flatten and press
in the paste with an iron roller, and smoothen the
surface with a piece of iron and emery, heat the
iron mandril and pass it through the centre, when
cold it is applied to the lath and fit foruse. The

composition of the wheel is not only durable and.

simple, but may be less costly if applied as a ring
on to the circumference of any other wheel, al-
though generally made solid by the Hindoostan.

Stings of Bees, Wasps, and other Insects..—
These are seldom fatal ; but the pain which they
excite is almost insupportable in some habits. Let
the affected parts be bathed with tepid spirits of
Mindererus.

Go Correspondents, Ke.

B. B.—Not at present.

H. F.— Try tt again.

J. A.—«.—WNot connected with decorative art in
any way.

S. B.—To be completed in five volumes.
W. W.—Certainly.
G. G. A.—Answered three weeks since.

Ss. A. M.—WNo.

Now Published Complete, Price Five Shillings,
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
lessons in every style of Ornament. Part 1 tod
on sale. The Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 7, are
now ready.—The Illustrated T.aws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17,
Holywell Street, Strand.

»* Parts 1 and 2 are reprinted, and will in future
be chrged at 10d. each.

Part 27 is now ready, price 10d.

|| will give it a fine lustre.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

181

Hlethovs of Staining GeAoovys.

. —_

Tru following are tbe best processes for staining
common woods, in imitation of the finer sorts.

'|}o Artificial Ebony, is made by boiling smooth clean

box in oil], till it becomes perfectly black; or by
washine{pear-tree wood with aqaufortis and drying
itin a shady place in the opeu air; after which,
common writing ink should be repeatedly passed
over it, and the wood dried in a similar manner,
|till it acquires a deep black colour. It may then
be polished with was anda woollen cloth, which
A very fine black is also
produced by a solution of copper in aquafortis, and
afterwards brushed over with a decoction of log-
wood.

Rosewood, may be admirably produced by

'|brushing over the wood repeatedly a strong decoc-

tion of logwood, and, after it is dry, applying with
a piece of cane bruised very coarsely, to be used
asa brush, a solution of copperas, or, which is
better, of iron filings in vinegar, in such a manner
as to imitate the grain of the wood.

Mahogany. An excellent imitation of mahogany
may be obtained by heating over a fire some
dragon’s blood dissolved in oil of turpentine, in
which is immersed some plane-tree wood. This
mode is practicod in Germany, and produces a

||beautiful colour; but, as some danger is incurred

from the liability of the oil of turpentine to take
fire, it has been recommended to boil the wood
well in simple water, and then to take it out, and,
while hot, to brush it over repeatedly, with the
solution of dragon’s blood in oil of turpentine.
Another method, which answers well, particularly
with elm, maple, and sycamore, is, to dissolve two
drachms of dragon’s blood, one drachm of alkanet
root, and half a drachm of aloe, in half a pint of
rectified spirits of wine: the wood should be first
moistened with aquafortis, and two or three layers
of the mixture applied, each being allowed to dry
before the next is applied.

A light red-brown Mahogany colour may also be
given to wood, by means of a decoction of madder
and fustic wood, ground in water, in the proportion
of half a pound of madder, and a quarter of a
pound of fustic, to a gallon; or, instead of the
fustic, an ounce of French berries may be used.
The wood must be brushed over with this solution,
while boiling hot, till the proper colour be obtained,
By substituting, for the fustic, two ounces of log-
wood, a dark mahogany colour will be obtained.
When the wood has been brushed over several
times, and is dry, brush it over with water in
which pearl-ashes have been dissolved, in the pro-

portion of a quarter of an ounce toa quart. The
wooc, in the better kind of work, should be after~
wards varnished with three or four coats of seedlac
varnish.

To dve wood a fine yellow, dissolve gamboge in
spirit of turpentine, and wash it over the wood :
the addition of dragon’s blood will produce an
orange tint. Turmeric dissolved in spirits of wine
also answers well.

Wood may also be stained yellow by brushing it
over several times with the tincture of turmeric
root, made by putting an ounce of the pow-
dered root to a pint of spirit, and, after it has
stood some days, straining off the tincture. To
this also a little dragon’s blood may be added, to
give it a redder cast. A cheaper and less bright
yellow may be given by rubbing the wood over
with the tincture of French berries made boiling)!
hot, and, when the wood is dry, brushing it over
with weak alum-water used cold. |

For a deep black, the wood may be brushed
over four or five times with a warm decoction of;
logwood, made in the proportion of one pound of;
logweod to a gallon of water, and boiled for an
hour or more, Afterwards black it over as often'
with a decoction of galls, allowing it to dry
thoroughly between each application of the liquor.||
Thus prepared, it receives a fine deep colour, from
being washed over with a solution of vitriol, in the
proportion of two ounces to a quart; in the room
of which, some use a solution of iron in vinegar,
keeping the vinegar for this purpose upon a quan -
tity of iron filings, and pouring off a little as it is
wanted. A pretty good black is also obtained by||
brushing over the wood first with the logwood.
liquor, and afterwards with common ink, A very
fine black may be produced by brushing over the
wood several times with a solution of copper in
aquafortis, and afterwards with the decoction of
logwood, repeated till the colour be of sufficient
force, and the greenness produced by the copper
overcome, ; eT

To dye wood a fine blue put two drachms of the
best indigo in powder in a glass, with two ounces
of oil of vitriol, and stir them with a new clay
pipe. When it has stood for ten or twelve hours
in a temperate place, pour it into a large glass or
earthen vessel, and add as much clear water as is
requisite to produce the tint required. Another
method is to dissolve verdigris in distilled vinegar,
and making a separate solution of two ounces of,
pure peal ashes in a pint of water, first applying
the former to the wood several times, till it be of a
sufficiently deep green, and then applying the
latter with a soft painter’s brush, till it becomes of,
the blue tint required. If a green stain is wished

Tia

182

THE DECORATOR’S

ASSISTANT.

for, the dissolved verdigris may be used alone. To

dye wood purple, boil a quart of water, two oz. of
Brazil wood, and one oz. of logwood till one half is
evaporated ; strain it off, and apply it with a
painter’s brush. Afterwards apply a weak solution
of pearlash.

To dye wood red, take two ounces of Brazil
wood and two drams of purified potash; mix them
in a quart of water, and infuse for two or three
days, then strain it,,and make it boiling hot, and
brush the wood over with it until it is highly co-

jloured, when while wet, it must be brushed over
with a solution of alum, in the Bee of two
ounces to the quart.

To dye wood pink or rose-red, add to this infu-
sion of Brazil wood a qnarter of an ounce of pearl
ash, and use it as before, applying the alum-water
several times.

To increase the brilliancy of any of the fore.
going stains, use a varnish of seed or shell lac.—
For coarser work, a varnish of resin and lac may
ke used, or drying oil; or even a little bees’-wax
only.

Stamnes Glass tn Weeve.

In Leeds parish church, are two lights at the
east end, each consisting of three long openings,
and filled with stained glass executed by Mr. W.
Wilmshurst. These occur on each side of the
centre window, which is filled almost entirely with
ancient glass: The light on the north side contains
some of the principal jevents in the life of our
Saviour, each composition being under a canopy.
The subjects are-—‘ The Offering of the Wise Men,’
—‘Christ disputing with the Doctors,’—‘ Christ
Blessing Little Children,—‘ The . Tribute Money,’
&c. The south light exhibits some of the princi-
pal events in the life of St. Peter, in whose name
the church is dedicated,—-as ‘The Deliverance
from Prison,’—‘ The Charge,’—‘ The Draught of
Fishes,’ &c, in all, nine subjects. The tracery of
the windows is filled with the representations of
ae scrolls, &c. There are also six panels, one
at the bottom of each opening. Those at the four
sides contain emblems, and in each of the central
panels is an inscribed, scroll, intimating that the
windows are the gift of Mr. Blayds, and saered to
fine memory of his two elder sons, who respectively
icied in the years 1842 and 1845. The colours, es-
lpeeisll the blue, red, and ruby, are truly very
brilliant. The execution of the work throughout
is of the most artistic description, and reflects
equal credit on the talent of the artist, and the li-
berality of the donor.

Rebtelv.

‘A Guide to Benefit Societies, Illustrative of

their Origin, Progress, Constitution, and Ob-|
jects; with a Practical Adaptation of Life}
Assurance to the Requirements of their Mem-|
bers, by J. H. Jamus, Consulting Actuary.—|
London, Simpkin, Marshall, & Co.

Tuer work before us is one of that rare but use-
ful class calculated to direct and assist the indus-|
trial classes in their efforts to invest the product of
their economy in the most advantageous manner,
not only to their owa advantage, but to that of,
those who, in the common course of nature, they}
must expect to leave behind them in this “ vale of
tears.” It is written in the most perspicuous style:
and though embracing subjects of no ordinary dif-
ficulty, renders them clear and tangible as the sun
at noon-day. There are annexed several Tables of
Life Assurance, applicable to the requirements of,
persons connected with Building Societies. To all
such individuals, and those who intend investing
their capital in a similar manner, this work cannot
fail in being of the greatest service. We regret
that our limited space precludes our giving an ex-
tract from its lucid pages.

Baths and Wash-houses.— Timely Advice. —
A foreign visitor to some of our public baths, the
Baron de Suarce, while honouring the English of
all classes for the establishment of such noble in-
stitutions, advises the exercise of great and even
scientific care in the cleansing of towels and flan-
nels, particularly in such a season as the present,
and above all, in the Metropolis, ‘“‘ whither crowd
strangers from every quarter of the globe, many of
them deplorably unhealthy, and where disease has|
an increased malignity.”’ It is not sufficient, as
the Baron urges, that the towels be boiled in alka-
line water—the ordinary mode of cleansing—for
thus “ the corrupt humours of the diseased may be
enfixed in them. That is what your medical men,
agreeing with me, will tell you; and particularly
manufacturers of wool and cotton. At Leeds and
in the west of England, the operation of cleansing
the wool is known to require a wash possessing a
certain precise amount and no more of alkali
and heat, as the slightest deviation irremoveably
fixes the oil in the texture, instead of separating
the two.—[This is, indeed, a well-timed caution,
and deserves prompt attention.]

Tue gold coins of this country are composed of;
€leven parts of gold and one of copper.

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

183

Xystuus. This word is applied by the Greeks

An Ellussteated ®lossarp of Technical to a spacious portico in which the aul eie exercise)

Terms used tn Architectural anv
dintervior Becovation, Se.
‘*

Wainscon. The wooden linings of walls, gene-
‘rally in panels. The wood originally used in this
work was a foreign oak, known by this name, and
hence the name by degrees became applied to the
work itself.

Watt. A body of masonry of a certain thick-
ness, formed of stone or bricks. The early Greeks
constructed their walls, particularly those which
surrounded their cities, of rough stones of an im-
mense size:—such were those of Mycene and
and Tiryus. The interstices that were left between
these shapeless blocks were filled up with small
stones. According to the report of travellers, there
still exist in the isles of Gozzo and Malta circular
edifices of this construction. When the ancients
first cut the stones, they did not cut them rectan-
gular, but gave them an irregular figure of three,
four, or six sides, and fitted them together, so that,
when in their places, they left no interstices be-
||tween them.

WaAtn-PLATES. Pieces of timber which are
placed so as to form the supports to the roof of a
|/building.
Warpine. See Lasting.

WEATHER-BOARDING. Boards lapped over each
other to prevent rain, &c. from passing through.

WEATHER-TILING.
surface with tiles.

Covering a wall or vertical

WEEPERS,
uuments.

Small sepulchral statues in old mo-

Wett. The hollow space withim a spiral or
square staircase, extending from the basement to
the roof.

WHEEL-WINDow. A circular window in the

form of a wheel.

WHISPERING-GALLERY. Their form must be
that of a concave hemisphere. In that of the
dome of St. Pauls, the ticking of a watch may be
heard from side to side, and a very low whisper be
sent all round the dome.

WITHS. _ The partitions of chimney flues.

WREATHED Cozumns. Columns twisted in the

form of a screw.

themselves in winter.

XENODOUHIUM: The name given by the an-|
cients to a hospital or an inn, for the reception of
strangers. .

ZeTA. A smali withdrawing chamber—a stove
room—a parlour. In churches the zeta was a
room in which the church-keeper or sexton lived.
Formerly this room was built over the porch-way|
and entrance into the church. The sexton here
kept his books, and gave his returns as custom en-
forced, and in the zeta all parochial business was
settled.

Zocie. A term given to a low, square member, |
used instead of a pedestal, to support a column.
When a zocle runs round a building, it is termed a
continued zocle. A zocle differs from a pedestal
in being without base or cornice.

END OF GLOSSARY.

New Silver Mines in Chilt.—The discovery of
the richest bed of silver, near Copiapo, at a place
called Tres Puntas, is not unlike the Californian
gold finding. A common miner, tired of drudging,
took his mule and travelled in search of treasure,
resting at night in the open country, among hill or
deserts. On one occasion, finding his location
somewhat uneasy, he shifted occasionally a few feet||
during the night. Not being able to sleep, before

| starting in the morning, and wondering what could

be the cause of his uneasiness, he cleared away
some of the sand where he had lain, and to his
surprise and delight discovered a complete bed of
silver on the surface, very rugged and pointed, but
at all events sufficiently so to have made him rest-
less during the night. As the discoverer he claimed
the right of possession, which he now holds. An
offer was made to him of 100,000/. cash, before the
mine or bed was disturbed, which he refused:—
Other mines have been discovered in the same dis-
triet. This may eppear fabulous, but it is strictly
true, nevertheless.

Brewing..-—The art of brewing, or preparing a
vinous fermented liquor from the farinaceous seeds,
is of very high antiquity. The ancient Egyptians
from the soil and climate of their country not being
favourable to the culture of the vine, were induced
to seek a substitute in barley, from which, in all
probability, by the process of malting, they knew
how to prepare a fermented liquor. How far the
moderns have improved or’ degenerated in the art
is now incapable of proof.

184

@n wWrick HAoulyinags.

——

A CORRESPONDENT
says ‘—

‘¢In ‘a country like ours, where there are no
quarries, and so many clay pits, and where con-
sequently stone is so dear and scarce, and bricks
—hboth red and white—so common, I “yather won-
der that brick is not more used for the finer
‘mouldings in the place of stone. In former
times—and it might be equally so now—mould-
ings of all kinds were highly ornamented, frames
to windows, porches, chimneys, &c. were made of
brick. Besides being much cheaper, and quite
as durable as stone, they had this advantage,—
‘that the most intricate patterns could be made
nearly as cheap as the plainest; and also thatiany
‘colour’might be used, if not in the brick itself,
yet on the outside and burnt in. White brick
‘round the windows, or at the corners of houses,
‘proves a good foil to shaped flints; red brick to
‘white, and vice versa.
| “JT shall mention one or two instances of the
‘use of moulded bricks. Westhorpe Hall, one of
‘the first buildings of this class, was erected by
Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, about the year 1500,
who resided there with his wife, a king’s sister
‘and widow. Though hardly a remnant even of
the ruins remains, yet fragments turn up which
| show the beauty of the brick mouldings. They
‘are of a very hard and compact white brick,
‘which retains its original sharpness,—and some
‘of them having the duke’s crest in relief upon

in the Bury Herald

THE DECORATOR’S ASSISTANT.

them, still ornament a bridge of the same date as||
the hal]. The other example is West Stow Hall,||
built by the same duke, the gate-house of which
is a noble specimen of brick building. As an
example of the great use of brick mouldings in|
churches, I may name Ixworth Thorp, a door-
way of which church has its mouldings and cir-
cular (Saxon ?) arch, formed of red brick.’’

The duty on bricks, levied as it now is, pre-
vents any attempt at improvement, or experi-
mental endeavours.

Go Corresponvents, Kc.

Blucher, (Oxford.)\—Thanks for the excellent ar-
ticle sent, which we regret not being able to
avail ourselves of, owing to the present number
completing the work. It shall be enclosed to
any address you may forward.

Now Published Complete, Price Five Shillings,
the Self Instructing Drawing Book, containing
Part 1 to 5
The Book of Ornamental and Early
English Alphabets, Price 6d. Parts 1, to 7, are
now ready.—The Illustrated Laws of Cricket, as
revised by the Marylebone Club, with explanatory
remarks by J. W. Burden, Cricketing Reporter to
Bell’s Life in London, Price 6d. Office, 17, |
Holywell Street, Strand.

* * Parts 1 and 2 are reprinted, and will in future

be charged at 10d. each.

lessons in every style of Ornament.
on sale.

Printed and Published by W. on , 17, Holywell-street, Strand, where Communications are

_ to be addressed. ——No.

121.—September Ist, 1849.

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Full text of "The Decorator's assistant"

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